Different Country, Same Passion @Scout24: Meet Zyrexson Martinez
Zyrexson Martinez works as Platform Engineer in the Operability & Reliability Team and is originally from the Philippines. In the interview he told us why he joined Scout24, what his biggest challenge has been and his advice for someone who wants to move to Germany.
- Where are you originally from and what is your job at Scout24?
Zyrexson: I come from a small town in Cavite, Philippines. It is a province rich in history and generous with its tropical fruit produced right outside Manila.
My current title at Scout24 is Platform Engineer and I am working alongside my colleagues in the Application Platform — Operability & Reliability Team. We support and provide our builders with tooling and frameworks that give them the confidence to build and run products on the application platform that their customers can rely on.
2. What has been the biggest challenge moving to and working in a new country such as Germany?
Zyrexson: Looking for long-term accommodation is the first thing that comes to my mind. I was surprised how difficult the search for an apartment in Berlin can be especially if you are looking in places near the city center. Luckily, the public transportation connects the districts with each other pretty well so it’s easier to choose an apartment that is located a bit further away. By the way, when using the ImmoScout24 app you can also see your travel time to key locations.
3. How does your individual background influence your work at Scout24 and with your team?
Zyrexson: Before working as a Platform Engineer, most of my roles in previous companies dealt with product engineering. As one of the Platform Engineer’s missions is to help improve a Product Engineer’s life at work, I can say that I am more sensitive to their needs — with my previous roles giving me some insights on how we can better serve our customers.
4. What do you enjoy about your job here at Scout24?
Zyrexson: Collaboration and a strong sense of teamwork stand out in our day-to-day lives here at Scout24. This includes having your opinions heard and valued regardless of levels and hierarchy.
These virtues were proven clear to me right when I joined Scout24. I appreciate how we actively seek feedback from our peers and how we can help anyone who may need it. Everyone is ready to jump on solving a problem when things fail, and everything happens in a blameless manner. Therefore, this empowers everyone to engage in doing experiments without the fear of failure.
5. Which advice do you have for someone who wants to move to Germany or who just recently moved to Germany?
Zyrexson: At Scout24, communicating in English is definitely enough to thrive but I feel that you have to learn the German language to get the most out of Berlin. Two reasons are — all the legal documents are written in German and more importantly, it is easier to integrate into the community when you speak the local language. I am currently in the process of expanding my knowledge beyond “Mein Deutsch ist nicht gut. Sprechen Sie Englisch?” (My German is not good. Do you speak English?)
6. Why did you apply to work at Scout24?
Zyrexson: I wanted to join an organisation that has already established itself among if not the market leader and an organisation that can adapt to the current technology. Scout24 fits the criteria perfectly and that made me decide to send in my application. I was fortunately hired and now a member of the company, and I am happy to say I made the right choice.
Despite being a large company with hundreds of employees, Scout24 is not hindered by long running approval processes. This is possible because the teams enjoy autonomy while still being aligned with the company goals. This strategy provides room for everyone to experiment and discover, which helps us implement the best practices.
