Each day, everyone at Springworks comes into work with a true passion for building products and tools for the HR ecosystem. We are artists, innovators, achievers, and dreamers, with a one-track mind to fine-tune the products that we build. Through this series of posts, we showcase our team members, their roles, and what a typical day looks like for them. You can check all the posts here.
Arpitha H K is a Software Engineer at Springworks (Joined March 2019). Her skill set includes – MERN stack (Mongo, Express, React and Node) and Javascript.
She talks about her average working day, explains her job role and challenges, and passes on advice to any wannabe software engineers.
I’m going to take you on a journey through a day in the life of Arpitha at Springworks.
What core skills are required to become a software engineer? What do you do as a software engineer?
There are some important skills you must have to be efficient and successful software engineer:
- Expertise in one or more programming languages
- Knowledge of information technology and computer systems
- Problem-solving and logical thinking
- Good communication skills
- Ability to adapt to new technical environments and project requirements
- Interpersonal skills
No matter where you’re working, there are a few software engineering tasks that you have to do: One of them is writing code and another is testing projects and analyzing code for your specific industry. I get to build web applications. I mainly contribute to front-end development.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
I enjoy every bit of my work. I love how my ideas are valued and validated here. The most fun part is coding! We work on the latest technologies and we have such a great team altogether, always helping people around in terms of work and off work too!
And the best part is: You own the projects. Just because you’re a developer doesn’t mean your views on the product will not be considered. The ideas you share are given equal importance.
What challenges do you face and how do you go about solving them?
It is my first job and I was not sure about being fit for this IT culture. I didn’t know how a company works and what culture means.
But after joining Springworks, I have learned a lot. Initially, I faced a lot of challenges such as keeping the code clean and following the coding standards. My team members have been helping me improve my tech skills.
I also had a problem managing time when I started working on multiple projects. Then I spoke to Kartik (Springworks CEO), and he explained how to split and prioritize tasks and plan your day.
If I face a code-related challenge, I try solving it myself. I target a 15-minute deadline to solve the problem. After 15 minutes, I ask my team or post it on our company’s StackOverflow channel on Slack.
What happens on a regular workday?
I reach the office between 11.30 AM to 12 PM. Then I plan the tasks that I have to do on that day. Attend the standup meeting at 2 PM and discuss the things to be done with the team. I usually have two interviews scheduled in a week between 4 PM to 5 PM. I take a tea break at 5:50 PM for 15 minutes and go back to my desk and work till 7.30 PM. Then, I send daily work reports, pack the bag, and leave the office.
What keeps you at Springworks?
The people, the learning opportunities, and the growth of the company. Everyone on the tech team has something to teach other developers.
Here people do whatever is necessary to meet the deadlines and whatever sacrifices need to be made are made. On the contrary, if you need time for any personal reason, no-one will question it and will let you have the time you need.
Everyone wants to grow and develop and help build the company. This is inspiring!
Please walk us through a day in the life of Arpitha!
– I wake up at 6 AM, freshen up, and go for a walk. Get back to the room by 7.45 AM.
– Then I have a big cup of green tea while listening to music (mostly Carnatic classical)
– Call parents and talk to them.
– I get ready by 9:30 AM. Check Slack if there are any messages and read online news.
– Have breakfast and leave for the office.
– Get back home and have my dinner.
– Then I talk to my parents and go to sleep.
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to become a Software Engineer?
Always keep learning: The software industry is extremely volatile – technologies come and go quickly. So be ready to retool your skill set to match current demands.
Communication is the key: Ask your peers/colleagues about anything you don’t understand. Keep the communication simple and timely.
Read a lot of documentation, all the time!
Become an adaptable problem-solver: Your job is not just to write codes, It’s about finding solutions to problems.
Own the work/project/task you do.
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