For Lyubomir Harizanov, applying for the
free Telerik Academy Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) program was a no-brainer. As a front-end developer for the past couple of years, his long-term plan was always to become a "full-fledged developer", as Lyubomir shared during our interview.
"As a front-end developer, I was focused mainly on layouts (HTML and CSS), and the actual development was few and far between - almost absent. "
But the idea of becoming a professional, working on both front- and back-end parts of the products, was always his ultimate goal.
A goal that he achieved with the help of the
free 3-month Upskill SFCC program, powered by the leading e-commerce companies in Bulgaria - Merkle, AIOPSGROUP, Tryzens, Accenture, C4 Nexus, OSF Digital and ZaUtre.
In fact, after going through the program, Lyubomir started working for one of them - C4 Nexus to take Bulgaria one step closer to becoming a global Salesforce Commerce Cloud hub!
Do you want to master unique tech skills and boost your IT career?
Join our free Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud training by August 14, learn from the best and start working for billion-dollar brands.
Lyubomir, thank you for your time in what we imagine is an important moment of your career growth - joining C4 Nexus! How did it all start?
Before becoming a front-end developer, I had a long successful career as a manager in an IT company. It lasted about a decade, during which I was able to reach a C-level position at two different companies - Account Director and Operations Director.
What attracted you to the e-commerce sector? Did you know about all the opportunities it offers?
Absolutely, being part of the sector for so long, I was well aware of the rapid development of the e-commerce industry. Apart from following it closely, I also have numerous contacts in various companies from which I get information.
How did you decide to take the next step in your IT career with the Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud program?
It was always my end goal to become a "full-fledged "developer. So, making the next step from a front-end developer wasn't an impulsive decision. I made it 6-7 years ago when I left my managing career for programming. And now it was time for the next step.
I learned about the
Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud program from my wife, who works at one of the partnering companies.
How do you assess your decision to join the program from today's point of view?
As one of my best decisions in recent years! Because of the mastered technology, on the one hand, but also because now I know that I can be a pretty decent developer, on the other. The most important thing is to have the motivation and to work hard. It's not so much a question of being talented, I don't believe that I am, but it's more about motivation and hard work.
Before the Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud program, I wasn't sure if being a full-stack developer was for me and if it was worth taking this step.
How did the program help you expand your technical skills? What do you find most valuable?
I had primarily theoretical skills before the Academy, acquired through different courses. The Upskill SFCC program allowed me to work on real-world projects and tasks. This, in turn, helped me make sense of many programming fundamental concepts which were complex and vague for me earlier. They began to "click "one by one during the program, helping me build a more clear picture.
Were you familiar with the Salesforce Commerce Cloud platform before the program? What impressed you the most about it from a technical standpoint and career opportunity?
Yes, I knew about the platform from my wife and people from the sector, but not in detail.
I wasn't surprised by its capabilities because, through the years, I've seen many e-commerce platforms, but never as a developer. They all have something in common, but I can say one thing for sure - Salesforce Commerce Cloud is the most complex and comprehensive e-commerce platform I have ever seen!
You've met your current employer during the Academy - how was the application process after your graduation?
Yes, I got to know C4 Nexus during the program when all partners had presentations in front of the group. Also, two of the trainers that made a powerful impression on me were part of the C4 Nexus team. That's when the company won me over, and as it turned out, they liked me as well. They were the first to call me with an offer that I eventually accepted.
C4 Nexus is a relatively new and still small company, which is a plus for me, as it's much more flexible and fast in making decisions and implementing them.
Thank you for this conversation. We wish you the best of luck, and before we say goodbye, do you have any advice for those who consider Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud for their next career step?
The Salesforce platform allows you to experience both pillars of web programming - front- and back-end. So if you want to become a full-stack developer, the Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud program is a great starting point.
Stand out from the dev crowd with sought-after and future-proof skills. Start working on exciting and challenging e-commerce projects for billion-dollar international brands!
Join our free Upskill Salesforce Commerce Cloud program by August 14!
