At Vinted, our mobile engineers are developing an app used by millions of people across 20+ countries. Whether it’s enabling seamless second-hand shopping or creating intuitive tools to manage listings and deliveries, mobile is at the heart of how members experience Vinted.So what’s it like to work behind the screen of one of Europe’s most-loved apps? To find out, we sat down with two of our mobile engineering leaders: Sam Vesali, iOS Staff Engineer, and Andrius Semionovas, Android Staff Engineer. They shared what makes our mobile domain special, how our teams work, and what it takes to thrive in this environment.<h3>What’s Special About Mobile at Vinted?</h3>Mobile is not a separate lane—it’s a central one. Our mobile engineers are not just implementers. They’re co-creators, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, QAs, and Backend Engineers to build features that solve real-world problems for our members. &nbsp;

Mobile teams contribute to all areas of Vinted’s business, from member experience to logistics. That means working at scale, building for multiple markets and millions of users, and constantly evolving our architecture to stay ahead.We also maintain open communication across platforms. Android and iOS engineers regularly align to ensure feature parity and consistency, while still keeping pace with platform-specific innovations.<h3>Our Tech Stack &amp; How We Work</h3>We maintain a strong engineering culture that focuses on scalable architecture, modular codebases, and cross-platform consistency. Here's how we break it down:

<figure class="table" style="height:100%;width:100%;"><table class="ck-table-resized" style="border-collapse:collapse;" border="1"><colgroup><col style="width:10.46%;"><col style="width:42.1%;"><col style="width:47.44%;"></colgroup><thead><tr><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">&nbsp;</th><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">iOS</th><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">Android</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Language &nbsp;.&nbsp;</td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Swift</td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Kotlin (fully migrated since 2018)</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Architecture &nbsp;.&nbsp;</td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Modular Clean Swift, contract / implementation layering</td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">MVVM, modular pluggable system</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Tools</td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Tuist, Fastlane, GitHub Actions, Firebase Crashlytics</td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Gradle, Jenkins, OpenAPI for shared contracts, Jetpack Compose</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Testing</td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Unit tests, snapshot, and integration tests</td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;">Unit tests, integration tests, static analysis, A/B testing</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

These tools and frameworks are just part of the story. Working at Vinted means solving technical challenges at scale—from modularising our architecture while avoiding tight coupling, to gradually adopting modern technologies like SwiftUI and Jetpack Compose. Across both platforms, engineers focus on secure, scalable, and privacy-first solutions that support independent team workflows and meet evolving business needs.<h3>Cross-Platform Collaboration</h3>Consistency matters, especially when millions rely on us daily. Our iOS and Android teams coordinate closely through shared specs, regular syncs, and aligned release strategies. From shared backend APIs to unified feature flags, both platforms deliver updates in tandem, ensuring every member has the same great experience, no matter their device.

<h3>Day-to-Day in Mobile Engineering</h3>A typical day includes stand-ups, cross-team planning sessions, deep focus time for development, and collaborative reviews. Mobile engineers lead discussions on architecture, run experiments, and share feedback across various disciplines. Mentorship and pair programming are encouraged, especially for junior engineers joining through our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Academy</a>. &nbsp;

The scale is energising. You ship something in the morning and see real-world impact by the evening. However, scaling brings complexity—tight architectural discipline, legacy code migration, and the challenge of meeting diverse market needs across devices and platforms.<h3>Advice for Future Mobile Engineers at Vinted</h3>We value engineers who see beyond their code — think holistically about user experience, technical debt, and collaboration.&nbsp;

From day one, our engineers are trusted and supported. You’ll learn fast, receive regular feedback, and grow into broader responsibilities—whether it’s leading architectural efforts, mentoring others, or shaping product direction. Your own career growth depends on you. The path can lead towards Staff or Principal roles, switching tracks entirely (e.g. from iOS to Backend), or challenging yourself with a technical leadership position! There's plenty of room to evolve.

<h3>Ready to Build Mobile Products Used by Millions?</h3>If you love clean architecture, solving tough problems, and you're excited to make an impact by building high-quality mobile products with a passionate, experienced team—check out our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?departments%5B0%5D=Engineering%20Academy&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open roles</a> or apply to the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Engineering Academy</a>.

