Starting a career before graduation: Abouba’s story at ONLYOFFICE

Our Back to school series continues with stories from students and young professionals who combine their studies with their first steps into the working world.

Aboubacar Kaba joined ONLYOFFICE while studying Information Systems and Technologies. In this interview, he talks about combining work with his master’s degree, his experience in the Customer Care department, and what changed when he became a full-time team member.

Student life

What were you studying when you joined ONLYOFFICE?

I was studying Information Systems and Technologies, and I joined ONLYOFFICE while still juggling coursework.

What inspired you to apply for an internship or student position here?

What inspired and motivated me to work at ONLYOFFICE is the opportunity to work on an international project.

What was your first impression of ONLYOFFICE?

Bigger than I expected, in a good way. I had no idea such a powerful editor existed, with so many collaborative features.

Balancing work and studies

How did you balance classes, assignments, and work responsibilities?

Honestly, it was more complicated than I imagined at the beginning. Afterwards, I started organizing my time better and eventually got used to the mix of work and university.

What was the biggest challenge during that period?

My biggest challenge was my final year of my master’s degree, because I had to finalize my thesis while working at ONLYOFFICE at the same time. In the end, everything turned out fine.

Did working while studying help you become more organized or disciplined? How?

Absolutely. I improved my sense of organization and learned to prioritize tasks. I also discovered several apps that helped me manage my time better.

Growth journey

What skills did you develop the most while working here?

I learned a lot within the Demo/Academy team, whether it was product presentation, systems architecture, or even automation and workflows.

Looking back, what project or achievement are you most proud of?

I’m proud of many things I’ve done here, but one of the best moments was when we launched the ONLYOFFICE Academy courses.

Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to continue your career at ONLYOFFICE?

From the first few months on, I had the feeling that I’d finally found a job where I truly felt good.

Transition to full-time job

How did it feel to transition from being a student employee to a full-time team member?

More satisfying than I expected. It’s still recent, but being able to focus purely on work makes things simpler.

What has changed the most since your student days?

More free time. When I get home now, I can think about going out without worrying about exams or anything else.

If you could go back and give your student self one piece of advice, what would it be?

I’d tell myself to take more initiative and to prepare mentally for the final evaluations and exams in the master’s program.

ONLYOFFICE experience

What makes ONLYOFFICE a great place for students or young professionals?

The chance to grow, the freedom to be creative, and the fact that any idea to improve our work or ONLYOFFICE itself is always welcome. Most importantly, the atmosphere in my department is genuinely pleasant.

How has the team supported your learning and professional growth?

In the best possible way. People here were generous with their time in a way I didn’t take for granted, answering questions, reviewing my code without making me feel small about the mistakes in it, and pointing me toward the right resources instead of just the right answer.

What’s your favorite part of working here today?

Knowing that clients are happy and that they realize ONLYOFFICE is the best solution for them.

Fun & personal

Describe your journey at ONLYOFFICE in three words.

Everything starts in the morning: as soon as I arrive, I check my email to see if I’ve received any new tasks or if a client has sent something. Then I go grab a coffee au lait during my break. After that, it depends on the day: either I have demos scheduled, or I work through the tasks assigned to me.

Coffee or tea during exam season?

100% coffee (Latte).

What was your go-to study playlist or productivity hack?

Listening to classical music always calms me down and helps me stay concentrated on my work.

Which ONLYOFFICE feature or tool did you use the most as a student?

The collaboration features are definitely my favorites. Being able to work on and edit PDFs is another one, and I also frequently use plugins, both custom ones and the preinstalled ones, to help with my workflow.

What’s one memory from your student days at ONLYOFFICE that still makes you smile?

One memory is the day I went back and forth several times between the office and the university. It didn’t make me smile that day, but looking back on it now, it does.

Advice for students

What advice would you give students who are thinking about applying for internships or student positions?

My only advice is to come join the ONLYOFFICE family. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Why shouldn’t students wait until graduation to gain work experience?

Working and studying at the same time lets you gain experience before your studies are even finished. By working at ONLYOFFICE during that time, you also gain experience and face real challenges every day.

What would you say to someone starting their first day at ONLYOFFICE?

Nobody expects you to know everything. Ask the question that feels too basic to ask. It usually isn’t.

Start your career at ONLYOFFICE

Starting work before graduation can be a good way to test your skills, discover what kind of work suits you, and gain experience before entering the job market full-time.

At ONLYOFFICE, students and young professionals can join an international team, work on real projects, and learn alongside experienced colleagues. If you’re looking for an opportunity to gain practical experience while studying, take a look at our open positions.

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