Tuesday February 11, 2025
Not long after I joined Hostinger as an employer branding specialist in early 2021, my first interview was with Lukas Chochlovas, who had just stepped into his role as the infrastructure monitoring team leader.
At that point, Lukas had already been with the company for over four years, steadily growing through different positions and continually expanding his professional skill set. Fast forward four years, we find ourselves sitting across from each other once again – but a lot has changed in between.
Lukas spent two years outside the company, exploring new opportunities and gaining fresh perspectives. Now, he has rejoined Hostinger as a systems engineer, becoming one of 12 boomerang employees who made their way back in 2024.
His journey sparks curiosity: What fueled Lukas’ rapid growth within the company? What made him decide to step away and explore new opportunities? And what ultimately drew him back? Let’s dive into his story to find the answers.
Let’s take it from the top, then. Lukas, what first brought you to Hostinger?
If I had to answer in one word, it would be “friendship.” I started my career at Hostinger back in 2017 when I was still a student at Kaunas Technology University. My university friend was already working here. He was always inviting me to join because, as he joked, he felt a bit lonely. So, eventually, I decided to give it a shot and applied.
The application process was quicker back then. I got an invitation the same day, went to the interview, and just a few hours later, I received a call letting me know I was accepted. It all happened so fast!
Was your career growth as fast as the application process?
It actually was, yes. My first role was as a customer success specialist, which I initially thought wasn’t quite IT-related. However, once I started, I realized how much IT knowledge I needed to answer customer questions. That’s when I began to draw on what I’d learned at university and Udemy courses to help me fulfill the role better.
Over time, I became more involved in technical tasks, and within a year, I moved into a system administrator position. Back then, our team was small – around 15 engineers. Now, it’s more than double that, with multiple specialized teams instead of just one.
After two years as a system administrator, a team lead position opened up, and my managers encouraged me to apply. Their support and trust in my teamwork and communication skills gave me the confidence to go for it, and my focus on customer success helped me earn the role.
At first, stepping into a leadership role wasn’t easy – I was one of the youngest on the team, and not everyone saw me as a leader right away. But over time, we understood each other’s strengths better, and everything fell into place.
With everything going so well, what made you explore new career opportunities?
Leaving Hostinger was a tough decision, but, at the time, I was eager to gain more hands-on technical experience.
As it so happened, my best friend started working at a different company and invited me to join as a DevOps engineer. The role seemed interesting, and I saw it as an opportunity to deepen my technical knowledge. This was harder to do as a team lead, as my greatest focus was on people management. I took the chance and made the career change.
However, after a year, I realized something was missing. While I enjoyed working with my friend, and we successfully implemented new technologies, the remote work environment lacked the teamwork and communication I thrived on.
As a result, I started feeling disconnected. I wasn’t engaging with colleagues as I used to. I even found myself avoiding company events, which had never happened before.
At Hostinger, I was always involved and part of something bigger. That sense of belonging and teamwork was something I didn’t want to lose. Ultimately, I decided to come back.
Looking back over your journey, how has Hostinger changed in the past 8 years?
The growth since I first joined in 2017 has been incredible. Back then, we were a team of about 30–40 people working with a much smaller tech stack. We relied on various configuration management, CI/CD, and monitoring tools, with most processes handled manually.
Now, we’re a team of approximately 80 people managing a massive infrastructure, using cutting-edge technologies, handling terabytes of data, and focusing even more on security. Everything is automated and managed through infrastructure-as-code, with workflows initiated and executed via modern automation pipelines.
Some tools from our previous setup are still in use but have been significantly enhanced and optimized, making job execution more efficient. Meanwhile, our monitoring stack has evolved into a fully high-availability (HA) setup, incorporating enhanced logging, alerting, and visualization tools for improved reliability.
With new people joining, we’re constantly gaining fresh perspectives and ideas, which helps us improve and collaborate more effectively.
Now that you’ve rejoined, what are your professional goals moving forward?
In the coming years, I want to grow into a senior engineering role, expanding my expertise and becoming a stronger specialist. Looking ahead – maybe in five years – I’d love to step back into leadership.
I’ve always enjoyed working with people. Once I’ve gained deeper knowledge in key areas, I believe I’ll be ready to lead a larger team, possibly beyond engineering.
With technology evolving so quickly, continuous learning is essential. I’m excited to take on new challenges and keep growing along the way.
Is there anything the company can do to support your growth?
Honestly, I think Hostinger already provides everything I need. The learning culture and company principles are as strong as they have ever been.
Everyone’s good at documenting their work, sharing what they’ve learned, and giving feedback. Plus, we have access to tools like Gemini and GitHub Copilot, which are super helpful. Overall, I feel well-supported in my development here.
What are your go-to resources for learning outside of the organization?
I learn best through reading rather than listening. Podcasts are great, but I often get distracted, and the information doesn’t stick as well as when I read. Written content allows me to process and recall details more effectively.
My favorite sources include the Google Cloud Blog, which provides excellent insights on DevOps and SRE, as well as subreddits and online communities where professionals share their experiences. I occasionally tune into John Savill’s podcast, but written content remains my preferred way to stay up-to-date and deepen my knowledge.
Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to someone considering a career change – even to yourself during challenging moments – what would it be?
Always seek new knowledge and keep learning. Growth comes from continuously expanding your skills, and if you’re truly interested in something, that curiosity is already part of who you are. The industry evolves quickly, so staying adaptable is key. Every day is day one.
Employer Branding Specialist @ Hostinger. Creating custom experiences and challenging imagination through storytelling.