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Engineering at Your Fingertips: Life in Mobile at Vinted

Successfully rebuilding a career from scratch in a completely different field with no formal education or work experience is tough. But Tom Slaytor managed to defy all odds and successfully become a Backend Engineer, despite starting from a very different line of work. Read on to find out more about Tom’s remarkable journey into Vinted via our Engineering Academy, and discover how we at Vinted welcome and support our thriving career changers into our teams.<h2>Meet Tom Slaytor</h2> After working as a professional drummer for several years, followed by a role in sales, Tom Slaytor decided to pursue a new career path that ignited his passion. After developing an interest in engineering by chance, Tom stumbled upon an advert for the Vinted Engineering Academy and decided to apply (spoiler alert – he got the job). But switching careers is never easy – particularly without formal education or training. In his own words, let’s find out how Tom got on with this mammoth transition from professional drummer to Backend Engineer at Vinted, and hear the advice he’d give to people thinking of applying for the Engineering Academy. &nbsp;<h2>It all started with an app</h2> My work experience is pretty varied. After studying music at University, I worked as a professional drummer for several years. Following that, I had a job in sales within the finance sector. A career in engineering was never a consideration. Until one day I had a sudden idea for a training app for drummers. Without having any technical knowledge of engineering, I asked a developer friend to help me create it. As I worked alongside him, I watched him work on the code. I was immediately drawn to it, and found myself quickly getting to grips with what he was doing. The problem-solving element was particularly appealing, but without any experience or training in the field, it never occurred to me that this could be something I could do for myself. &nbsp;

<h2>Time for a change</h2> My job in sales came to an end, but I soon realised I didn’t want to pursue another role in this field. It didn’t spark my interest, so I began looking for another job that I felt more passionate about. I had some time and savings to fall back on, which gave me the opportunity to pursue something else. I took on some freelance work in the meantime, and set myself a deadline to begin applying for jobs, or start getting into a different field within a year. This was the springboard that allowed me to take the idea of programming more seriously, and further develop my skills in that area. As time started running out, the more I realised I really didn’t want to go back into sales. I always liked the idea of working for Vinted – it looked like a good company to join. But I didn’t feel like I had the skills, confidence, or experience to apply for a regular engineering role. I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw the advert for the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/blog/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Academy</a>, which requires no experience to join. I applied straight away.<h2> Making the cut</h2> The selection process was pretty relaxed. We were asked to share examples of some projects we’ve previously worked on, but there was no strict specification. We just had to showcase the extent of our skills and experience. After that, I had to do some tests and scenario-based questions designed to find out if I would be a good fit within the company’s values and culture, making sure that I had the right soft skills to thrive here. The next stage in the whittling down process was technical. We had to complete a homework assignment in our own time. It was quite challenging, but interesting. I learned a lot from it, and I took it as a good sign that if I found the assignment interesting, I’d find the job interesting as well. Finally, there was the interview with a couple of future team members. It wasn’t as daunting as I expected, and felt like a discussion. Half the questions were centred around my values and how I would react in certain situations or overcome challenges, and the other half were about the technical &nbsp;decisions and choices I made during the homework assignment. &nbsp;

<h2>Finding my way</h2> After successfully making it through the selection process, I was hired. On my very first day at Vinted I learned that there’s a structured onboarding process for academy participants. This came in two parts: technical onboarding, which really focussed on the academy, and general company onboarding. For the first week of technical onboarding, we joined a lot of workshops, and got to grips with the basics. It was all very structured, and we had the opportunity to learn more about how things work, the different workflows, and the programming languages used at Vinted that we were unfamiliar with. After that was Vweek – company onboarding for all new joiners (not just academy participants). We were introduced to different departments and had the opportunity to get to know colleagues in different teams from all over the world. It was a great introduction to what the company is all about – it’s like a big community.<h2> Expectations vs. reality</h2> It sounds cheesy, but working at Vinted is even better that I thought it would be. I’m genuinely excited to wake up every morning and come to the office to work. I was expecting loads of pressure to achieve more or do more in the Academy, but that’s not the case. We push ourselves because we want to. Even with lack of experience, in an unfamiliar system, with languages we’ve never used before, we’re never made to feel not good enough. Many of us haven’t worked in an environment like this before. It’s very comfortable and stress-free. From the people you’re working with, to the projects we’re working on, managers’ expectations, and the way everybody within the company helps each other, the atmosphere is really positive. I’ve quickly bonded with people both inside and outside of the Academy. Everyone is really supportive and accepting of one another. The people and the company culture really make this a fantastic workplace to be in.<h2> Want to join the Engineering Academy? Here’s my advice</h2> Engineering skills are important. But they aren’t the be-all and end-all. To be successful in any company you have to feel like you belong, and that your values align. Stay curious, and keep solving problems. Get ready to tackle new challenges. If that means having to learn a new language, or familiarise yourself with a new paradigm, just dive in and have a go, even if you’re unsure. Take it step-by-step, and eventually you’ll find the answer. If you’re on the fence about applying, I’d say go for it, even if you’re not sure you’re ready. I wasn’t sure I was ready either, but here I am. What’s there to lose? Are you looking for a new career challenge in engineering like Tom? Find out more about the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/blog/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Engineering Academy</a>, or <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">apply here.&nbsp;</a> &nbsp;

