Florian is a Software Developer at ALTEN. Discover his testimonial in which he introduces himself and describes his experiences.

Could you please introduce yourself?

« Hi, I’m Florian Gielen, consultant for ALTEN since 2019.
I’m a civil engineer specialised in computer sciences and management. I am graduated from the University of Mons. I am currently working for a leading technology company, on a platform that aims to create optimised process to develop products.
I’m from Nivelles but I spent time in Brussels, in Charleroi, in Mons. Well, I’m a real Walloon. »

What does it mean to be a Software Developer in Information Technology?

« Developing (using C# or other languages) means that you are able to build anything you want your computer to do. C# is a computer language, as there are many others (VB.net is one of the most similar, but also Java is often used). It is useful for developing the back-end (the functional part) of applications.
For business use, you usually work with other people to build something bigger. In personal use, you can create a fun program or script to make your life easier. »

Which skills are needed for this job position?

« All you need are a few skills:

• Code knowledge
• How to code and program an application
• How to spot an error in the program
• Think first before you start to design your commands
• How to cope with pressure management
• Enjoy the computer environment (at least a bit)

Tips: do not hesitate to customise your environment according to your preferences, shortcuts, dark or light wallpaper (this is a crucial choice), in order to be the most efficient in your work! »

How does an average day in the life of a Software Developer looks like?

« In a day, I code, I spend time configuring my applications/licenses and I end up talking to my computer. I have to work with different types of tools like Visual Studio, Notepad++, SQL Server, etc. Depending on the responsibilities or the number of projects I am working on, I may also have one or more meetings. As sharing knowledge is very important, it is important to ask questions and help others. »

What do you like about your job?

« As a Software developer, the most interesting feeling I have is of course the resolution of a bug I’ve been working on for hours. I also enjoy being able to automate a logic or sequence of commands, endless possibilities at my fingertips.
Thanks to the feedback from others and the improvement of my coding skills, I was able to become really comfortable after a while and really efficient with experience.
It’s important to get used to your environment, find the shortcuts and good habits that save a lot of time. That’s what colleagues and Google are for! »

How can you develop your skills & experience at ALTEN?

« ALTEN is great for starting out in the business world because the assignments are very varied. It pushes you to improve your technical and social skills.
As a consultant, we are followed by a Business Manager (BM) who supports us and helps us in case of problems. We build our career path with training courses to develop our career. »

What do you like about working at ALTEN?

« ALTEN takes care of its consultants, there is a real follow-up and the events organised are always enriching.
There are events where you can meet your consultants’ colleagues, Business Managers and all the other employees, such as communication, talent development, etc. The atmosphere is really great and it’s always a pleasure to meet everyone.
Some tournaments are organised between ALTEN consultants and events organised between consultants working at the same projects / clients. For example, last time we were invited to throw some axes with colleagues (on targets don’t be afraid). »

Where do you see yourself in your future career?

« For the moment, I am satisfied with my project. In the future, I could see myself elsewhere in the world, in Canada for example. I have discussed this with my BM, who can help me because ALTEN is an international company. They have great international connections, which makes moving abroad easier.
As a developer, it’s quite easy to find a project to work on, but not so easy to find a company with a good atmosphere.
ALTEN offers me many opportunities that correspond to my profile, the company has helped me to find a new mission and if I want to change from development, my BM help me to change my path. »

According to you, why should candidates apply to this vacancy?

« If you are interested in programming, when you like computers, love puzzles and dream about playing with amount of data, don’t hesitate.
Plus: Software Development is something that can take you anywhere, computer languages are the same all over the world, so nothing can stop you!

As a consultant, ALTEN is a good way to launch your professional life. The follow-up of the consultants is really nice, the training courses I attended allow me to develop my skills day after day.

The work at various projects varies enormously from one client to another, but you keep the ALTEN structure to give you support during your new missions. My fellow consultants remain my colleagues despite a client migration.

And for the last word, being a consultant allows you to build a network and start working with prestigious clients while having support from an experienced company. »

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