Can you introduce yourself and tell us more about your company, your business and what you do here today?
I am Aleksandar Marković from TopTal. We work here as a network of freelancers who are in programming business. We come from the network with about 4500 developers, various profiles of programmers, from all over the world. The majority of them is from the Balkans and from Argentina.
Since when TopTal has been in Serbia?
TopTal has been in Serbia since 2011. Since then we have been constantly growing. Currently we gather around 200 members from Belgrade and around 300-350 members from the entire Serbia.
How can you become a TopTal programmer?
To become a TopTal programmer, you should register at our official website or contact some of us from the network. I would like to mention that it is difficult to become part of our network and only 3% programmers manage to do so. Once you are in, benefits are great.
Does it mean that if somebody works for TopTal, his employer does not have to check who he is and where he is from?
That’s right. We already have such reference from TopTal, so when any of head-hunters is looking for an employer, this reference stands is sufficient. There are no other interviews required.
You are a programmer for Android applications. Can you choose the work you do and how about deadlines? Are you under pressure? How do you choose projects? Is this only one more multinational company that spends too much resource with people?
In our business with clients we offer three types of work: full-time, part-time and hourly. It depends on a project. As for Androids and mobiles, these are short-term projects, because the platform itself is like that, and these projects usually last from 3 to 6 months, not more than a year. We have so many projects! At this moment we have over 200 open projects. They change day after day and they require new people.
Today you are in OfficeMe coworking space, which is more instant office space than a conventional coworking space. Here you can rent an office, open space and any combination. since you are freelancers, tell us where the majority of your members work? From home, in a rented flat or at some coworking space? What premises do TopTal programmers choose as their head office?
I can speak for myself. Since I have a family, it suits me to work from home. However, I know that many others use coworking spaces. That’s because working from home can become tiring, monotonous and boring. That’s why people like changes, they like to socialise, to hear new information. There is no better place for that than a coworking space. Also we have many members who are literally “digital nomads”. Here we have one guy from Russia. Digital nomads are a special kind, they live and travel from one city to another. They stay in one city two or three months and then go elsewhere.
You decided to work from home. The advantage of this decision is that you don’t waste your time in transport and don’t have some other expenses. On the other hand, a disadvantage of working from home is that you are constantly available to your family, which can be a problem when working on some large and important projects. What made you get out of home and come to the coworking space? Which benefit is important to you and what makes you come to work in the coworking space?
The most important reason was the quality of people who come to the coworking space. We, programmers, are introvert and it is difficult to pull us out from our thoughts. I think that if there are interesting people in the space where I work and if I can hear some new and interesting stuff, some new trends from our industry, and that can definitely get me out of my house. Also, vicinity is very important to me, to have business premises near my home.
Today you organise a coworking day for your members from Belgrade and the surroundings. You chose OfficeMe. You are here for the second time already. Why did you specifically choose OfficeMe?
I have used all coworking spaces in Belgrade and I really think that OfficeMe is one of the best coworking spaces in Belgrade, or perhaps the best one. Because of vicinity, price and availability. In my opinion, it is the best of all.
Thank you for coming and choosing OfficeMe for a TopTal coworking day.
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Aleksandar Marković, TopTal
