Hi Pavel, you're one of the colleagues who have been with the company since its inception. How many projects have you worked on during your time here?
I’ve worked on 4–5 large, long-term projects. From the local ones, I can mention Mall.cz, and from the international ones, I’d highlight the American Groupon or, currently, the German Symbio. I’ve also been involved in several smaller projects, but my focus is primarily on long-term ones, and Devcity is the ideal platform for that.
Is Devcity your first company?
No, it’s not. While studying at Matfyz (Faculty of Mathematics and Physics), I worked as a developer for another company for about five years. Then, thanks to my fellow student Matouš, I met Tomáš Těthal, one of Devcity's co-founders, and our collaboration began.
You're one of the most experienced developers at Devcity. What's your perspective on the demand for senior versus junior developers?
I often encounter companies seeking senior developers, but ideally at a junior-level salary. This unfortunately reflects a misunderstanding of what it means to be a true senior in the field. Becoming a senior developer doesn’t happen overnight—it is the result of years of experience, continuous learning, and consistent improvement of one’s skills. This title isn’t just about technical expertise; it also encompasses the ability to solve complex problems, lead projects, communicate effectively with a team, and think strategically about technology in the context of business goals.
Companies should understand that a qualified senior developer brings value far beyond just writing code. It is an investment in the quality, stability, and efficiency of projects, which pays off many times over in the long run. At the same time, it is important to emphasize that junior developers also need to be properly compensated and provided with opportunities for growth so that they can eventually become the seniors that are in such high demand on the market. Undervaluing the importance of education, mentoring, and appropriate remuneration not only holds back individuals but also hinders the development of the entire industry.
Devcity focuses on senior outsourcing and offers junior positions only when combined with senior expertise on the team. Do you think this is the right approach?
We aim to provide clients with the optimal mix of developers with different levels of experience to best meet their needs. In fact, I’d say there’s a direct correlation—the more junior positions a team has, the more essential it is to have an experienced leader on board. Of course, it’s very case-specific; for instance, for one client, we work in a team composed entirely of senior developers.
In our interviews, we often ask about personal opinions on body shopping. How do you perceive it?
Personally, I see it as a completely standard type of collaboration. I’ve never thought of it differently. For me, working on a client’s project feels the same as if they were my direct employer.
Why do you think body shopping has so much negativity surrounding it?
I’d say it might stem from negative experiences where a client requested body shopping from an agency that simply provided someone without further follow-up. If anything were to happen to any of us, our company would address the situation, and if the situation were serious, we’d even provide a replacement.
