IT families: Mirlan Jumagulov and Gulzaira Kartjanova

Gulzhan Kartzhanova, 30 years old, business and systems analyst

Mirlan Jumagulov, 36 years old, Data Analyst at AY Games

About Us
Mirlan. I am from Bishkek. We met in Astana at Digital Bridge in 2019.

Gulzhan. I have been working in the IT field since 2015. For the past two years, I have been on maternity leave caring for my child.

How We Entered the IT Field

Mirlan. I have over 15 years of work experience. Throughout my career, I have been close to the IT industry. I started in design, then worked as a project manager for a long time. During the pandemic, I switched to remote work, and then decided to continue working in this format.

Gulzhan. I have been interested in computers since childhood. While other girls played with dolls, I made myself a computer out of a chocolate box and pretended I had a keyboard.

I work in the field of business analytics; previously, I held a position in the testing department. In my TikTok account, I share insights about the specifics of this field.

Division of Responsibilities

Gulzhan. I am on maternity leave and take care of the child. Mirlan works remotely, so he helps me. We always spend weekends together as a family and try to go out somewhere in the morning.
Our family traditions are spending time together and having common goals.

Balancing Household and Work

Gulzhan. When our daughter was four months old, we went to Turkey for the winter, where we lived for three months. The next nine months were spent in Georgia. We returned to Astana, then traveled again and lived in these two countries. This is the beauty of the IT profession and remote work—you are not tied to an office and can live wherever you want.

Mirlan. When working from home, it is often easy to get distracted, and it can be difficult to focus on tasks. But the biggest benefit is that I can watch my daughter grow every day. Other problems are surmountable; you can get used to them.

Recommendations for a Happy Family Life

Gulzhan. Do not have overly high expectations of your partner. On the contrary, strive to give more in the relationship.

Mirlan. The concept of a "happy family" is different for everyone. There are no specific criteria for happiness. Each person must find the answer for themselves.

How IT Families Differ from Others

Mirlan. IT families are no different from others. Each partner simply has their own profession, but there are no fundamental differences.

Gulzhan. I remember my husband saying how great it is to be able to discuss the details of his profession with me and know that I understand everything. Sharing the same field of activity provides more topics for conversation.