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From Drums to Development: Tom’s Journey to Backend Engineering

Engineering environment is a dynamic and constantly evolving domain, and the learning culture is deeply rooted at Vinted. To help you navigate through and thrive in your journey, here’s a list of descriptions and recommendations for you that align with your unique interests and aspirations within the engineering discipline.About Git &amp; GitHub:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://eu.udacity.com/course/how-to-use-git-and-github--ud775">How to Use Git and GitHub</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.udemy.com/course/github-ultimate/">GitHub Ultimate: Master Git and GitHub - Beginner to Expert</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/">A successful Git branching model</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="http://engineering.vinted.com/2015/01/02/proper-git/">Proper Git</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-About-Version-Control">What is version control?</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="http://engineering-principles.onejl.uk/">Software Engineering principles</a></li></ul>

<h2 class="p1">Backend Engineering</h2>&nbsp;To experiment with Ruby, you can use:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://github.com/abdelrahman-hsn/ruby-ebooks/blob/master/Ruby%20on%20Rails%20Tutorial.pdf">20 books or even more (free) on GitHub</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://repl.it/languages/ruby">A very good place to start&nbsp;</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html">Another great place to start</a>&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;Syntax:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dji9ALCgfpM">Video</a> on Ruby Programming and a <a href="https://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html">Document on getting started with Rails&nbsp;</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/documentation/quickstart/">Ruby in 20 minutes</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://medium.com/@noordean/understanding-ruby-blocks-3a45d16891f1">Understanding Ruby Blocks</a> on medium.com<a href="https://medium.com/@noordean/understanding-ruby-blocks-3a45d16891f1">&nbsp;</a></li><li class="li1"><a href="https://ruby-doc.org/core-2.6.1/Enumerable.html">Enumerable</a>, where the most important are - map, each, each_with_object, find, filter, select</li><li class="li3"><a href="http://www.pragtob.info/rails-beginner-cheatsheet/#ruby">Cheatsheet on pragtob.info</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Ruby on Rails (RoR):We recommend not to spend much effort on understanding how to build HTML using RoR. We will use RoR in API only mode, which means we will be building JSON responses only<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://skillcrush.com/2015/01/29/13-ruby-rails/">What is RoR</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.sitepoint.com/model-view-controller-mvc-architecture-rails/">MVC in RoR</a></li><li class="li1"><a href="http://www.pragtob.info/rails-beginner-cheatsheet/#rails-folder-structure">RoR folder structure cheat sheet</a> (folder structure, commands)</li><li class="li3"><a href="https://medium.com/@gianpaul.r/ruby-on-rails-generators-and-how-to-undo-them-30a53ac8dfb3">Generators</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://guides.rubyonrails.org/v3.2/migrations.html">Migrations</a></li></ul>&nbsp;HTTP:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.w3schools.com/whatis/whatis_http.asp">What is HTTP</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Methods">Request methods</a></li></ul>&nbsp;RESTful API’s:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.howtogeek.com/343877/what-is-an-api/">What is an API</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://restfulapi.net/">What is REST</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://restfulapi.net/resource-naming/">Resource naming guide</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.w3schools.com/whatis/whatis_json.asp">JSON</a></li><li class="li1">Extra: Ruby on Rails comes with API only option. <a href="https://guides.rubyonrails.org/api_app.html">Official documentation</a></li></ul>&nbsp;SQL:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://searchdatamanagement.techtarget.com/definition/relational-database">What is a relational database</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://tutorialzine.com/2016/01/learn-sql-in-20-minutes">SQL In 20 minutes</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Testing:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://dev.to/milandhar/unit-testing-in-rails-4oke">Unit testing</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://culttt.com/2016/07/06/writing-integration-tests-ruby-rails">Integration testing</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://medium.com/@piraveenaparalogarajah/what-is-mocking-in-testing-d4b0f2dbe20a">Mocking</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://rspec.info/">Introduction to RSpec</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://medium.com/@mariacristina.simoes/my-introduction-to-factory-bot-88949467a7e9">Introduction to FactoryBot</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://devhints.io/rspec">RSpec cheatsheet</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://devhints.io/factory_bot">FactoryBot cheat sheet</a></li></ul>

