Tek Experts, a global tech support company with its headquarters in Bulgaria, is one of the few companies who have maintained a good track record of not only adapting to situations with neck breaking speed, but they"ve also won awards based on their ability to turn unpalatable situations such as the current pandemic, into a bonus for employees.
We spoke to Kris Lilkin, a Tech Lead who has worked at Tek Experts since 2018, about the unique characteristics of working from home and how Tek Experts has adapted to this new reality in the midst of the pandemic.
Our first question to Kris - how did he end up with a career in the IT industry? Was it a decision he made at a young age or was it just pure coincidence and luck?
Kris shares that he developed an interest in tech at an early age, even though the type of technologies he dreamt of working on are different from the ones he works with today. As a child, he loved construction and spent hours assembling, dissembling, and modifying the models he had. When the first computers entered the Bulgarian market, he became instantly intrigued by this new kind of "constructors". He knew then that he was destined to work in the tech industry.
Later in his career, he found Tek Experts where he was welcomed by a strong and ambitious team. The team immediately embraced him and helped him grow in this chosen profession. He gradually developed expertise in his first role and quickly grew through the ranks to occupy his most recent role as a Tech Lead, a role he has occupied since April this year.
Lilkin says he is always happy to welcome new employees to his team and makes sure they get the adequate training that they need to succeed in their roles. Teamwork, he emphasizes, is also key to successful completion of everyday tasks.
He admits that in his daily responsibilities at Tek Experts, there are sometimes challenges but he has learnt to handle them with a smile and see them as another hurdle to overcome towards attaining expert status.
What is a typical workday for an expert like Kris?
Mornings usually begin with a short presentation, where new colleagues are introduced to the daily work plan and the task they have for the day.
Lilkin has the responsibility of scheduling the workday of his teammates and colleagues.
During the day, he attends several meetings, discussions and supports his colleagues by troubleshooting any difficulties they encounter. He believes challenges found on the software support side of work are best dealt with by experience handling different cases.
The pandemic may have led to great changes in our work routine, but Kris shares that at Tek Experts "these changes are not so drastic, and the workday is still quite the same even in a remote working situation. "Only now, the white board has been replaced by a digital one, it"s easier when you have it "in black and white". He says.
Furthermore, Lilkin is convinced that "working from the comfort of our homes has contributed positively to my career growth and also helped improve my skills and that of my colleagues".
He adds that for him, the most valuable resource is time, and working from home saves precious minutes that one otherwise loses stuck in Sofia"s traffic. He does share, however, that this type of work has its negatives, the biggest being human contact that he feels is key in this line of work.
Kris honestly says: "I wouldn"t be at this position if it weren"t for my colleagues" and adds that teamwork mainly requires great communication.
He reckons that the mass digitalization that the younger generation lives with has a negative impact when it comes to face-to-face communication and this then affects the team communication. He strongly believes that personal contact remains the most important factor for smooth work communication.
This is the reason why Lilkin finds working from home perpetually to be a bit too extreme as a decision. "There must be a perfect formula for balancing office and remote work somewhere out there" he adds.
"one thing never changes though. Regardless of where we choose to work from, the couch at home or from the office desk, working for a company like Tek Experts has its unique benefits."
Firstly, as Kris points out, there is the unique opportunity the company offers to grow within a multinational company with a strong reputation, built through years. Promotion opportunities are endless!
Also, from day one, each employee has a free access to training and career development programs. The office building is also quite stunning, says Lilkin.
When asked what his hobbies are and if they are on the technology spectrum, like his job, Kris surprises me a little. Yes, it all begins with action games, but then he talks about his passion for paintball and track motorcycles. The common denominator in the two hobbies is the adrenalin factor. Paintball mates share with Lilkin that they can only get the same adrenaline rush from motorcycles. He does not need any more convincing to try and find out for himself.
He does not yet own a motorcycle, which puts a damper on his paintballing activities. He has however found a way to replace this passion and hobby with taking long walks in the mountains.
At the end of our conversation, I find myself not able to resist the urge to ask Kris about the jokes and stereotypes commonly associated with tech geeks - if any are true.
"One thing is true - most computer or tech issues can be solved with a restart" - he answers with a smile.
