“Once you have a good reputation the projects will find you!” With more than 6 years experience as an ABAP Software Engineer this freelancer surely knows what he is talking about. An interview with Gabor Viragh…1) First off, can you tell us bit about yourself?
My name is Gabor Viragh, I am living in Budapest, Hungary. Having over 8 years of experience with ABAP (SAP), I have been acting as a freelancer in the last 6 years, mostly for customers from Germany and Switzerland. Besides that, I am a co-founder of Hovitaga, a software company specialized in SAP add-ons, filling the gaps of the standard SAP environment with products like the OpenSQL Editor.
2) If you would search for your profile on Google, which are the three keywords you would type in the search bar? ABAP software engineer, nearshore ABAP development, remote ABAP development 3) freelancermap: What was your inspiration and when did you actually decide to become a freelancer? I have been working for SAP Labs Budapest for a few years. It was a great opportunity to get familiar with ABAP and the SAP environment, but I wanted to move to more agile projects. When I heard that a German consulting company is willing to expand to Hungary I did not hesitate to sign a contract with them.
4) What kind of services have your clients asked you to provide? I do custom developments in SAP systems. I create reports and dialog programs that support the business processes and implement interfaces to other systems. I have to analyze the technical aspects of the requirements. I try to come up with a solution that is easy to use and ergonomic from the user’s point of view, but has a clean program structure and it’s easy to maintain from technical point of view. There is a saying I totally agree with: “Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.”
5) Do you use other freelancers or companies to provide skills that you don’t possess? Sure! SAP is so complex and has so many modules that no one can be an expert in all areas. A team of four to eight people works very well and we set up the team in way that it has all the required expertise for the given tasks.
6) freelancermap: Now tell us, how do you find new clients that are interested in your services? In this business once you have a good reputation the projects will find you. Besides that our company makes a good impression with its products. Anyone who uses our tools will know, that the team that has developed the software did a good job. And they know that they can expect the same quality when it comes to a customer project.
7) What about freelancermap.com? Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with our IT-network?
I find Freelancermap very useful for both IT professionals and customers. I regularly receive the project offers according to my profile, and I am sure that also customers can find the experts they are looking for.
8) How do you set yourself apart from your competitors? What makes you special? Good communication, high quality solutions, ergonomic user interfaces, maintainable code, clear documentation will guarantee customer satisfaction.
9) What are the top three books, blogs or magazines you read to stay up to date in the IT-market? I like very much the books of Robert C. Martin, they tell you how to become a master of your profession. The ‘Introduction to Algorithms’ by Thomas H. Cormen and others is a must have for all developers. For news there is the SAP Community Network portal, but best are the discussions in the coffee breaks 🙂
10) Freestyle! Is there anything you would like to tell our readers? I am especially proud of the OpenSQL Editor mentioned above. It was a challenging development that resulted in a great tool, which is by now recognized by the market. I would be glad to make an online presentation to anyone who is interested.
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Where to find Gabor Viragh?
freelancer profile: Gabor Viragh at freelancermap.com
website: www.hovitaga.com
The interview was conducted by Doreen Schollmeier, freelancermap.com team.
Pic: © Gabor Viragh
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