Thien Nguyen: Building the Code to Success

Our man Thien is a 10-year Loyalty Awardee at AS White Global. He pursued web development with a passion since he was a child and turned it into a successful career. From lessons learned to lasting connections, he appreciates everything in his work and takes pride in his personal accomplishments as a family man. Let’s hear it for Thien and his journey at ASW.

1. Hi Thien, could you tell us a bit about yourself? Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing? What are your hobbies and interests?

Hi, I’m a Senior Web Developer and I work for the Steadfast Group (a client partner of ASW). My hobbies are listening to music, cooking, bike riding, car riding, and hanging out with my friends. I spend most of my free time with my family. I love to cook for them and play with my son.

2. What got you interested in web development?

I started to learn about program development when I was 10 years old. I was very excited when I finished a software application. I graduated from the university, focussing on IT. At that time, I was deciding on whether I’ll be a web developer or an app developer. Finally, I chose to become a web developer because it was easier to get a job at that time.

3. What was your career like before you joined ASW? How did you start?

Before I joined ASW, I worked for 3-4 companies in 4 years and I worked as a freelancer as well. It was a good start, with a lot of fun memories. Even though all of the previous companies I worked for were small, my colleagues were very young and full energy. I learned a lot from them.

Luckily, one of my clients at that time was Son, the creative manager of SOY Digital Agency. He was in the US and we worked together on a website project. When he returned to Vietnam, he joined ASWIG (our first company name) and referred me to join the company.

4. And now, you’re a 10-year Loyalty Awardee! Congratulations! Being with a company for 10 years is quite an achievement. Can you share with us, what has helped you stay on with the company?

ASW has a professional working environment and I have many lovely colleagues here; this is my second home. I have joined and learned many courses to improve my technical skills as well as my soft skills. The client I work for is very kind and helpful. They always provide the best conditions to get the best work results and immediately support me.

5. Can you tell us more about your role here at ASW? What’s a regular day like for you?

I work for the Steadfast Group’s digital marketing team as a Senior Developer. I manage all Steadfast websites as well as their brokers’ and agencies’ websites. I often use the morning for meetings. I read and reply to emails and resolve the small issues. In the afternoon — the best time for coding — I work on the big tasks.

6. What do you enjoy most about your work as a senior web developer?

I enjoy everything! Maybe coding is more enjoyable.

7. What are the challenges that you usually encounter and how do you handle them?

It’s the client’s unfulfilled request. If I get that, I’ll have a meeting with my team and we come up with a good solution for it. We will explain to our client and consult with them.

8. What do you consider your top 3 achievements (whether at ASW or in your personal life)?

Got married. Had a son. Bought a house.

9. What important lessons have you learned as a leader and working with a team?

Be kind and honest with your teammates. Always listen to them and understand what they share. Appreciate their work and try to support them ASAP in case they need your help.

10. How do you achieve work-life balance?

I work hard and schedule my time to meet my friends, exercise during weekdays, and spend all weekend with my family.

11. Thanks for your time! Before we go, what inspirational message or career advice would you like to share with your fellow ASW colleagues?

“Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.” -Virat Kohli