By mixing experience and technical knowledge with kindness and the willingness to help, Ovidiu is for sure a true Guardian. He’s the kind of person who takes challenges and risks without dreading a possible failure, and continuously empowers others to grow. If you ask around, people will tell you that he’s one of the key go-to people, who is genuinely there for you and always happy to help. Let’s discover the full story. 

How did you start at Endava? 

I started my journey in Endava 10 years ago, in 2008, as an Automation Tester. Before taking on my current role I worked on various projects with clients from the Insurance and Financial sectors, having different positions such as Tester, Test Lead and Test Manager. I enjoyed embracing career challenges and stepping into new roles, even without being fully prepared sometimes. It was a great rush, and I saw each and every challenge as an opportunity to learn more. I still do.

Tell us about what drives you most at work.

Endava is a company where anyone can find his best fit. The diversity of the roles and projects and the various career opportunities are in my opinion the strongest benefits of the company. This is my motivation: to create the right context for career opportunities by finding the right mix between people and projects. I like to solve problems, and for me, a successful day is one during which I manage to find great solutions. To be always ready to assume a new role, to do your best in that role and not to be afraid of making mistakes, those are the lessons I learned being part of Endava.

How would your colleagues describe you in one sentence?

I think this is an input what I would rather get from them, but judging by how I strive to be in my everyday work life, I guess the attributes would be Open, Honest, Friendly and Fair. 

Name some books/tutorials/speeches that had an effect on your career path.

More than books or speeches, my career was influenced by the people with whom I worked and by my experiences. At the beginning of my career in Endava, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a very good Test Lead. He offered me the chance to be his deputy. By receiving the support and challenge at the right moment, I was able to take the Test Lead role on my next project. Also, after working closely with the former Head of Testing from Cluj, taking the Head of Testing role when it became available, came as a natural step.

Tell us more about yourself outside of work and how your hobbies have contributed to your career path. 

Work-life balance is critical to me. I love to spend as much time as possible with my family. Also, I really enjoy watching sports. I have to say that snooker or biathlon can be very exciting for me, but at the same time, I feel like the best way to disconnect after a full day is to read a good book. It’s all about having a good mix of what you enjoy. 

Since I’m passionate about sports, I believe that many of the qualities required to achieve performance in any sport also apply in our work and personal life. The ones I look for in the people around me are things like dedication, pragmatism, commitment, and fair play. I think it’s important to have the strong will to win but to also have the power to accept and understand the reasons behind failure and the lessons learned. Last but clearly not least: teamwork. You have to watch a rugby game to understand how important it is to have a well-balanced and organised Scrum team. 

What advice would you give yourself if you were starting work at Endava today?

Don't be afraid to ask questions even if you think they might be stupid, and request help from the others. The important thing is to make sure you are doing the best you can.