tech experts series: inspiring journeys. interview with costel.

Welcome to our tech expert interview series, “Inspiring journeys”*, designed to turn the spotlight on the remarkable stories of growth and achievement within the Randstad Digital team. Whether it’s career evolution, exceptional support for other colleagues, or outstanding contributions, this series aims to highlight key milestones and our tech specialists' significant impact on our projects and teams. 

Costel D., Senior Software Engineer, shared with us about his passion for automotive and IT, which both commonly ask for a curiosity to explore and a mindset of continuous learning. Success comes when these are combined with collaboration, flexibility to explore, dependability, initiative and adaptability. Check out our interview with Costel and discover an inspiring story where all these were brought together. 

 

please share with us about your experience, technologies, and areas of expertise.

For the first two years of my career, I wasn't in the IT field; instead, I was fully immersed in automotive work as part of the design team for interior parts. Alongside providing technical solutions for failing parts in production, due to my fortunate knowledge of the French language, I also mediated the relationship between part suppliers and clients. During this time, I gained a deeper understanding of how the automotive industry operates. This experience made a great contribution to the development of my soft skills.

I enjoyed my first experience, but right from the start, I felt like I wasn't in the right place. I've always been fascinated by how mechanical parts are controlled, and this led me to reconsider my career path. I initially aimed for a job in engine calibration but ended up starting my IT career in the Body Aerodynamics department, which I found to be much more challenging and captivating than I originally imagined.

Since then, I've been working in the IT domain for automotive projects, where I've gained experience with Embedded Systems, ECU diagnostics, Hardware Security Module (HSM), Linux, Android Automotive / SDV - Software Defined Vehicles, and Project Organization.

 

how long have you been on our team? did/ do you have a mentor/ colleague who supported your growth?

Since joining Randstad Digital in August 2023, I've been immersed in the technical area. While I can't attribute my growth to a single mentor, every team member has played a crucial role in facilitating my smooth integration into the project dynamics. We rely on each other's expertise to tackle technical challenges effectively.

 

what challenges did you face in your project and how did you solve them?

Starting with the first month of the project, I've been involved in its technical aspects, and managing multiple topics simultaneously has been particularly challenging.

Now, almost one year later, I can still say that staying on track with it can be tough. To handle this, we focused a lot on communication to clear up any confusion. We checked how we were doing in regular meetings to find areas where we could do better. Also, we made sure everyone knew what they were supposed to do by setting clear goals and deadlines. By doing these things first, we were ready to deal with any changes in the project and keep moving forward.

 

what motivates you to keep going and growing?

Being part of challenging projects and working with others towards common objectives is a significant motivator for me. This drive fuels my continuous growth, and the fulfillment I experience from personal and professional development further inspires me to keep pushing forward and seeking improvement.

 

we also want to discover what hobbies tech experts have. what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

One of my biggest passions is related to car mechanics. I spend a lot of time fixing it up and making sure it runs well. I find it inspiring because I get to see and understand the simple and practical engineering behind modern solutions in the automotive industry.

Travel, on the other hand, is a hobby that initially was in the backseat but has grown in interest over time. It shows me how people live in various ways and helps me appreciate the simple things more.

 

As we conclude our freshest interview in the “Inspiring journeys” series*, we take a moment to highlight something all our colleagues mentioned so far, and Costel described it so accurately: being able to solve project challenges requires at least clear communication, each team member understanding what they need to do, and working together to tackle any technical roadblocks. And finally, challenges solved as a team motivate everyone to keep learning and improving.  

 

Many thanks to Costel for joining us in this series and sharing about his journey so far. We congratulate him on his career evolution, but also for his readiness to take on challenging tasks and to support his team. 

*Check out more of our “Inspiring journeys” series! Read the interviews with Adrian, Gheorghe, and Sorin