Conversations with Viktor Kasap

Today we’d like to introduce you to Viktor Kasap.

Hi Viktor, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Seven years ago, I began a transformative journey from a systems administrator to a software developer. This career change was inspired by my deep passion for coding, a desire that eventually overcame all my fears and doubts, despite being told that it was too late to start at 33.

Early Inspirations and Challenges

As a child, my interests were varied – I loved drawing and playing guitar, but my family’s modest means and my school’s limited resources (one computer for the entire school) meant that technology was not easily accessible. I didn’t get a computer until my early 20s, and initially I used it exclusively for gaming. But as my gaming phase faded, my curiosity for more meaningful pursuits grew.

Throughout my childhood, a recurring theme in my family was that I wasn’t smart enough to become a programmer, as it required genius and a strong aptitude for mathematics. These words planted the seeds of doubt that grew into a significant fear of learning to code.

Overcoming Self-Doubt

However, my desire to code eventually overcame these fears. The realization came late, but it was profound: it wasn’t about timing; it was about starting a journey toward what I’d always wanted to do. The transition to development was not easy, especially given my stronger inclination toward humanities rather than technical subjects. The task required gradually overcoming significant mental barriers.

Learning and Growing

During my learning, I often encountered problems like “I don’t get it” or “I’ll never get it,” especially when comparing myself to others who seemed to grasp concepts faster. This comparison was demoralizing. I learned my first important lesson: never compare yourself to others; everyone is different and progress comes at its own pace.

Well-Being and Balance

I often struggled with depression when things weren’t going as planned or when concepts eluded me. Through these challenges, I learned another important lesson: maintaining a balanced routine is crucial. Like any muscle, the brain needs rest. Burnout and fatigue can hit suddenly and intensely, so it’s important to proactively manage your mental and physical health with good sleep, breaks, and gradually increasing your workload.

Professional Breakthroughs

Eventually, my persistence paid off, allowing me to increase my daily coding sessions from one hour to four, a significant amount of time for learning and practicing. My first job as a backend developer came from a freelance platform. I later collaborated with Digital Butlers, a web studio where I initially worked as a freelancer before being invited to join their team based on trust and the quality of my work. After a few years of working with them, my family and I moved to Portland, USA.

Adapting to the US Labor Market

Upon arrival in the US, I began actively exploring the labor market, which was radically different from the Russian one, especially given the additional complications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. After a year and a half of searching, a recommendation from a friend led me to my first job in the US as a senior software engineer, after four rounds of interviews.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Introduction

Without a doubt, the road to success was not easy. This was especially true for someone like me who did not have a strong background in mathematics and algebra during my school years.

Early difficulties

As a child, I did not understand the need for mathematics. No one could explain its practical importance to me because I never saw people around me applying what we learned in school in everyday life. However, when I started learning programming, I realized the importance of mathematics in developing thinking skills, accelerating the process of assimilating new information and thinking creatively. This applies not only to programming, but in general, it has a strong impact on our lives.

Mathematics as a mental workout

Mathematics is not just a subject; it is a mental workout that improves your ability to analyze and synthesize information. Music also plays an important role and is often associated with mathematical abilities. Musicians and mathematicians seem to be two sides of the same coin, both disciplines help develop the brain in similar ways.

Personal Development and Resilience

Not everyone is naturally quick-thinking or has a good memory, but the brain can be “trained.” While some may start out with an advantage, diligent study and practice can close the gap over time. It’s important not to compare yourself to others who may have it easier. Yes, I’ve often had to struggle to achieve results, but these efforts only make us stronger and more valuable.

Conclusion

Such challenges allow us to realize our own value and strength. Difficulties and obstacles make us more resilient and contribute to deep personal growth.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Introduction to My Role

I am primarily focused on frontend development, although I have a background in backend development as well. My approach is distinctive because I strive to align my work with business needs.

Understanding Business Objectives

It’s crucial for me to understand the business and its goals. This understanding enables me to write code that is not just for the sake of coding, which I believe is only necessary when one is learning. A programmer’s real goal should be to be useful, and to be useful, one needs to know why they are doing what they are doing.

Strategic Coding

This approach allows me to plan several steps ahead. I write code not just for the immediate task but with potential future expansions and improvements in mind. This foresight often leads to spending less time implementing new features or adapting to changing business requirements. I consider this one of the key factors that set me apart: being not just a programmer but a part of the business.

Code Clarity and Team Culture

Another important factor, in my opinion, is writing code in a way that can be easily understood by another developer or a colleague who might work on future modifications or improvements. I view this as a part of the coding culture, and failing to adhere to this standard shows a lack of respect for one’s colleagues. Therefore, I pay close attention to details. This includes many things, from naming variables to breaking code into logical parts to reduce unnecessary cognitive load, issues of styling, documenting code where needed, and many other nuances.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The desire to do what I love to do. It’s the root of everything

Pricing:

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Contact Info:

• Website: https://github.com/viktorkasap
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikkasap/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vikkasap
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktorkasap/

Image Credits
Viktor Kasap, Inna Kasap