Every career starts somewhere, often in ways we don’t fully plan. Sometimes it begins with curiosity, sometimes with an opportunity that simply feels right.
In this career journey interview, Döme shares how an internship at Digital Factory became the starting point of a longer professional journey. From the first projects to real responsibility and impact, this story gives a closer look at what growth can look like in practice.
I studied Sociology for my Bachelor’s degree. I have always been fascinated by the way people behave in different situations: how they make decisions, why they choose one option over another, and what influences them. I was not particularly drawn to psychology or purely theoretical approaches. Instead, I was looking for something that reflects everyday life, whether it involves individuals, organizations, or groups of consumers.
This curiosity later led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Business and Economics. As I learned more and gained experience both at university and in my work, I realized that I wanted to work closely with a product, in an environment where I could deeply understand consumer needs and help create something truly valuable for them.
Before joining Digital Factory, I worked in the telecommunications industry, which I genuinely enjoyed. It has many unique characteristics compared to other sectors and, most importantly, companies have the freedom and capability to develop their own products independently and shape the local market. Because of this, I felt it would be difficult to find another environment quite like that.
My former manager from the telecom sector moved to Digital Factory before I did, and the way she described the team and their work immediately caught my attention. She talked about a small group of people building cutting-edge digital solutions from scratch and delivering them across eight countries. When the internship position opened, I did not hesitate to apply.
As an intern, I believe two things matter most: the projects you get to work on and the colleagues you can learn from. At Digital Factory, both were present at an exceptionally high level.
DF works on such complex projects that it is almost impossible not to get involved in something meaningful. During my internship, I had the opportunity to contribute to developments impacting millions of customers. Over time, I was even entrusted with leading my own projects, which is truly rare during a traineeship.
Beyond the projects, what surprised me the most was how open-minded everyone was. From day one, I was treated as a full-time colleague. I could easily turn to my teammates, managers, or even the head of Digital Factory. The typical corporate hierarchy felt almost nonexistent, and the overall atmosphere was much closer to that of a start-up. This created a safe and friendly environment while also providing full professional support and empowerment.
One of the most valuable lessons for me was having the opportunity to lead my own projects. Being responsible for a project as an intern taught me an incredible amount of knowledge and skills that I later leveraged as a product owner.
I truly believe that learning by doing is the most effective approach. When interns are given real empowerment, they gain firsthand experience in how projects actually work: how to manage resources, make decisions, negotiate when needed, and maintain an end-to-end perspective.
Experiencing what a product owner really does, combined with the strong support I received from my manager, played a pivotal role in shaping my later career at Digital Factory. I cannot emphasize enough how important a supportive manager and mentor is during an internship.
One of my most memorable achievements is the Újpest project, not only because of the project itself, but because it perfectly reflects what Digital Factory stands for.
We started with a simple brainstorming session in a meeting room, and just a few months later we went live with one of the best sports applications on the Hungarian market. To me, this is what DF is all about: we build solutions from scratch, and these solutions do not just work, they perform exceptionally well and are used by millions of customers.
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Becoming a full-time employee was definitely a milestone for me, yet in many ways not much changed, and that is exactly what made the transition so smooth.
As an intern, I had already become familiar with the people, processes, tools, and overall way of working at Digital Factory. This made the start of my full-time journey feel natural and comfortable. The experience I gained during my internship also made me much more confident, which I believe is especially important when you are just starting your career. Thanks to this background, I had the opportunity to take part in more complex projects than a typical newcomer, and my manager already had a clear understanding of my strengths and capabilities from day one.
What makes Digital Factory truly special is that it combines the stability of an enterprise environment with the friendly, start-up-like atmosphere and way of working.
Recruitment places strong emphasis on a candidate’s attitude, both professionally and personally. As a result, we have a team that not only strives for innovation and excellence, but also consists of people who genuinely enjoy working together. Over time, many colleagues become friends as well, which makes everyday collaboration even stronger.
The ability to create digital solutions used by millions of customers, and to develop and execute all of this in-house, is one of Digital Factory’s greatest strengths.
The level of competence within the team is incredibly high, and our continuous evolution clearly shows that we are on the right path. Even when I look back just three or four years, the progress is remarkable. Being part of this journey and contributing to something that has real impact is truly motivating.
My advice is simple: do not hesitate to join. This is a truly unique opportunity. The team, the projects, the atmosphere, and the level of expertise here are extremely rare on the market, and we continue to grow.
One thing I can promise: you will never be bored.
Looking back on this journey, one thing becomes clear: growth is not just about roles or titles, but about trust, support, and the chance to learn along the way. At Digital Factory, interns are encouraged to take part in real work, ask questions, and gradually grow into their roles. Stories like this show how much impact it can have when people are trusted and supported from the very beginning.
