Meet Konstantin Zhitkov: A Gifted Front-End Developer

There’s no doubt that software engineer and front-end developer jobs are in high demand these days. The profession is growing rapidly and there is an increasing need for promising developers whose main focus is the user interface. 

However, that doesn’t mean that anyone can become a front-end developer. You still need to have particular skills and competencies, together with certain personality traits, in order to make it happen.  

Konstantin Zhitkov, another member of our growing .ME family, knows exactly what it takes to become an accomplished front-end developer.

Let’s meet him!

Who Is Konstantin Zhitkov?

Konstantin Zhitkov is an ambitious, hardworking, and talented front-end developer from Saint Petersburg, Russia. He is a lifelong learner – always on the lookout for a new skill to add to his already impressive experience. 

Professionally speaking, Konstantin has managed to pass all the expected checkpoints so far. He started his career as a junior front-end developer. Two years later, he progressed to the middle position. His drive and motivation did not stay unnoticed for long and he quickly moved higher on the ladder. As a front-end tech lead, he was in charge of many important aspects. He dealt with resource planning, code review, UI library and new features development, legacy code refactoring, and architecture improvements. 

Currently, Konstantin is employed as a front-end developer at SoftWise and actively seeking chances to expand his knowledge. 

We all know that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Konstantin knows this as well, so he makes sure to sit back and relax every now and then. Apart from enjoying an interesting read, he has a true fascination with Criterion Collection movies. Moreover, he can often be seen holding a passport, on his way to reach yet another exciting destination. 

How To Become A Successful Front-End Developer? 

The road to success is rarely an easy one, regardless of the profession you are in. Determination, eagerness to learn, ambition, industriousness, responsibility, self-motivation, and confidence are must-haves in today’s business world. But what else should you bring to the table if you aim to build your career in the field of web development? 

First off, you need to make sure you have a proper education. Although it’s true you can learn everything by yourself (OK, almost everything), schools and universities are there for a reason.  They offer systematic transmission of knowledge, expert mentorship and guidance, as well as access to carefully selected resource material. All that fosters the acquisition and retention of knowledge. What’s more, these institutions also promote lifelong learning and facilitate skill development. Conclusion – consider enrolling in a higher education institution.  

Take a look at Konstantin. He got both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Information Security at ITMO University – the leading Russian IT research institution. Such education helped Konstantin gain a competitive advantage and start his career as a front-end developer. And that’s not all. As someone who understands the power of knowledge, Konstantin decided to dive in even deeper. He attended an online programming course and received a certificate in Advanced Web Development. Also, his name appears in several publications related to information technologies.

However, if you wish to be a true digital connoisseur, don’t expect learning to end once you leave school. On the contrary – that’s when you’ll start building your skill set and gaining some hands-on, practical knowledge. In the case of our Konstantin – he became proficient in many coding languages and tools, including CSS, HTML, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, SQL, jQuerry, Swift, etc. 

What Are Some Of The Best Projects Of This Talented Front-End Developer?

Konstantin has been active on the web development scene for quite some time. For this reason, it’s only natural that he has a significant number of successful projects under his belt.

Let’s start with one of Konstantin’s first projects – creating a personal website and online portfolio zhitkov.me. If we take a look at this unique one-pager, we’ll notice the entire website has one sole purpose. It acts as a portfolio, showcasing his best works and experiments. At the same time, it displays his skill in developing and maintaining a website.

When creating the website, not only did Konstantin demonstrate great competence as a front-end developer, but he also knew exactly what projects to highlight in order to market himself successfully. Using a personal website to display your work is a great way to stand out in the already overcrowded market. Just remember to be creative and make your portfolio eye-catching in order to attract the attention of potential clients. 

One of Konstantin’s ongoing projects, which he started way back in 2016, is an app called Viberoom Radio. The app streams calming beats that serve as a great background when you need to work, study, or simply relax. In addition, it helps promote some of the lesser-known artists. Also, he created a similar app used for Apple music streaming, called Chillhop. 

Besides creating a simple Kanban board, Combobox, and Sticky Table, Konstantin helped develop a UI system for Rainstation. Another project worth mentioning is Get Caesar – an enterprise software solution used by Siemens, Knauf, Rheinmetall, Deutsche Bahn, and BGE. 

Take Away

Software engineering requires you to develop a can-do mindset and be eager to always strive for more. Every back-end and front-end developer is well-known for their inquisitive mind and ability to think outside the box. 

What’s more, to become part of the digital world, you need to get out of your comfort zone. You have to learn to push your limits and use every challenge you face as an opportunity to better yourself. 

Just like Konstantin Zhitkov did.