<h2 class="p1">Web Engineering</h2>&nbsp;<ul class="ul1"><li class="li1">To experiment with React, you can <a href="https://jsfiddle.net/">check out here</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-html">HTML5</a></li><li class="li1"><a href="https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-css">CSS</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="http://getbem.com/introduction">CSS BEM</a></li><li class="li1"><a href="https://sass-lang.com/guide">SASS - focus on SCSS syntax.</a> Make sure you nail mixins, functions, variables, partials</li><li class="li1"><a href="https://javascript.info/">JavaScript fundamentals</a> - don't spend too much time with things like proxies, Symbols. Focus on fundamentals, such as event loop, as well as ES6 features</li></ul>&nbsp;React:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li1">We prefer functional components with hooks.</li><li class="li1">If you're into <a href="https://egghead.io/courses/the-beginner-s-guide-to-react">video courses</a></li><li class="li1"><a href="https://reactwithhooks.netlify.app/tutorial/tutorial.html">React docs, rewritten with hooks</a>. Take away as much as you can. Make sure you're comfortable with refs, lifecycle, hooks, JSX<a href="https://reactwithhooks.netlify.app/tutorial/tutorial.html">&nbsp;</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Clean code:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li1">We definitely recommend the<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Code-Handbook-Software-Craftsmanship/dp/0132350882"> book by Uncle Bob</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://github.com/ryanmcdermott/clean-code-javascript#table-of-contents">JavaScript clean code principles</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Testing:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://reactjs.org/community/testing.html">Testing overview</a></li><li class="li1"><a href="https://testing-library.com/docs/react-testing-library/intro/">We use react-testing-library and Jest.</a> Make sure you're able to write basic tests with those technologies</li><li class="li3"><a href="https://kentcdodds.com/blog/common-mistakes-with-react-testing-library">Common Mistakes with Rect Testing Library</a></li><li class="li1">Strive to understand <a href="https://jestjs.io/docs/getting-started">fundamental concepts, </a>such as mocking, spying</li></ul>&nbsp;TypeScript:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li1">Make sure you get the basics and can write React with TypeScript comfortably. TypeScript is quite big, so there's no need to go too deep.</li><li class="li3"><a href="https://github.com/typescript-cheatsheets/react">Cheatsheet</a></li><li class="li1"><a href="https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/2/basic-types.html">Official documents</a> and the basics</li></ul>&nbsp;Redux:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li1">It’s not a given that you will use Redux throughout the Engineering Academy, but we use it at Vinted, so the fundamental understanding is important</li><li class="li3"><a href="https://redux.js.org/tutorials/essentials/part-1-overview-concepts">Redux Essentials</a></li></ul>

<h2 class="p1" style="text-align:justify;">Android Engineering</h2>&nbsp;<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.udacity.com/course/kotlin-bootcamp-for-programmers--ud9011">Introduction to Kotlin</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.udacity.com/course/developing-android-apps-with-kotlin--ud9012">Introduction to Android development with Kotlin</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Dagger:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li1"><a href="https://codingwithmitch.com/courses/dagger22-android/">Dagger2.2+ on Android</a> on CodingWithMitch.com</li><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.android.com/codelabs/android-dagger?index=..%2F..index#0">Using Dagger in your Android app - Kotlin&nbsp;</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Kotlin coroutines:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://codelabs.developers.google.com/codelabs/kotlin-coroutines/#0">Use Kotlin Coroutines in your Android App&nbsp;</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Kotlin StateFlow, SharedFlow and Flow:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.android.com/codelabs/advanced-kotlin-coroutines#0">Learn advanced coroutines with Kotlin Flow and LiveData</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.android.com/kotlin/flow">Kotlin flows on Android</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.android.com/kotlin/flow/stateflow-and-sharedflow">StateFlow and SharedFlow</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Application architecture guidelines:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.android.com/jetpack/guide?authuser=1">Guide to app architecture</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Additional Android learnings:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.udacity.com/course/advanced-android-with-kotlin--ud940">Advanced Android with Kotlin</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.android.com/courses/kotlin-android-advanced/toc">Kotlin Andrid Advanced</a></li></ul>&nbsp;If you know most of the above technologies, you can try doing codelabs from this list:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://codelabs.developers.google.com/?cat=Android">https://codelabs.developers.google.com/?cat=Android</a></li></ul>&nbsp;If you want more challenges and you know most of the technologies above, you can try to contribute to our open source libraries on GitHub:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://github.com/vinted/coper">vinted/preferx&nbsp;</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://github.com/vinted/actioncable-client-kotlin">vinted/actioncable-client-kotlin</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://github.com/vinted/coper">vinted/coper</a></li></ul>

