Say Hi to Andika, an Anime Fanboy and Talented Backend Developer | KunciTroopers.
Meet Andika, the perfect person to chat with about coding, anime, and even hacking activities all at once!
Andika is a handsome man from Sumatra Barat who has spent almost his entire life there. Although he could have stayed comfortably in his town, working at KunciCoin was a strong enough magnet to bring him to Jakarta, for the first time.
When I began working on this #KunciSpotlight project, I needed to find a particular person with a captivating story inside KunciLab for the first edition.
Then I asked all my coworkers, ‘Who is the right person for this?’ and somehow all fingers pointed to the same person, Andika.
The first time I reached out to Dika, he mentioned that he might not have any noteworthy story to share. A response that is hard to believe and often given by people with fascinating stories.
So, let us dig him a little deeper.
An Unideal Path to Become a Professional Engineer
As far as I know, as a backend developer, Dika is responsible for creating and maintaining the systems and databases that keep our services running smoothly. He works closely with front-end developers and designers to ensure our website and services are fast, reliable, and user-friendly.
The deep understanding of programming languages and creativity that he brings to the team enables the tech division to create an efficient and scalable backend system.
This has been proven by KunciLab, which has successfully presented many new ambitious projects and utilities and improved the performance and reliability of our existing website and services throughout 2022.
We are grateful for his hard work and dedication and are proud to have him as a member of our team. But this leaves a small question that invites us to look further. Where did he start learning and mastering these skills? And the answer may not be as smooth as you think.
Not to mention any engineering or programming degree, Dika never even finished high school. But that didn’t stop him from pursuing his interests.
After watching the popular Netflix series “Mr. Robot,” he became fascinated by the world of hacking. Determined to learn more, Dika began teaching himself the basics of hacking by scouring YouTube videos and seeking out online communities that could satisfy his thirst for knowledge.
Dika’s journey as a hacker began when he hacked his girlfriend’s phone. While this might not be the most exemplary way to start a career in hacking, it sparked a fascination in the world of hacking that would lead Dika down a path of self-taught programming skills.
As he delved deeper into the world of hacking, Dika encountered roadblocks and challenges that required him to understand how systems work in order to improve his skills.
This process of learning and questioning not only taught him valuable coding and development competence, but also showed him the potential for using his skills for positive change.
Through his experiences, he has come to understand that his skills in hacking are not something to be proud of, as they do not bring happiness or benefit to others. With this newfound realization, he has decided to use his skills for a greater purpose, by becoming a bug bounty hunter.
As Dika’s journey as a bug bounty hunter progressed, he was presented with a new challenge that pushed him to aim even higher. He wondered, “Could I create a program from the ground up?”
And thus, his journey at KunciCoin began.
From Self-Taught Hacker to Valued KunciLab Member
Dika’s decision to become a professional programmer became more solid. So, he knew he had to apply when he learned about a Backend Dev vacancy at KunciCoin, a company specializing in Cryptocurrency & blockchain-based in Jakarta, these were two things that were completely new to him.
Despite these doubts, he was still determined to make the most of this opportunity and give it his best shot. However, he didn’t allow himself to get his hopes up, as he believed that his lack of formal education might hold him back.
At KunciCoin, a resume is just the opening — what matters is skills, passion, and a hunger to learn.
Dika’s job application continued until the interview. It was a little bit of a funny story.
As a self-taught programmer, though he had a strong foundation in coding and was able to create functional projects, when it came to the more technical aspects of the company’s field, he was a little out of his depth.
During his interview with the tech lead of the company, Mr. Erhan, Dika was asked about his familiarity with some concepts.
‘Are you familiar with and understand the world of blockchain beforehand?’
‘Are you accustomed to or have you ever worked with a microservice system?’
-asked Mr. Erhan.
He honestly admitted that “No, I wasn’t well-versed in them”. Despite this lack of knowledge, Dika’s passion and drive for learning impressed Mr. Erhan and the team. So Mr. Erhan gave the unexpected response,
“Don’t worry, we will learn together here.”
It was at that moment that Dika realized this was the perfect company for him to work for and continue growing.
And that’s a short story that (maybe) you need to say “Hi, Dika… I read your story on #KunciSpotlight.”
To end this article a little bit more elegant, let me quote some of my favorite moments when I interviewed Andika.
When I ask “I was amazed to hear that you learned programming on your own, created your first website, and even became a bug bounty hunter, all with just a phone. Do you think the things you have accomplished are particularly challenging for others?” and this is his answer:
“It’s simply a matter of whether you really want it or not. Everything you need is available out there. There are always tutorials and communities that are ready to help with your learning process. Even phones are just small versions of computers. There is always a way to start if you are not looking for excuses. Everyone can do it.”
— — — — —
Introducing KunciLab. Where KunciCoin Troopers makes and delivers marvelous and bohemian products through a flawless process, thus meeting the user’s needs.
We build things that be the pioneer in this industry. We go beyond the imagination. It is all about when revolutionary ideas meet a passionate team.
Ready to beat this great challenge together as a Super Team?
Join us as KunciCoin Troopers!
Reach Us:
Website KunciCoin
Instagram KunciCoin
Twitter KunciCoin
LinkedIn KunciCoin
Discord KunciCoin
Join KunciCoin Offical Telegram Community:
KunciCoin Indonesia
KunciCoin Global
KunciCoin Chinese
