Meet our colleague Besim Durguti, Software Developer at Authority Partners from Kosovo, with more than ten years of experience in the IT Industry. When he is not coding, you will probably find him jamming with his rock band or not finding him since he is traveling.
In this month’s AP Team Story, Besim shares interesting facts about his country’s culture, and how he initially get interested in IT Industry, and who inspires him. Read on to hear how the onboarding and mentorship process went for him and what puts a smile on his face when he thinks about AP.
AP: Hi Besim, please introduce yourself
BD: Hello world, my name is Besim, and I am from Kosovo, Rahovec. I got interested in software development a long time ago as I was inspired by my older brother, software engineer as well, and since I have seen the unlimited possibilities on creating of whatever your imagination goes, that time I knew that this would be my life (honestly, didn’t plan at that time that this will be my main job as well :D).
Besides my bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and over 10 years in the software development industry, I also love to spend some time traveling, playing my guitar, and jam with my rock band on the keyboard.
AP: Tell us more about Kosovo and what we need to put on a must-see or to-do list?
BD: Kosovo is the second youngest country in the world, with about 40 percent of its land covered by forest, and slightly more than half of its land is agricultural. With a median age of 29.1 years, Kosovo has among the youngest populations in Europe. More than 40 percent of the population is under 25. Besides the great nature, food and historic places to visit, I think that the most valuable of them all are the people you can meet here, they are one of the most welcoming, friendly and cheerful people you will meet. And being great hosts is not just something that happens casually; it is the core of our culture.
Must-see:
Prishtina – The capital city of Kosovo with the greatest young people and the best nightlife around.
Prizren – Prizren is definitely one of the most picturesque places to visit in Kosovo, with its gorgeous Ottoman-influenced architecture.
Rugova – The Rugova Canyon and mountains are just one of many best-kept secrets in the Balkans.
Gadime Cave – This impressive marble cave is full of quite extraordinary crystallized stalagmites and stalactites that have formed over millions of years.
Brezovica Ski Resort – To ski in Brezovica, you have to adjust your expectations as Brezovica really is like no other ski resort
Bear Sanctuary Prishtina – It’s an awesome place to breathe nature and an amazing local to watch happy brown bears following their instincts.
To-do:
Hardh Fest (Rahovec) – At the end of the summer, when the grape is ripe for harvesting, the International Hardh Fest Festival is organized, which aims to promote the regional vineyards of Rahovec’s wine and raki. The 3-day festival where only fun things happen.
DokuFest – International Documentary and Short Film Festival is the largest film festival in Kosovo. Documentary photo exhibitions, debates, masterclasses, and live music events are all part of the 9 days of the festival.
AP: What sparked your interest in applying for a job at Authority Partners?
BD: Honestly, my main interest at that time was to find a remote job in a well-organized company. But I haven’t only found a much better-organized company than what I have planned to, and AP is a really global company that gave me a chance to have awesome colleagues and friends from all around the world.
AP: How did the onboarding process and mentorship program go for you in the first months?
BD: The onboarding process was a time when I understood that AP is a really well-organized company with the greatest colleagues. The onboarding process was really easy as you had to follow everything step by step, so you couldn’t miss anything. And regarding the mentorship program, not that I was lucky enough to have as my mentor one of the greatest guys in AP (now my friend), I also was constantly offered help from all of the team members without even asking for it.
AP: Tell us one to three things about the AP team that put a smile on your face every time you think about it?
BD: Multicultural teammates. We are always happy and ready to help each other and bring the best to the team. Talking to teammates like I have known them for a really long time, even though we have never seen each other in person.
AP: What elements are necessary for a successful team, and do you find them in the AP team?
BD: Besides having highly professional teammates, I think that the other key to a successful team is great communication among teammates and the readiness to help each other. Of course, that is what AP is promoting.
AP: How do you see the progress of your career in AP?
BD: As I have initially mentioned, in a well-organized company such as AP, one’s efforts can never be neglected and will always be appreciated. The same happened to me as well; my efforts were never forgotten.
AP: Have you forged new contacts and relationships while working in the AP global team?
BD: It was funny in a recent communication between one of our colleagues and me. At the beginning of a call, I was complaining about a heatwave we were having in Kosovo, and on the other hand, he was complaining about the weather being too cold because he is living near Antarctica.
So yes, I can now freely say that I have friends from all around the world.
AP: If you could meet any inspirational figure, who would it be?
BD: This question is really hard to answer because there are a lot of inspirational figures that I would love to meet. But for now, based on the new global movements, let’s say I would enjoy a meeting with Elon Musk.
AP: Do you have any advice for those who are planning to join the AP community?
BD: If they are given a chance to join the AP community, please rest assured that you won’t regret it. Besides the things that I have mentioned above, the projects in AP are always up to date with the latest technologies, and teams are constructed so that you will always be able to learn new things.
AP: Thank you!