Francesco Marassi embarked on his journey as a Software Engineer at Klarna in late 2020. As a full-time Klarnaut, free-time app developer, guinea pig dad, longboard lover, and vegan cook, it is more than natural that we got curious to find out how he does it all.
Hi Francesco! We have heard a great deal about you and wanted to ask you a few questions. You are not only a Software Engineer at Klarna, but you actively pursue coding in your free time. How come?
Before joining Klarna, I worked for many years at a small web agency. There, I had to cover all steps of the process – from visiting the customer, observing their workflow, and coming up with custom-fitted solutions. This process was highly rewarding and has not only provided me with valuable experience as a base for my work here at Klarna, but it also inspired me to continue exploring the app market in my spare time. Today, I still enjoy coming up with new products, especially for the fashion and social media industry.
That sounds really inspiring. How do you manage to do all these extra projects next to your daily work as a Klarnaut?
I usually get into a project whenever I see a need for it, and I have some spare time. For example, during the pandemic, staying at home started feeling monotonous and made me long for lifting my spirits. So I started working on a simple tracking app to document my moods, my workout, and my thought progress. This was my way of getting creative and realizing myself while staying at home.
But I also have other hobbies, like taking care of my two guinea pigs, which just integrated themselves organically into my daily life (if you work at Klarna, you might have seen a picture or two of them already on our #petpics Slack channel). They have been running around the apartment every day since my girlfriend and I got them. During breaks, I usually watch them play and give them some greens. So when they are happy, I am happy.
Guinea pigs Pamela (left) and Anderson (right)
Do you see engineering as a creative practice? And how does it translate into other parts of your life?
Yes, definitely. I recently realized that cooking vegan food challenges me in just about the same way my engineering work does. So for me, opening the fridge to create something extraordinary that pleases everyone at the table from a limited amount of ingredients is the same challenge I love. I enjoy satisfying both our users and my colleagues at work, along with my family and friends at home.
That’s very interesting! With summer approaching, how do you plan to enjoy the excellent weather and outdoors?
I try to be active and take my longboard out whenever I have a moment to cruise around the city. It’s relaxing and a great way to explore, especially when you have a limited amount of time. That’s why my girlfriend and I have started taking the longboards with us on short city trips.
Do you have any advice for engineers who are interested in joining Klarna?
Yes: never hold back a question! You will find that people are lovely and happy to respond to all of them. And this is true both during the interview process and once you start working here.
Curiosity and courage are both traits that are represented in our 8 Leadership principles. So if you’re also driven by curiosity and have the courage to unlimit your possibilities, we invite you to apply here today. Come join our momentum and accelerate yours!