Toolset is a package of plugins that helps you create amazing WordPress websites fast. Everything is done from the WordPress backend using the user interface. No programming skills required. The Toolset development team has created powerful building blocks with friendly documentation and demos. You can start with ready-to-go site templates and create your own complete websites – Travel Destinations, Directories, WooCommerce online stores, Real Estate properties, Magazine, and Brochure sites.
Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to work on Toolset from one of our valued team members?
Luis Sacristan is one of our developers working on Toolset. He joined the team 2 years ago and says: “To be honest, I didn’t know Toolset before applying for this job and I deeply regret that. It would have saved me a lot of time, and of course a lot of money, for several projects I was working on in my previous company.”
Before learning more about his work, let’s get to know Luis.
My name is Luis Sacristán Pascual (in Spain we have 2 last names). I am from Madrid where I have lived all my life. I am different from others born in Madrid as three generations of our family are from this city. Therefore unlike many of those born in Madrid, I do not have a summer town to go back to, usually a place where their parents or grandparents are from.
I am fortunate enough to be married to Iveth, who was born in Cuba and is half Puerto Rican, and now I have family all over the world! I like cooking, taking walks with my wife, watching TV series and movies (especially classic movies) and going for tapas with friends and family.
Luis, what were you doing before you joined OnTheGoSystems? How did you hear about the company?
I worked for a big company that gave me the opportunity to work for the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and the Japan/Korea Soccer World Cup (funny thing: I don’t like soccer).
After I married, I decided to change jobs because I was tired of traveling for work. I found a job with a small company building websites. It was my first experience of working remotely and it opened up a whole new world for me.
Therefore when, 2 years ago, I saw a remote job offer from OTGS, I decided to apply. I knew OTGS because I was a WPML user. Spain has several official languages and most of the pages I developed needed to be translated into different languages. I wasn’t sure my level of English would be good enough for this company and the interview was conducted in English with Laura and Juan, both Spanish speakers. I was lucky enough to be hired; it seems they were not put off by my English… so here I am.
So what is your work with Toolset all about? What is needed to be a successful Toolset developer?
I am working with the Toolset team, actually developing Toolset Blocks, which is a new plugin that helps users to add WordPress blocks within the content and to add dynamic content from different sources: post data, fields, and taxonomies.
As we work using the new WordPress Blocks Editor, it’s mandatory to use React which was new for me (I learned Vue.js, not React).
We also use webpack, SCSS, Babel. All these tools make development much more interesting. We wanted to release Toolset Blocks as soon as possible so we worked very hard to release the beta version for clients only. We hope it will be released on wp.org very soon.
I have also worked on Toolset Types’ many-to-many relationships which is another great feature that makes it easier to implement complex websites. I was involved in creating the drag-and-drop interface for our Toolset Forms which is much appreciated by our customers and which also simplifies the work on our sites.
If you are interested in working with us (and you would be crazy if you are not), it is an asset if you are a quick learner. Since I began working here, I have learned, Knockoutjs, Twig and React to name just a few.
There are a lot of plugins within Toolset and you can jump from project to project, which is one of the most interesting things about working for this company. At the same time, moving from project to project has been one of the biggest challenges I have had to face.
Although the projects have similarities, in fact, they are totally different, so I need to dig into the code when I start working on a new plugin.
This sounds quite daunting!
Don’t be put off! A typical day starts with a meeting with the 4 developers and 2 testers working on Toolset Blocks. This is where we discuss what each one of us is doing and what the plans are for the day. If there are issues we need to address, during these daily meetings we can listen to or offer suggestions and hear how similar issues were handled.
I am always the first person who connects because I join the meeting the moment the calendar notifies me the meeting is about to start (10 minutes early). If I don’t, I forget about the meeting because I am too focused on working on the task at hand! If another team member also connects a few minutes early, we have a small chat before the others arrive.
We find that even though we work remotely and we live in different countries (or continents), it is very easy to build strong ties with one another. Just to give you the idea, I am currently working with colleagues from Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Greece and Pakistan!
After the meetings, I work on the ticket/s assigned to me and chat with other team members when needed.
What do you recommend to someone interested in working with the Toolset team?
I would say the Toolset team is looking for people with skills such as back-end and front-end design, who know React, PHP, Javascript, and MySQL, has GUI design skills and has a good level of English. Training is available where needed. The important thing is to be innovative and to have something to contribute to the improvement of our products.
I hope my personal experiences working with Toolset will help you to consider whether applying to join our team could be a real possibility for you. As for myself, I am very happy that OTGS provides me with a steady job and I can live and work quietly from home on products which make a difference with people.
Come Work With Us
Are you interested in working with a globally distributed team that encourages growth and advancement? Are you ready to harness the power of technology for a better future?