Moving countries and finding where he belonged: Ruslan's story
A Bally's career isn't a transitional role. That's what Software Developer, Ruslan learned when he first joined the Bally's Toronto team. Originally from the Ukraine, Ruslan moved to Canada after living and working in Vietnam for 8 years. He found it difficult to find a job when he first moved but believed as soon as he found Bally's, his luck had arrived.
Ruslan felt comfortable at Bally's from the very beginning, and credits his recruiter, Oleksandra, as someone who made the hiring process very smooth. It was people like Oleksandra and the rest of his team who helped him overcome the challenge of it being his first English-speaking job.
Now one and a half years into his Bally's career, Ruslan thinks he's found his place. "I originally thought I would just get a transitional job that I'd move on from once I was settled in Canada, but I feel very comfortable at Bally's and know I'm not going anywhere."
Friendships and a sense of freedom
Even though Ruslan believes that "tech guys are usually introverts", he's found that when he comes to the office, this changes. He goes for lunches and coffee breaks and loves joking around with his team. When he's in the office, he shares he doesn't feel any stress. He feels free to do things; to have a break and interact with people while working. And his manager makes it all happen. "Our manager loves to organize things and he prepares team events. It's really cool."
For Ruslan, freedom at Bally's goes beyond the social. It extends into the work itself. While there are priorities and deliverables to meet, he has the space to approach his role in a way that's both meaningful and productive for him. He digs into the products firsthand, exploring them from a real user's perspective and figuring out what works through genuine curiosity. "I'm happy I have the opportunity to do this, not just typing what someone tells me to type."
Seeing himself grow and looking to the future
Ruslan expected it would take a year to move up. At Bally's, it took six months. His work was recognized, and he had the support to grow into more.
Beyond the day-to-day, he's had the chance to attend Tech Talks and an Android conference in Paris, connecting with like-minded people and bringing new ideas back with him.
"I feel that I know more, and I have the opportunity here to keep learning. One of Bally's DNA pillars is "Learning Every Day" and I believe we're always trying our best to do that."
In terms of the future, Ruslan is excited to keep creating engaging, memorable experiences for our app users, finding new ways to develop features faster. He's looking forward to seeing the team grow and helping newcomers feel just as comfortable as he did when he first joined Bally's. "I know how challenging it is to come to a new country to find a job. But Bally's helped me with this. Helped me to say, "I found a job" and finally relax."
