Reporting from Tampa, Florida, Niclas is a Developer assigned to care on-site for our customer, Lincare. Niclas started at Medixine two years ago as a Junior Engineer, but after graduation, he got quickly promoted to Software Developer. Currently, Niclas is navigating two cultures, time zones, and companies – and by what we learned, he is enjoying every moment of it!
Niclas, how did you end up working in Florida?
Last year, we closed a new client, Lincare. They are headquartered here in Clearwater, Tampa, and are the leading provider for respiratory homecare in the U.S. As the project progressed, we visited them several times. We wanted to work closely together to improve the use of our solution even further. These visits were very successful and we decided that working from here would benefit all, helping things along and being the interface between technology and their staff. We first planned that I would stay for six months but decided to start with three months and then take it from there. So far, everything has been great. I’m enjoying Florida.
How are you managing your schedule between two very different time zones?
With a good meetings routine, flexibility, and respect.
In practice, I start my mornings with a call to Finland. There are always one or two people from the Finnish team and key people from Lincare.
I also have a technical daily with my Finnish Team Lead, Kimmo, and a fellow developer Tommi. With them, we go through potential technical issues.
Additionally, I have regular one-to-ones with our CPO managing this customer account. That meeting is a good place for me to talk about the vibes that Lincare might have that they haven’t raised in other sessions. All in all, everything is working very smoothly. Everyone respects each other’s time zones and schedules. They understand that I might not be able to react fast to a Slack message, and I aim to respect their working time. So, instead of sending messages late in Finnish time, I collect my thoughts and send them just in time for the daily.
As you joined Medixine while still in school – is there something that surprised you about the day-to-day job?
When I started working, I thought a developer’s job was only coding, nothing else. I quickly learned that it includes planning sprints, thinking about the big picture, having meetings, and caring for customers. And in Florida, I also support the customer, consulting them here at the office.
Another thing that I learned here at Medixine was coding in pairs with a mate. It is a brilliant way of working as it highlights the skills of both developers.
Is there something you want to mention about Medixine as an employer?
The culture at Medixine is warm and welcoming. You can be yourself, people are ready to help, and you are never left to your own devices. Much effort is put into health benefits and social events. The goal is to ensure that everyone feels physically and mentally sound.
And by far, the best part of Medixine is its people. People make the company, and the company thrives when the group works well together. Without the people, there is no Medixine. Medixine is a good mix of ambition, positivity, and friendliness.
What kind of person would fit here well?
Medixine fits someone who wants to learn and do a meaningful job. One needs to be open to new challenges and ways of working. From experience, Medixine is also a good place for a developer who has just graduated. You can use your existing skill set while continuously learning from colleagues. And as your skills evolve, so will your responsibilities. Medixine is a good place if you like to get things done and have a positive attitude.