Nicoleta Binca, our Marketing Specialist

13 Oct 2020 5 min read
Nicoleta
in 5 things
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  • Favorite artist: It's hard to choose just one, but I enjoy Alec Benjamin a lot
  • Best book ever read: Another difficult one but I have to give it to Stephen King's 11/22/63
  • Dream destination: Switzerland
  • Quote you live by: "But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything—what a waste."
  • At the office or remote? Remote

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Nicoleta, I'm 23 and I've been part of the XWiki's Marketing team for a bit over a year now. My work mostly revolves around creating content, taking care of visuals, and communicating about and as XWiki through social media.

As for myself, I enjoy reading books and like to spend my free time playing video games and binging shows or documentaries that spark my interest. I'm also very fond of cats and greatly appreciate anyone who also is (even more so if they happen to share pictures of their own). emoticon_smile

The journey to XWiki

What were you doing before XWiki? Did you change careers when joining our team?

XWiki is actually my first full-time job. My only other working experiences were during university, involving an internship on Localisation, followed up by a part-time position as part of the same team.

I then stumbled upon the XWiki job announcement just as I was wrapping up my Bachelor Thesis. I was pretty eager to get on the job market and be on my own two feet, and because marketing was one of the subjects I enjoyed most during my university years, I thought I'd give it a try and applied. I was pretty nervous about it, but fortunately, I ended up getting the position.

What is it like to be working in the Marketing team at XWiki?

It's a mix of exciting, interesting, and overwhelming, all at the same time. We're a pretty small team and usually have a lot of ground to cover. Sometimes it all piles up, but, thankfully, we always manage to find workarounds and get things done fine. This is also more of a personal preference than anything, but I find it much more comfortable to work in a small team. It's definitely one of the factors that helped me quickly integrate and feel at ease when I joined.

I think that being a small team means we're more tight-knit and can discuss, collaborate, and get ideas across easier and faster.

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Open Source impressions

Was Open Source something you had an interest in before XWiki?

I knew about the general concept but didn't actually understand or learn more about it until joining XWiki.

What's the Open Source value you identify with the most?

Definitely transparency. I've witnessed how a lack of it can instill confusion and mistrust, so now I appreciate having information out in the open.

Being an XWikier

What has kept you at XWiki so far?

I'd say the people and the environment, but also the fact that I feel like I've found a place where I can continue to learn and evolve. While I've grown more comfortable with and confident in what I'm doing, there are still many other things I'd like to experience and, for the time being, XWiki seems to be the right fit.

If you ever wished for a job change, what made you decide to stay?

I've had such a period that mostly stemmed from a lot of self-imposed stress because I did not want to disappoint or let anyone down. Thankfully, I had plenty of feedback and learned to manage my own expectations without putting more pressure than needed on myself. Time passing and growing more comfortable in my role also helped.

What were the most important or drastic ways in which XWiki changed during the years you've been around?

I don't think I've been around long enough to witness any drastic changes just yet.

Lessons learned

What would you say is the most valuable lesson you learned during your time at XWiki?

That there is no shame in admitting you don't know something and that there's nothing wrong with asking for help, however many times you may need.

The XWiki experience

If you could describe your XWiki experience in one word, what would it be?

Encouraging. The thought of my first job (and what it would entail) had always been pretty scary to me. When I joined, I felt like a fish out of the water - I was new, inexperienced, and a bit lost. But from the first moment I started I had plenty of advice, support, and reassurance given to me, which I am very grateful for. 

With the risk of sounding a bit sappy, I have to say I feel lucky to have landed in an environment like XWiki's on my first try.

What is your favorite memory of the years as part of XWiki?

My first seminar. It was both a fun and nerve-wracking experience to meet the entire team without any prior interaction at the office. It was also my first time traveling out of the country, which made me appreciate the opportunity even more.

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