Nicky and Overcoming Self-Doubts
“When I first joined AnaVation, I questioned if I had the right technical skills and if I knew enough to accomplish my tasks.”
Nicky felt feelings of self-scrutiny when he first joined AnaVation as a computer science intern for the summer of 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, AnaVation continued the program remotely. “Despite hearing other companies stop their internship for that summer, AnaVation’s decision to continue the program remotely shows their dedication to the program and new interns,” Nicky said. He returned the following year as a technical intern. Remembering his time in the internship program, he said, “It was my first-time using AWS and getting experience with the agile development lifecycle.”
After Nicky graduated from Virginia Tech in 2022, he started full-time later that year as an associate software engineer. Working at AnaVation has allowed him to discern what specific field he desires to work in. “In the past, I thought I would be a web and application developer, but now I do different work and it’s great! I’m gaining exposure to different work that I never considered before,” said Nicky.
Nicky appreciates what he has been able to learn while working at AnaVation, especially in the government contracting field. “There’s pros and cons to working as a contractor, but AnaVation provides support to help us contractors deliver high-quality solutions to the customers.” He also feels he has picked up several programming and professional skills in the meantime as well. “Since my role evolved and [I’ve] gained more experience, my softer technical skills like version control, documentation, and testing have continued to improve,” Nicky said.
Like many others, Nicky enjoys his supervisors’ support in his work. “They support us by connecting us to the right people and letting us know about the relevant online courses and conferences that help us develop our skills.” Elaborating, he said:
Every day, I am amazed at the skills and abilities of the people I get to work with. AnaVators are resilient and resourceful. I always think about this saying from my manager, “The work we do is hard and challenging and not everyone can do it.” I think working together with fellow AnaVators make it a little bit easier and that much more possible.
Nicky also feels supported by AnaVation’s flexible working policies. “Although I think it depends on the role, but being on projects that allow for a hybrid work environment is something that I appreciate. Having the ability to work remote and go into office when needed helps improve motivation and work/life balance,” he said.
Benefits have also been another reason Nicky chooses to stay at AnaVation. He believes AnaVation is good at making sure employees are taken care of. He said, “This is apparent by the insurance packages, competitive pay, and education reimbursement. I really like the benefits of working at AnaVation.”
June marks Nicky’s one-year work anniversary. Since joining, he no longer experiences the same fears of self-doubt. “I realized that I might not have all the technical skills and knowledge, but AnaVation created an environment for learning with support from other AnaVators,” he said.
