Filip Nedyalkov

People respect Melon’s values, and we are living in a stress-free environment.

Filip Nedyalkov joined Melon in 2015 as a Flash developer, and since then has been working remotely from his hometown of Varna. He holds an accounting bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Applied Informatics. Filip says, however, that he is a self-taught developer. He has worked as a graphic designer in the past and believes that he is a creative person. He began learning software development because he was interested in animation and the only tool he could use back then was Flash. Prior to applying at Melon, he worked for a variety of companies with clients from all over the world, learned the Flex Framework, and tried freelancing. 

“Freelancing is precarious. I wanted to work at a bigger company because it promises more opportunities to learn and grow,” Filip says.   

In 2015, already as part of Melon, he completed a three-month onboarding program in Sofia before returning to Varna, where he continued to work from home. Nonetheless, he tries to visit Melon's Sofia office regularly because he enjoys socializing with his teammates. The company's rapid expansion, he believes, has been the most significant change at Melon since 2015. Filip still remembers when his team consisted of three Flash developers only. 

The biggest challenge so far was to change positions and become a JavaScript developer after the Front-end and Flash teams merged. He likes that Melon provides developers with online courses and training which helps acquiring new skills faster and more effectively.

“All of the software projects I have worked on have been intriguing and somehow provoking,” Filip says. 

In the beginning, he had to work on e-learning projects or Flash games. Then, he moved to developing JavaScript and TypeScript 2D games. A milestone for Filip was when he identified and fixed mistakes at the core of a framework he had to work with. He sent the solution to the client, who accepted his changes and it was available in the next version.

Filip's most difficult project was creating a mobile app for a foreign quiz-style television show. During the live broadcasts, the audience had to use the app and answer questions. Melon's team had to create iOS, Android, and web versions of the game. “It was very challenging because the show had to start soon and there was no room for any delay. A great deal of effort was required in order to meet the ambitious deadline. Problems had to be solved on different levels with this app since it had to work flawlessly on multiple platforms. I was really focused on getting this done, helping everyone, and we barely managed to finish on time. It was all worth it though, because the client was very pleased with the final product and made sure we all knew just how much it was appreciated. I am very proud of my team and what we managed to achieve in this project.” Filip says. 

Melon is the first big company in Filip’s CV and he considers his recruitment a significant step forward. He says he lives by the motto "Be smart, be nice, and make things happen" and he loves Melon's people and culture. “People weren't nearly as united as they are here in previous companies I worked for. This is our company’s culture, people respect Melon’s values, and we are living in a stress-free environment. Occasionally, a project can be more demanding than others, but I would say a certain degree of challenge from time to time is healthy. The management is always open for feedback,” he says. 

Filip keeps going beyond when it comes to getting things done right and meeting deadlines. He has set his track and knows where he wants to go. He is pleased that Melon employees nurture a culture of helping one another, cooperating, sharing knowledge and experience. 

"I try not to let anything get in the way of achieving my goals. I don't look for excuses."

Filip shares that technology never stops changing, so developers are constantly learning. He wants to improve his skills, so he is now learning Amazon Web Services, NodeJS among other things to enhance his knowledge on more fullstack where all the pieces of a project architecture would come together. He wants to get to a point where he can see the entire chain and understand the entire journey to the end product. 

"Melon assists me on my path, building up my skills, with diverse projects and training."

Filip also attempts to live a healthier life by sticking to a good routine, exercising and eating healthy. He believes that his work-life balance can only benefit from that, which in turn would make him better at his job, especially when he is in a good mood and well-rested.

Filip used to work from home, even before he joined Melon. He sees his flexible workspace as a convenience. The time he saves from commuting is the biggest asset for him. "I like feeling agile and appreciate the efficient use of time," he explains. Still, he misses meeting his teammates in person and tries to visit Melon's office in Sofia every 1-2 months because socializing refreshes and recharges him. His visits became rarer due to the pandemic, but he hopes that he can go back to his routine. 

For the increasing number of people working from home these days, Filip gives some advice: "Different people work better in different environments, but this doesn’t change the fact that there is a solution to every problem, search for it, be result-oriented wherever you are. We are taught how to adapt as software developers. There are certainly things you can try to get accustomed to working from home, but even if all of that doesn’t work out well and you don’t feel productive, consider other options like going to a co-working space for example. Teams can be effectively managed online, but still, going to the office from time to time is also important, because there’s no replacing real life contact, which is why I try to visit it regularly, though it does not have to be every day or every week. Simply discover what works best for you.” 

Filip likes that Melon has a Self-Care Program and is happy that the company offers professional support to those who cannot cope on their own. 

Filip spends his free time going out with his friends, playing board games, quiz nights or practicing Latino dances. He enjoys going to escape rooms with his friends and solving puzzles. He even recalls going to escape rooms with his colleagues as mini team-buildings, and he says he had a great time.