Introducing Raman, the soulful and mindful tech-lead at Singleton

Raman is one of the most experienced tech-leads at Singleton who has his own way of looking at things - in life as well as concerning his job. And he has the courage to do things differently.

“What I like most about my current role in Singletons is that it is very versatile. I can construct the architecture of a project in the morning, have client meetings in the afternoon, and a face-to-face mentoring session with one of the younger developers in the evening. It's a good way to stay on top of my game and keep things interesting”.

Raman has studied applied mathematics and computer science in Estonia as well as abroad. He has worked as a computer programmer for a small company as well as doing all sorts of different projects as a self-employed programmer. Luckily, in May 2019 Raman joined the fun gang at Singleton.

Raman is a great companion for his colleagues at Singleton and also very very good at what he does 

What are your primary responsibilities at Singleton and what does your day-to-day look like?

Right now I am the tech lead at Singleton. It is a very versatile position and I can see myself growing every day when it comes to achieving all the tasks at hand.

One part is the planning of certain projects, interacting with the clients, helping out with the sales part at Singleton, and the actual coding.

The other part is the mentoring of my team members. It has been quite a struggle due to covid because we really like to be together to share experiences and discuss projects. Now we have been doing it online for what feels like ages but it's not the same. Hopefully, the situation will get better soon and we can meet face-to-face again.

I try to organize my day so that I do all the coding tasks in the first part of the day when I am most productive and focused. Then later I can concentrate on the live tasks at hand.

Sometimes it doesn't work out as some of the people I work with live in other time zones but that is the structure I usually like to keep and what works best for me.

What’s been the most memorable experience during your tenure so far at the company?

Hmm. This can be divided into two.

First is the work experience part. I feel my role in Singleton has changed quite quickly and is memorable in being very varied and offering a lot of good challenges.

I'm quite young still but the responsibilities I have to allow me to grow every day. And I'm given room to think on my own, make my own decisions, and be responsible for them. I´m never bored.

The other memorable part of my time at Singleton is the company vibe part. I felt that right from the beginning. I like the closeness and the communication that is very personal, friendly, and easy-going here. I knew right away I wanted to be here and work here.

What advice do you have for prospective SG candidates?

I have conducted quite many trial days with prospective candidates and from that experience, I would recommend to try and think outside of the box. I know it may sound like a cliche but that is what differentiates Singleton from other similar companies.

Singleton is not a place of strict rules and who can follow them the best. It is expected here that you are able to look further than the knowledge you learned at school or read in a book.

At Singleton, you are only measured by the way that you think. Here everyone has the freedom to do things their own way but you have to be willing to be responsible for it as well.

It's all about the internal passion for coding. Or passion for any other position you might apply for at Singleton. Don't underestimate your own ideas!

What is on your wishlist for the next 5 years with Singleton?

Actually, when it comes to working, then for the past few years now I have been trying to avoid having big expectations for the distant future and planning for some extra-special milestones.

Those bigger milestones don't motivate me anymore because then people are driven only to consider themselves successful once a milestone is achieved. But that feeling lasts for a day or a week and then what?

I don't want a five-year goal. I want each day to be great. To celebrate the small victories and end each day being thankful for the freedom to grow.

Raman and his happy self during a pre-corona Christmas party. But it might as well be a photo of a regular day at the office because this is just the easy-breezy vibe that Singleton has 

How do you spend your time outside of the office?

I like to keep active. Actually, I need to be physically active in order to function best at all sorts of mental tasks as well. I even have a small gym set up at my home office so that I can do some push-ups or pull-ups or things like that during the day.

I am very grateful to my fiancé who is a very proactive person. Thanks to her I think I have been to all the bogs in the 70km radius of Tallinn this winter.

I also enjoy skiing but it can get boring in Estonia quite fast as there are no actual mountains. During regular years I usually go abroad for skiing but this year it hasn't been possible because of the pandemic.

How do you define success in life?

For me, it is just about being happy. That you yourself feel happy and that the people around you feel the same.

And also success is when you are in a position to help others. Whether it is with time, money, knowledge, energy, or something else that the other is lacking at the moment. The chance to not just idly stand by but to contribute and help.

What is the next life milestone you want to achieve?

I don't have anything against milestones in my personal life. I guess it's the normal part of growing up.

I am in a time in my life where I dream about starting a family. We took the first step towards it and adopted a puppy recently. Hopefully, I will be able to marry my fiancè this summer and hear the patter of tiny feet in the near future as well.

When are you the happiest?

I am the happiest when I am happy. It is difficult to answer this question.

I guess a time when I feel great happiness is when I can see that my efforts have not gone to waste. That something has happened or changed or found a solution thanks to me. It is equally important for me in my work life as well as in my personal life. That the effort I put in actually matters.

What is the best vacation you’ve been to?

Bringing out one vacation means that the others weren't that great but actually, I have enjoyed every trip I have taken. They have been very different but all memorable one way or another.

But the last vacation before the pandemic was to Georgia. I even got to go there twice in one year: once for skiing in the winter and once for visiting friends during the summer.

It was very memorable and touching because of the people we met and their kindness. The hospitality that they treat you with is unforgettable and almost makes you uncomfortable at times. But it is just the way that they are - kind, sharing, caring and very affectionate.

Raman enjoying the mountains in Georgia. Feeling the freedom to just be who you are.  

If given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?

I think I would like to try to be a surgeon. I once thought about becoming one and it would be great to experience it for a day. Or maybe more.

It is one of those professions that you have to choose right from the beginning. For example, you can be a surgeon who decides to switch to software development but it's not that easy the other way around. So it's kind of a ship that has sailed but would be very cool to try out.

If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I would rather die than have one meal for my entire life. I love food - eating it, making it, smelling it...It is my worst nightmare to be forced to eat one meal for a long period of time.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?

I don't have a specific event in mind but I'd like to spend time with my grandparents when they were my age. Experience the day-to-day life they lived, have long conversations with them, and be a part of their world when they were young.

This was Raman with his amazingly enlightened way of looking at life. We are lucky to have him! Get to know more of the great people at Singleton!

Raman is a valued member of the Singleton family who always brings his best self to work and is a great companion as well as an excellent tech-lead.

It is a snowball effect. When you combine the best people with the best culture and environment, it creates a certain vibe. A good vibe attracts challenges which in turn attract better people. This is the whole formula of Singleton.

If you would like to ask Raman about his job at Singleton or meet any of the other team members, please contact us and we will be happy to help.