Digitization is changing our working world from the ground up. This is why new job descriptions are emerging. But what is hidden behind the labels? That’s what we want in “And what are you up to??” make it tangible. Today: Felix Pattmöller, Cloud Developer at Matelso.
Start the day as Cloud developers
ESSENTIAL THINKING: Hi Felix, you work as a cloud developer at Matelso. Describe to us in four sentences how you explain your work to new friends.
It’s always something like this for me :S Matelsa we move thematically in a heavily regulated and data-driven area – in the truest sense of the word: telecommunications.
This means that we deal with highly sensitive data in our daily work, and therefore we must pay attention not only to the GDPR, but also to the provisions of the Telecommunications Act. That’s why I don’t talk about my work in depth with new acquaintances.
I usually phrase it very abstractly: “I collect and analyze data to provide our customers with statistically verifiable tools for making decisions about consumer behavior.”
What does a typical day look like at your job?
First: There aren’t exactly normal days at my job – they would be boring. The nice thing about working at MarTech provider Matelso is that every working day writes its own story for us developers: it usually starts with a new challenge that needs to be understood first.
The underlying pitfalls must be analyzed and evaluated, then consider which software components could be affected and what specifically needs to be done to resolve the problem. Once we do that, we can get creative and start building something new for our call tracking solution or digital customer experience.
“No cogs in the system should get stuck”
It’s not just about the questions of what new functions we might need or how the whole thing should look so that we enjoy working with the system. Rather, it is important to strategically plan – also with respect to the overall software architecture – how everything fits into the solution and how it interacts with all the other components.
No cogs in the system should get stuck, otherwise the entire user experience and thus the value of our software will be lost. And last but not least: As a cloud developer, I think all day from the user’s point of view – everything must be aimed at making the work of those who use the solution easier and helping them to use the full potential of their company.
Felix Pattmoeller, Cloud Developer at Matelso.
Tasks as a cloud developer
How do you start your day?
After shaking the sleep from my limbs, I attend to the most important task of the morning: making coffee. Then you go to the office and the day begins.
What are the tasks in your area?
My main task is to constantly improve our MarTech solutions. There are two approaches: First, plan and implement new features. Second, optimize existing components – the more common of the two options.
A: also the heavier of the two.
Because in order to take the right actions here, you need to really understand how which components in the application work and how the various elements interact to ultimately achieve the desired result – let alone the developer first having to analyze where even one optimization is necessary or would bring real improvement .
To make it more tangible and planable, at Matelso we work a lot with microservices that we develop and code ourselves. These small applications can be seamlessly integrated into the corresponding functional clusters and can be quickly and easily used to more optimally control other components such as telephony, video or chat servers.
They are also suitable for providing other services and thereby optimizing processes in our call monitoring system. The result is almost always a significant increase in the user experience – working with software should be fun, after all.
Cloud Developer: A Personal Definition
How do you personally define and interpret your job as a cloud developer?
In my role, I am largely responsible for ensuring that our call tracking and lead management software solutions run smoothly – all components from IP telephony to web tracking must always work together seamlessly to deliver the highest value-added results.
Moreover, especially in the MarTech industry: “Stagnation is death” and “Nothing is as constant as change in position”! That’s why I’m constantly working with the Product Owner, who has overall responsibility for their sub-area, and the Product Manager, who has full responsibility for the product, to determine during ongoing operations what additional features we can offer our customers and even more of their processes.
In particular, the subsequent implementation of these extensions falls under my area of responsibility. So there is a fair amount of imagination and creativity in this work. But also mental flexibility, the ability to adapt to constantly changing situations.
It is also about in-depth business knowledge of the industry and the specific requirements of our customers such as Autoscout24, the agency Moccamedia or the telecommunications company Vodafone. In short: A large dose of openness is absolutely essential. You simply cannot be a successful cloud developer without it.
Inclusion in the corporate structure
How is your position integrated into the company structure? Say: Who do you report to and who do you work with?
Our team structure in the development department is hierarchical. Each department is represented by a product owner who reports directly to the head of product management.
He is responsible for the entire development and technology area and reports directly to our CEO. I myself am part of the Base Services team, which is very closely connected with my colleagues from the Product team.
The role of a cloud developer is interpreted differently in each company. What perspectives are you missing that are an essential part of the job description?
As is often the case in the life of a developer in a software company, the motto is: “After coding is before coding”. Even if actual service cases are not on our daily agenda, we are constantly trying to optimize things.
This includes, for example, developing and implementing new features or even, as is currently the case, setting up an entirely new digital customer experience solution and bringing it to market.
There’s little time to enjoy successes at work—especially the smallest ones, but they make a big difference.
But what many of my colleagues in other companies often complain about, namely that there are too few resources available for continuing education and keeping up with current trends, is not the case here.
We regularly have the opportunity to participate in conferences or trainings – and we use them. In this way, we continuously expand our knowledge of the latest technologies, which we then adapt to our specific applications and incorporate into our solutions, thereby making them usable for our customers.
Fun and gratitude at work
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The feeling that you have creatively and successfully solved a complex technical question about our SaaS software products. If the result also looks good and generates added value for our customers, then this feeling is doubly pleasant.
What are you especially grateful for?
My team and colleagues across the company are simply great. You will not experience this with every employer and it is truly something special. You are never alone and there is always someone on your side with a new idea, special knowledge or just a word of encouragement. This also applies in the event of an emergency.
In the earlier stages of my career, I also had the experience that qualified IT professionals were already prepared for my position. Therefore, I am doubly grateful to have been offered a position at matelso with my training as an IT specialist for application development.
And how to become a cloud developer now?
Especially in the digital industry, the classic form of training often no longer exists. How did you get to your position?
I would say: very classically about training as an IT specialist and a general interest in IT and coding. As a child, I was passionate about technology and soon decided to pursue a career in this industry.
What advice would you give to a newbie or career changer who also wants to become a cloud developer?
In three words: code, code, code. Simply start at home on your PC or laptop, start your own projects and most importantly stick with it.
Because: “Skill comes from practice!” As a young person or career changer, you shouldn’t let setbacks distract you from your dream. Just do it and step on the gas, that’s the best way to reach your goal. That’s how it worked for me too.
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