Sri Sesha Bhargavi Settaluri came to Flexspring with a solid background in computer programming and coding. After joining the company in November 2020, she soon won the Rookie of the Year Award and is now a senior technical integration specialist. Quite impressive for someone who had no previous experience with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
“I had no clue of what an API was when I interviewed for this job. I have a coding background, so I didn’t need training at that level. But at Flexspring we deal with hundreds of APIs. So each API is different, and the way we deal with each is different. We need to understand the HR space before we get into that integration development. That is where I needed training.”
Sri’s managers and senior technical consultants were happy to share their expertise, which was a pleasant surprise for her.
“At Flexspring everyone is eager to share their knowledge. It’s refreshing and different from my previous experiences. It’s a supportive, collaborative environment. Here, when an employee grows, the organization grows, taking the employees to higher levels.” — Sri Sesha Bhargavi Settaluri, Senior Technical Integration Specialist, Professional Services
Sri also appreciates the flexibility, work/life balance, and teamwork. “The ability to work from home means you're available for your family whenever they need you. Most importantly, people here are very considerate—in terms of work, in terms of personal life. On the day I joined Flexspring they told me that no question is too small. No matter how insignificant you think it is, if you're not able to find a solution, someone here will help you.”
Q & A
What first attracted you to Flexspring?
When I saw descriptions for other jobs I was applying for, all I saw were requirements. Years of experience on this, so many years of experience on that, what you’re supposed to do, and that's it. Done.
The advertisement for the technical consultant position at Flexspring was different. Of course, they listed the skills I needed to have for the job. But they also explained what to expect in the first two weeks, what you’ll be doing in the next three months, how you’ll evolve in the next six, nine, and 12 months. Nobody lays out a plan for a new hire like that. That really attracted me.
Among other benefits, Flexspring offers 100% remote working from home and flexible hours. Did that interest you when you decided to apply for this position?
Very much. That was very important to me, and the flexible time is amazing here. It's not like you're supposed to be in front of a laptop from 9-5. Nobody expects you to do that.
One recent afternoon my son had his end-of-year kindergarten celebration. If not for our flexible work hours, I would have been stuck in an office and unable to attend. I know how important it is for a kindergarten kid to see his mom or dad at a special event.
What do you like most about your job as a senior technical consultant?
I like a challenge. If I’m given a new API and asked to explore it more deeply—I love that. I also enjoy client interaction because I need to understand what our clients are expecting. After talking with them, I can think about what they need and provide a solution that works.
Describe your typical day at Flexspring.
My day usually starts with meetings and then a couple of hours of coding. Mostly it's coding time, but otherwise, there'll be a lot of emails that come in from multiple clients, and they all have different questions. Most clients are at different stages of the data integration development. Some might be in new testing, some might be in user acceptance testing, and some are ready to go live. So, mostly it’s coding and client interaction.
What changes have you noticed in the HR data integration industry?
Big companies are using automation tools to integrate data from one place to another, but I'm also seeing a lot of smaller companies using data integration. Whether the organizations have just 50-100 employees or thousands, they don’t want to do manual data entry between multiple systems. People are interested in automation and integration – that’s what we do best!
HR data integration is very specialized and you've got to have the proper training to be able to do this and learn from one step to another. The leaders here are experts at this.
How do you see your career changing or evolving with Flexspring?
From the day I joined, I’ve seen a 180-degree shift in what I'm doing. At the start, I was literally just learning what an API is and gathering information from my managers. Today I'm able to impart that knowledge to new Flexspring staffers. That's the kind of path that I want to keep going on, to keep learning more and sharing more. I'm proud of my communication skills and the way I interact with clients, so I would want to do more of that while still coding. That's the kind of growth that I see for myself. Here, when an employee grows, the organization grows, taking the employees to higher levels.
How would you describe the culture here?
You're appreciated in ways that you can’t even imagine, by immediate supervisors right up to the CEO and co-founder, Yan Courtois. You’re treated as a person and not just an employee. I can call up my boss just to tell her about my garden. Sometimes you need a break to talk about something other than work, and she’s always there to listen.
People here are very considerate—in terms of work, in terms of personal life. I’ve even referred a few of my friends to Flexspring!
What would you tell a developer about why they should choose Flexspring?
There are multiple reasons that I would give them. One benefit is definitely the flexible hours. Another is the fact that you're working from home and you're available for your family whenever they need you.
On the day I joined Flexspring they said no question is too small. No matter how insignificant you think it is, if you're not able to find a solution, you are encouraged to ask someone. Someone here will help you.
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