Can you share a little bit about your educational background?
I have a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering and I completed Cooperative Education. I have a traditional degree and many years on various teams in companies ranging from mid-stage startups to Fortune 4 for products in the B2C, B2B, and B2B2C spaces.
Which educational opportunities made the biggest impact on your tech career?
A quality college education teaches you how to learn because you never stop learning. Trusted online collateral, esteemed professional conferences, and open source are the best places to go for continued education in software engineering.
What would you like to learn more about?
On the technical side: data structures and algorithms, programming languages and tech stacks, code complexity and readability, and DevSecOps. On the non-technical side: corporate culture, team dynamics, Conway’s law, and cross-functional communications skills. These are never-ending learning journeys!
What led you to pursue a career in tech?
I realized what I wanted to do while I was in high school. The idea of writing a program (mostly conditionals, looping, and glue code) that (at best) could delight and inform, serve humanity, and make a difference (or anger and obfuscate, betray humanity, and perpetuate the dystopian status quo at worst) seemed magical to me.
How has your skill set evolved throughout your career?
If I could go back in time and describe to my recent college graduate self what programming is like in my present and would be like in the future, then I doubt my younger self would even believe me or recognize what I was describing.
Related: Ready to Start Programming with AI? A Quick Guide for Software Engineers
If you choose to specialize in one area, what was it and why?
I focused on business-oriented systems which, today, is mostly about backend microservice development. I do have some frontend knowledge but mostly web SPA or cross-platform.
Is your new role different from previous ones?
I prefer to serve on teams producing products that help humanity. That hasn’t changed. My previous role was in the domain of medical health and wellness and my new role focuses on financial health.
What are you most excited about in your new role?
The mission is all about helping others rise out of poverty. The people are smart and driven and care about what they are delivering. I have only been there a week but the culture seems to be humble and dedicated to service. The tech stack is pretty cool too.
What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?
The job search experience before Hired was frustrating. It took time to prepare for each interview and involved making lots of cold applications, which is very much a numbers game. You need to have pretty thick skin and be okay with getting into the mindset of companies who may not even have, in reality, any open positions to fill.
Related: 9 Smart Tips for Jobseekers to Identify & Avoid Job Scams in 2023
What’s your best advice for jobseekers on the Hired platform?
It’s all about the resume. Think about the kinds of problems the companies you want to work at are facing. How can you present yourself in a way that shows you can help them solve those problems?
Related: Get Employers’ Attention: How to Craft an Effective Hired Jobseeker Profile Headline
What would you tell someone who’s curious about Hired?
I really like Hired’s approach compared to its competitors. The number of companies you end up applying to is smaller. But the fit is better so you end up getting more call-back interviews. It feels a lot more productive and positive.
Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?
Don’t only focus on job security. It’s all about career security and satisfaction. Where are you now? Where do you want to be in the future? What is a satisfying way to get there? The pace of technical innovation never stops. If you dislike learning, you are in the wrong profession. You will burn out so you better start planning that transition now.
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About EarnIn
EarnIn is reimagining the way money moves to empower everyone’s potential. Founded in 2012, EarnIn has 201-500 employees and is headquartered in Palo Alto.
Benefits
401K plan, stock options, health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, unlimited time off, flexible working hours, mentorship opportunities, and more.
Tech Stack
C#, .NET, Java, Kotlin, Python, Go, Scala, Javascript, Kubernetes, Kafka
Source: Talent Acquisition - hired.com