<h2 class="p1">iOS Engineering</h2>&nbsp;<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/">Human interface guidelines</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/referencelibrary/GettingStarted/DevelopiOSAppsSwift/">Start Developing iOS Apps (Swift)</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.appcoda.com/iOS-programming-course/">Learn iOS Programming</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.udemy.com/course/ios-13-app-development-bootcamp/">iOS 13 &amp; Swift 5 - The Complete iOS App Development Bootcamp</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://medium.com/ios-os-x-development/ios-architecture-patterns-ecba4c38de52">iOS Architecture Patterns</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.raywenderlich.com/6004856-building-an-app-with-only-code-using-auto-layout">Programmatic UI</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://clean-swift.com/">Get Started with Clean Swift</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://swift.org/documentation/#the-swift-programming-language">Swift Guide</a></li></ul>

<h2 class="p1">Site Reliability Engineering</h2>&nbsp;Tools:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://learn.chef.io/">Chef</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://prometheus.io/docs/introduction/overview/">Prometheus</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://learn.hashicorp.com/collections/terraform/aws-get-started">Terraform</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://terragrunt.gruntwork.io/docs/#getting-started">Terragrunt</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.runatlantis.io/guide/">Atlantis</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://kubernetes.io/docs/tutorials/">Kubernetes</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://docs.docker.com/get-started/">Docker</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.tutorialspoint.com/unix/index.htm">Linux</a></li><li class="li4"><a href="https://go.dev/doc/tutorial/getting-started">Go</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Blogs:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://sre.google/">Google Site Reliability Engineering</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://increment.com/">Increment</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://www.robustperception.io/blog">Robust Perception</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://blog.cloudflare.com/">Cloudflare Engineering Blog</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://engineering.fb.com/">Engineering at Meta / Facebook</a></li><li class="li3"><a href="https://vinted.engineering/">Vinted Engineering Blog</a></li></ul>&nbsp;Other:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3"><a href="https://roadmap.sh/devops">DevOps Roadmap</a></li></ul>

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List of useful resources for aspiring Engineers

Changing careers is never easy, and often involves requalifying, battling feelings of self-doubt, and rebuilding self-confidence. Despite the challenges faced, Justina Šiaulytė, has done just that. In this article, we sat down with Justina to find out more about her remarkable story of transitioning from a video creator to an iOS developer at Vinted. Read on to discover how she adapted and used her resilience in the face of this formidable challenge, and learn more about how we at Vinted welcome career changers into our dynamic teams.

Meet Justina ŠiaulytėJustina Šiaulytė is an ex-video operator turned iOS developer. After making the brave decision to switch career paths in her 30s, and pursue her dream career as a software developer, she arrived at Vinted via our Engineering Academy –&nbsp; our entry program and technical induction designed to support junior engineers during the first leg of their career journey at Vinted. How did she get on? In her words, we’ll find out more about her career-change journey, and what the transition from learning at home alone to becoming a team member in a global tech unicorn was really like.The Career Shift DecisionBefore becoming an iOS developer, I’d been working as a video operator in a drama theatre for almost a decade. I enjoyed my job, and the feeling of holding a camera in my hand and filming, but also yearned to do something more creative and less physical. I wanted to learn something new, so I went back to the drawing board.I remembered how much I’d enjoyed programming at school and decided that there was no reason why I couldn’t go back and pursue this. My friend suggested I try iOS development, because he thought it was the easiest to learn by yourself. He lent me a book on the subject, but I found it really hard to follow. Then I stumbled upon a video course on Udemy for €12 and I decided that it was worth giving it a go.&nbsp;Self-Taught JourneyBefore making the switch, I started teaching myself about iOS development at home in my free time after work. I never went to any live courses, and I only watched online courses. I would spend almost all of my spare time creating apps for myself. Looking back, it feels like a dream to be working on a real product now.&nbsp;

