For over a decade, Sixsentix has been delivering quality and leading innovations in our industry. Still, our greatest achievement lies in our people, our teams, and the collaborative culture we’ve been building since day one. We’re particularly proud that many of our outstanding team members have chosen to stay with us over the years.
Today, we spoke with three of our colleagues who have been a part of the company from the early days and are now marking their 10th anniversary at Sixsentix Serbia: Ivanka Dzunic, Ivan Ignjatovic, and Vasiljka Vucetic.
For this occasion, we brought together people from different departments, so we could get a diverse, comprehensive outlook from various roles at the company. Ivanka is a test consultant, Ivan works as a delivery manager, and Vasiljka holds the position of marketing manager. They shared their thoughts on the evolution of Sixsentix, their personal growth, and the motivation for their decade-long loyalty. Let’s hear their stories.
What has been the biggest motive for staying at Sixsentix for a decade now?
Ivan: For me, motivation to stay here and do my best is not hard to find, even after 10 years. This hasn’t been a decade of working on the same old things. There are always brand-new projects, new challenges, new strategic initiatives we’re taking on as a company, and that’s what keeps things dynamic and interesting.
Therefore, I never feel like I’m stuck or stagnating at Sixsentix. We, as a company, cover a wide range of domains, applications, and services, so some new projects we take on feel like a whole different world, and I don’t need to dig too deep for motivation in order to stay productive.
Ivanka: 10 years ago, I transitioned from another profession to testing. So it’s been a challenge at the beginning, and overcoming that challenge was a huge motive. I had to push myself and thereby really grow, and this gave me the confidence to handle anything that came my way.
From the very beginning, I’ve had a kind of romantic idea about Sixsentix. I thought that if I could build my own company, Sixsentix would be exactly the kind of company I’d like to build myself, regardless of the type of work it would engage in. But in terms of communication, human relationships, respect, and the support I enjoyed, Sixsentix is what my ideal company would look like if I started building it from scratch. And I’ll be here for as long as that’s true.
Vasiljka: Definitely the growth, in terms of both individual development and the company’s expansion. I started at a time when there were only locations in Serbia, Switzerland, and Austria, and it was a particular pleasure to be part of the further expansion. And when you look back and see what has been accomplished over the years, it’s rewarding that I have been able to contribute.
Having regular opportunities to improve my skills and increase my knowledge was essential for my career development. This is a win-win situation as I believe that a company that clearly cares about the personal development of its employees will have a more engaged workplace.
Marketing manager
Sixsentix Serbia
Having regular opportunities to improve my skills and increase my knowledge was essential for my career development. This is a win-win situation as I believe that a company that clearly cares about the personal development of its employees will have a more engaged workplace.
What has changed in those 10 years at the company?
Ivan: 10 years ago, our office in Serbia was basically a large repurposed balcony, covered and converted into an office. And you know how a lot of famous tech companies have started from a garage – this wasn’t a garage, but I guess a balcony startup also has a nice ring to it. Of course, a lot has changed since then.
The organization is very different from what it used to be; we have evolved so much as a company and as individuals. We have established processes and rules that make it easy for a new arrival to get up to speed and start working seamlessly. And we have established a system that’s structured enough to provide stability, yet not too rigid so you can excel and make an impact as an individual.
We’ve also been constantly refining our methodology, business strategy, and internal organization in order to be more efficient and deliver a more optimized service. We’ve raised the level of our services, and our nearshore centers are realizing their full potential. They are not merely handling routine tasks, but are staffed with professionals who have a deep understanding of testing and technology. We act not as outsourced support staff, but as consultants who are supposed to drive projects and initiatives.
Ivanka: Obviously, so much has changed. The beginnings were modest and I was among the first 30 test consultants in Sixsentix, witnessing the humble start in the improvised office. But we didn’t mind. And it was very special - the atmosphere, the closeness, the feeling that we’re working on achieving something big. It looks even more special from this distance, now that we know that we’ve succeeded.
These were simpler times, and I really felt like we were family, sharing our victories, struggles, highs, and lows with all the others. And, of course, this is something that’s typical for the early stages of company development, and that’s perfectly fine. We’ve grown, we’ve evolved into a larger, corporate-style structure, and while you can still form occasional deep connections with people, the environment we work in is simply more structured and professional. And we’ll have to maintain that in order to grow further.
Finally, I feel that we’re much more grounded thanks to all the good ideas we managed to turn into life over the years. We’ve acquired a lot of knowledge and we worked very hard to earn the trust of our clients. This is all a great basis for future development.
Vasiljka: A lot has changed, in a positive way. From opening new locations, hiring new people, launching new services, working on our Magic Six values, introducing disciplines and strategic streams, to successfully implementing a whole new organizational structure.
Communication between all locations has improved over time, and new locations grew to be more independent. The benefit of bringing together different backgrounds, experiences, skills, and knowledge was immense. The diversity in Sixsentix created unity, a strong group working on the same goal while sharing the company vision.
Delivery manager
Sixsentix Serbia
The organization is very different from what it used to be; we have evolved so much as a company and as individuals. We have established a system that’s structured enough to provide stability, yet not too rigid so you can excel and make an impact as an individual.
What’s the thing you like the most about Sixsentix culture?
Ivanka: Breaking limits. This is my favorite Sixsentix value, and I’ve been trying to live by it from my very beginning at the company. Without new challenges, I’d frankly be bored.
Whenever I feel like I’ve had enough, I hear new ideas from people around me, I learn about new plans for the company, and I want to be a witness and a contributor to all those exciting stories.
