It took him a while to get here. Literally. Redo had to travel all the way from Java, Indonesia, to get started with his traineeship here at Solid Professionals. But it was worth the trip, as he had the chance to work as an iOS developer for Tikkie, the well-known payment app. In this blog, he’ll tell you all about it! 👇
From Java to the Netherlands
26 year old Reinardus Redo Haryono – known as Redo to his colleagues – came to the Netherlands from Java, Indonesia: “I have friends here who convinced me to move to the Netherlands,” Redo explains. “I was working as a freelance developer in Indonesia as a side job during my studies. I developed desktop software for tech start-ups, but I really wanted to get into app development, both iOS and Android driven. To get to grips with iOS development, I became a member of the Apple Developer Academy.”
Curious about more experiences? Check out the stories of process & project enabler Chaudhry or data engineer Andrea.
Working on the Tikkie app
Redo studied Computer Science at Fontys University and then started working as an iOS developer at Tikkie through our traineeship IT. Together with his team, he is responsible for monetization in the app, or revenue generation. "Monetization is the process of turning something into money. In this case, it's about generating revenue for the app itself," Redo explains.
Good vibe
Everyone knows Tikkie. But that familiar name is not the biggest plus to this job. Redo: "I work with a very nice and diverse group of people. The atmosphere is good and there is a nice balance between Dutch people and expats from all over the world. And at the lunch table everyone speaks English, which is of course super for me!"
That good feeling arose early on. "During the job interview I felt a good vibe and it never left," Redo says. "It's a technical and professional work environment, but relaxed. At Tikkie, I really found my niche."
Tip: show what you can do
Moving from a country outside the EU is not easy, Redo knows: "You think you've had the biggest challenge when you have a work visa and housing. But finding a job can also be pretty tough." According to him, it helps if you demonstrate what you can do. "I myself created a portfolio of my projects. To increase your chances of getting that one job, you need to show what you can do and what you are better at than others. Show a website or app that you built, that's how you prove to an employer what skills you have."
Ambitions
Redo is very happy in the Netherlands and with his job at Tikkie. He has plenty of ambition, but if you ask him what he would like most, the answer is not work-related: "The next step is to bring my girlfriend to the Netherlands, because she is still in Indonesia. If that succeeds, I will be completely happy here!"
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