Hey John, tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hey! I'm John. I live in Los Angeles and I've been an engineer for almost three years. When I'm not coding, I enjoy hiking, wine bars, binge-watching t.v shows on Hulu, and practicing the piano. I also truly love education, so I'm also pursuing a Masters in I.T. which I hope to be completed by next summer.
Can you tell us what you do as a Software Engineer at Infowerks for those who are unfamiliar?
As a Software Engineer at Infowerks, I currently work in the cloud sector for Ruby on Rails applications. We primarily build internal tools and develop on our flagship software in the healthcare industry. Our applications specialize in data conversions, data archives, data analytics and customer solutions. Our data tools are used by companies like Walgreens, Walmart and CVS pharmacy for their healthcare sector.
How did you decide to pursue your specific career?
I have been programming here and there since high school but I never thought anything of it. When I got to college I attended a web foundations course and I made some text on the page change colors. In that moment, it was like a twinkle in my eye and from there I knew I wanted to build web applications. If it wasn't for that moment in school, I don't know where I would be! (Cheesy, I know!) 😆
What made you interested in your field?
One thing that I saw with programming was that the possibilities were endless. I could build my art in every field anywhere in the world and my work could be seen by everyone.
Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those starting off?
Software engineering is a hard, competitive field. There are hundreds of programmers out there but only one of you. Just be yourself and let your personality/ambitions speak for yourself.
3 Character traits that would make someone excel in your field
Communicative, Collaborative, & Confidence.
Most difficult thing about your job?
I have actually never seen a more advanced and well-written piece of software other than where I currently work. Surprisingly, it's keep in line with coding styles and best practices.
What would you like to say to your younger self?
Everything will fall into place.... It's going to go great I promise.
Best advice you've received/heard?
"Walk into your interview knowing you won't get the job." My friend said this to me when I told him that it was so mentally taxing not passing interviews. When I heard this, I actually was more calm, patient, and more happier because to me, the interview I would go to would just be "practice" for the next one that I really want.
Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to learn about Software Engineering?
In my opinion, coding is something that you have to do everyday. Coding practices can change, coding languages can change, and coding software can change. Be prepared to keep learning even after getting the job!