Overcoming Self-DoubtMy career transition was gradual. After I turned 30, I decided that I wanted to learn something new, and it evolved from there. It wasn’t a decision that I took lightly. Making such a big life change and moving from a totally different field, with no background (not even studies) in the tech industry was terrifying. I was scared that I’d chosen the wrong career to start over in, or that I wouldn’t be very good at it. I wasn't actually sure if anyone would take me on, and dedicate the time to teaching me.&nbsp;&nbsp;When you start a new career, that feeling of “I know what I'm doing and I feel confident about my career” is non-existent. In the beginning, I felt like I knew nothing – like the rug had been pulled out from under me. Even now, some days it still feels like I don’t know anything, but I always willingly battle through the challenges. It’s a bumpy ride. Whenever I experience a setback, I have to pick myself up, try again, and learn more. This happens over and over again, but knowing that I can show up, push through, and rise up when I fall is empowering. The fact that I really enjoy programming makes the struggle even more bearable. It’s interesting, it's challenging, and it's really satisfying when you overcome even the smallest of hurdles. The whole process is really rewarding, and for me the constant perseverance has paid off.Toughest Part About Changing CareersThe hardest part about changing careers was not knowing when I was ready. Being self-taught, I had no idea if my technical knowledge and skills were up-to-scratch, so I didn’t know when to apply for jobs. I spent a year sending out CVs and getting stuck into a loop of learning, learning, and learning, because I wasn’t sure if I was good enough. If I saw an open position, I gave it a go, but I never managed to get past the application stage because requirements for junior positions are really high. I told myself to keep going, and that I would make it there eventually. Thankfully, the Vinted Engineering Academy was just around the corner.

Vinted Engineering AcademyThe Vinted Engineering Academy was a great way for me to enter the engineering field. There were no requirements for experience, so applying was a no-brainer.&nbsp;After my initial application, I made it through to the next stage, which meant working on some tough practical task scenarios. I found this part particularly tricky, as there were no right answers, but I managed to pass through this stage by being methodical and open with myself in my approach.The homework task was nothing like I expected, in a good way. It was challenging, but we had enough time to finish it.I actually found the final stage of the recruitment process – the interview – the most exciting part. Here was my chance to meet my possible future colleagues, and we got on really well. When we talked about code, it felt like a discussion.. All suggestions were valid, and none were considered ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. I loved this collaborative approach, and I decided then and there that I really wanted to work here with these people.From the approach, to the people, through to the tasks,&nbsp; everything that I experienced during the selection process in my daily role now. It was a good indicator of what it’s like to work here at Vinted.Joining Vinted&nbsp;I joined Vinted along with all the other Academy participants, and we went through an onboarding week first, rather than having to start working on something straight away. We started off by listening to some interesting talks from different team members on different elements of the company, its infrastructure, how things are approached, and why some programming languages are chosen. Then we took part in workshops on the design system and testing. I think this was one of the most important parts, as we found out the key information about how things are done here.What’s great about the Academy is that each person gets assigned a mentor. It’s really helpful to have a person nearby who can answer all of your questions. I was taken aback by how the company deals with management, as I’d never experienced this approach before. Our managers regularly check in one-on-one, to make sure that everything is ok, and that there’s no niggling issues or problems. I feel really heard. It’s really refreshing to be part of an organisation that listens to you and takes action when things are wrong or not going well.&nbsp;Code Review and Collaboration&nbsp;I’ve come a long way from the days of learning by myself. Now I know a bit more about iOS, and I like it even more because you can see it building in real time, and you can see how your every input changes the output. Another one of the crucial things I’d never experienced when working alone is how necessary it is to review other people’s code. If I need to write some code, I have to read a lot of other code in the process. It has been a steep learning curve, but such a great experience to see how other developers work.&nbsp;Vinted's Mission and AtmosphereWhen I think about working here at Vinted, I’m not only enthusiastic about the practical side of my day-to-day role. I also really resonate with our company mission to build something useful worldwide, not just locally. The fantastic atmosphere here is evidence of how much we care for our people, and the planet as well, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.ConclusionOnly when looking back at my career-change journey, can I fully appreciate the many hurdles and obstacles that I had to overcome to get where I am today. I faced a daily battle with my self-confidence, and being so isolated when learning in the beginning was a challenge. I’m so glad that I persevered, and had the opportunity, along with the necessary support and positive working atmosphere at Vinted to make my big career transition a positive one.

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