We’re adopting and developing innovative technologies all the time, and these technologies will shape testing for the years to come. I’m very interested in how testing is going to look in 5 or 10 years, and I’d like to be a part of that. It’s great when you have a job where there are always new doors to open and new things to build.
Vasiljka: Sixsentix has a strong and healthy company culture thanks to fostering open communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovative ideas. Employees are engaged and committed, feeling a high sense of value, respect, and appreciation.
What I like the most is that our six magic values are truly shared and lived by every day, which significantly adds to a good working environment. As much as it’s important to choose and articulate the right values for the company, only by actually living by these values, we give them true meaning and purpose.
Ivan: Transparency and openness. This is something I’m particularly proud of. People are aware there are no negative consequences for speaking your mind and being direct with everyone. We should keep encouraging people to be open and speak freely at all times.
Test consultant
Sixsentix Serbia
We’re adopting and developing innovative technologies all the time, and these technologies will shape testing for the years to come. It’s great when you have a job where there are always new doors to open and new things to build.
What would you tell someone who’s considering applying for a role at Sixsentix Serbia?
Vasiljka: Our workplace is transparent, respectful, and trusting. You will be inspired by the positivity, and feel seen and supported. Sixsentix celebrates collaboration and provides growth opportunities, regular feedback, competitive compensation, and benefits. You will get the chance to work on exciting projects, meet extraordinary people, and even make lifetime friends like I did.
Ivanka: I’d simply tell them that it’s the best IT company in Serbia at the moment, and they’ll have to try hard to get in. I wish them luck, of course, and hope to see them in our offices soon!
Ivan: They’ll have to be open-minded. As consultants, we do things in a way that may be unexpected for them, and they’ll need to adapt. Unlike most other companies that provide testing services, we’re not acting as a part of the development team, nor are we simply executing testing tasks that were assigned to us by the client.
At Sixsentix, we are the ones who take the lead. So you don’t just talk to a product owner or a project manager, and they tell you what to do; you need to get familiar with the client’s business and understand their objectives, needs, and priorities. Then, based on this info, we design the entire testing framework and coordinate day-to-day activities. So, new arrivals will need domain knowledge, advanced communication skills, a strong sense of ownership, and maybe a bit of time to adapt to our mindset and methodology.
Test consultant
Sixsentix Serbia
I’d simply tell them that it’s the best IT company in Serbia at the moment.
What advice would you give to your colleagues at Sixsentix on how to stay motivated and inspired?
Ivanka: I’ve always looked for inspiration inside myself, and I’d advise them to do the same. Inspiration can come from the outside as well, be it a promotion, a raise, or a new challenge, and that’s great because it’s a validation of your inner desire for the job.
But these things don’t depend on us, so it’s crucial that this inspiration comes from the heart, from ourselves. And to always be able to find and rekindle the inner flame for this job. As long as the flame is alive, regardless of external conditions, it makes sense to stay. If it dies, that’s also completely fine, but it’s probably time to reconsider your options.
Vasiljka: Set goals, get out of your comfort zone, learn new skills, and learn from your colleagues not only at the beginning, during the onboarding process, but on an ongoing basis, as long as you’re a part of the company. Interaction with your colleagues is a great way to learn, especially when collaborating closely with different teams and departments that all bring a different kind of value to the organization.
Ivan: I feel that in our line of work, motivation always goes back to learning and continuous improvement. My advice for these people would be to channel their expertise and energy into technologies and domains they are truly passionate about.
This means avoiding investing time into acquiring certain knowledge or skills just because they appear widely relevant at the moment, or because they’re currently in demand, so it seems like a smart career choice or a financially beneficial option for your future. Of course, you need to adapt to the market to some extent, but going for what truly inspires you is the best way to stay motivated long-term.
Delivery manager
Sixsentix Serbia
I feel that in our line of work, motivation always goes back to learning and continuous improvement. My advice for these people would be to channel their expertise and energy into technologies and domains they are truly passionate about.
When it comes to the future of the company, what are you excited about the most? Do you think we’ll be seeing you here in 10 years as well?
Ivan: Right now, I’m part of the team working on a project that promises serious growth at our company. We’ve started to deliver testing services based on a new business model and powered by an application we built in-house. I find designing these services and laying the groundwork for their rollout very interesting, and I’m very excited about the growth and the recognition this could bring to the company.
And yes, I could be here in 10 years, easily. This company is not the same as it used to be 10 years ago, and I’m sure in 10 years there will be so many new things and challenges to face. I find that fulfilling and inspiring.
Ivanka: I believe we’ll develop more great tools and put all our experience into them. And whatever we build next, I know it’ll be something completely new, so we won’t be able to copy anyone. We’ll be starting from scratch and building everything with our own ideas and hard work. This is what makes the future at Sixsentix very interesting.
Vasiljka: I cannot wait to see the new heights we’re about to reach, the successes we will celebrate, new partners and clients we’ll work with. I'm also curious to see how the company culture will be shaped and what will be improved along the way by the people who will join us in the future.
And I believe you can expect to find me here in 10 years as well. Where else, if not here? I will be actively seeking opportunities for growth to advance my career and contribute more effectively to organizational goals.
Marketing manager
Sixsentix Serbia
I cannot wait to see the new heights we’re about to reach, the successes we will celebrate, new partners and clients we’ll work with. I'm also curious to see how the company culture will be shaped and what will be improved along the way by the people who will join us in the future.