InfoSec specialist and Full Stack Dev Andres Martin

The first thing anyone will notice about Andres Martin is his PASSION ! He is an eleven year veteran in the tech industry in the roles of full stack developer, infosec, customer relations, freelance developer, and consulting and also has various degrees and specialty certifications in the technology field. He lives in beautiful Buenos Aires and is currently enjoying a deep dive into the endless subject of security.

Andres stresses that no matter what project he is on, he codes every single day ! He explains that once you become a developer, it becomes part of who you are. The role of writing code may change through phases but it becomes not just work, but a persons fun, creativity, and enjoyment. Throughout all the years he has been continuously learning, there has never been a time where he has walked away from developing all together. This really struck me. Once you become a developer, you are never the same person again. “It’s almost like a tattoo” is how he phrases it. “I need to code everyday,” and the sound of his voice and the look on his face lets me know its true ! 

When talking with me about InfoSec Andres cautions that any web application will have security issues and it will matter to every client, so it is a subject you have to address daily. Over the evolution of the internet and technology, security has morphed from something no one really paid attention to, into a subject every developer has to be aware of and learn how to integrate into their projects. The divide between security and development coders is shrinking, and it should now be integrated into everyones daily routine. At a bare minimum Andres recommends every single developer adopt the OWASP 10 and to continue exploring from there. 

I asked Andres how the path through his career has looked and how he found the things he was truly interested in, he replied, “when you have passion, it will emerge. The further a developer is in their path, new passions WILL emerge.” When he started heading toward security, he started exploring his own projects, "I broke them, I learned, and I was reborn as a security developer. I love to code, but InfoSec is really my passion now." He explains that growing through many different sectors like front end, back end, data, infosec etc, will all help you in each new career divergence. It is normal and very beneficial for your career to explore different areas. You know where you start but you never know where you are going to finish. 

The stress of being stuck on a problem is a familiar feeling for every developer. To combat this, Andres explains that he walks away from his computer and heads over to his chalkboard. He says “ at a certain point, leave the computer, get out, because you are not going to solve it with that.” Whether its white-boarding, chalk-boarding or even writing it out in the dirt if you have to, get your eyes and mind away from the screen and let yourself process the issue in a different way. If writing it out still does not help, go for a walk, get some sunshine, let the “behind the scenes processes “ of your mind work on the issue while you give your conscious mind a break to rejuvenate. 

Regarding becoming a developer, Andres feels that although there are ways to be self taught and life long learning will be required, everyone really needs in person training for at least a period of time. Certain points in the development cycle are not going to be easy. “You will get stuck, you will get frustrated and you won’t like it at all. In certain moments, you need someone to be there.” Whether it’s a degree, bootcamp, or on the job training, there are vast benefits to having other people to help you build a solid foundation and fill the gaps. 

I asked Andres what he has seen change the most over the course of his career and he decided on the wider variety of people who are approaching the technology field. “ It's really great, we need that creativity flow. It has a big impact on my everyday thinking and everyday designing,” he explains. Accessibility issues, security, and creating projects with input from many different points of view has changed how we create now. He added the next biggest change is women in tech. When he started 100% of the developers he knew were male. “Thats changing, and that’s really really good. Women bring energy and assets you will not see in your male friends. When you have a team, you need that.”

All in all, the technology field as a whole will be changing, morphing, and growing at eye watering speed for the for-seeable future. It will change our world and it will change us. The fact that we have the opportunity to guide that change, be part of the growth, and have a say in what roles it plays in our lives is amazing. 

I left this conversation ready to go conquer the coding world! Knowing that an eleven year veteran developer is still so passionate and excited is amazing to me. I hope I am still on fire for technology in the same way he is a decade from now ! 

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/andres-martin-araujo/

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