IT Families: Oleg and Yulia Sevruk

Oleg Sevruk, city — Belgrade, frontend developer

Yulia Sevruk, city — Belgrade, project manager at Yandex, LinkedIn

About Us

Yulia. My husband and I met at work: I was a project manager, and he was a frontend developer. It all happened quite mundanely, but perhaps it was work that brought us together. Both of us were drawn to IT, although initially we had no professional training. My husband taught himself frontend development by studying books, while I had just finished my master’s degree in English philology. The company was looking for someone with knowledge of English, and they taught me everything else on the job.

Oleg. I am a self-taught frontend developer. I have about nine years of work experience. I started back in the old days, when you still had to code for Internet Explorer — if you know, you know. I met Yulia at my second IT job. One evening, a small group of us stayed behind after work, and that’s when our conversation began. It turned out we had many common interests and topics to discuss.

How We Entered the IT Field

Yulia. We both started with minimal IT knowledge and developed our skills on the job. I entered project management through communication and leadership skills, which proved useful in IT. Currently, we both work remotely, which helps us manage our time and approach daily tasks flexibly.

Oleg. After changing several jobs involving heavy physical labor, I wondered which field I could enter without a diploma. At that time, the IT sector was becoming increasingly popular. I decided to start from the bottom, with web page layout. Studying wasn’t easy for me, but after two months of daily practice and studying the subject, I decided to try my luck and applied for several job openings. For two weeks, there was complete silence. In the third week, I finally received an invitation for an interview at one of the city’s top companies. I was surprised: did I really have a chance to get in? And I did.

Distribution of Responsibilities

Yulia. We follow the principle: “Whoever knows how, does it.” If one of us is better at something, that person takes on the task. We are both adults and capable of taking care of ourselves, so there is no strict division of responsibilities — we always agree on who will do what. In our free time, we love watching movies and TV series. We also enjoy city walks and nature outings.

Oleg. Our household chores are divided on the principle: each person does what they do best. If there are tasks where we are both strong, we split them equally. There are also situations where one of us gets tired of something: we talk about it and try either to share the responsibility or pass it on.

In our free time, we love watching movies, going to the cinema, walking in nature, and visiting nearby towns. We are lucky that neither of us particularly likes going to clubs or noisy places. By nature, I am an introvert, and it’s hard to get me “out there.”

Family Traditions

Yulia. Our family traditions are watching movies together and taking walks. For example, we have a tradition of rewatching “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars.” We love spending time together and always try to maintain an atmosphere of mutual understanding and support. Honesty and mutual respect are important to us — they help us handle any circumstances.

Oleg. We don’t really have specific traditions. We try not to obsess over dates. Our main principle is: any day is good if you have the mood, desire, and opportunity to spend it as you wish.

Our main family values are supporting each other in any situation. Even if we don’t like something, we still try to understand each other and make compromises. I also believe that the ability to yield is important. I think most family conflicts arise from unwillingness to meet halfway — like “either my way or no way.”

Combining Household and Work

Yulia. Currently, combining work and household chores is not difficult because we don’t have children yet, and we can flexibly distribute household tasks. I think it will become more difficult with children, but for now, this system works for us.

Oleg. Actually, I don’t feel any particular difficulties with household chores at the moment. Especially in an era when food delivery is available. If you didn’t have time to cook — just order, and there are no problems.

Recommendations for a Happy Family Life

Yulia. It is important to find balance and know how to compromise. We also recommend finding common interests and traditions that bring you together. Try to spend time with each other, don’t forget about small joys, such as watching your favorite movies together or evening walks.

Oleg. There is no universal recipe. But I think the main thing is the ability to make mutual compromises, to negotiate, not to dig your heels in, to look in the same direction on major issues, while giving each other freedom in actions.

How IT Families Differ from Others

Yulia. IT couples are more flexible about responsibilities and working hours, which helps manage daily life better. We both understand each other’s work specifics, can support each other and share experience, which creates additional mutual understanding and a sense of partnership.

Oleg. Such families are more “light on their feet.” It is easier for us than others to make radical changes — we have already changed our lives 180 degrees twice during our 10 years together, and much of this was possible because we were not tied to a specific workplace. We have many friends and acquaintances who are couples where both partners are from the IT field, and, as a rule, these are non-conflictual people who know how to listen, are interesting to talk to, and have correct life priorities.