A day in the life

Building on Blockchain: A Day in the Life of a Software Development Engineer

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.


Abhraneil Chandra is part of SpringRole team as a Software Development Engineer from July 2018. In the past, he has been an intern at SpringRole while still pursuing his graduation.

“I loved the fact that we were working relentlessly towards building a product during my time as an intern at SpringRole. The speed and the responsibility I had working as an intern really helped me understand the startup culture and the power of development,” said Abhraneil on why he joined SpringRole even after being placed in an MNC.

Here’s an interview with a future product manager about developing products, the need for better technologies, creativity in development, and more.

How did your journey start as a Software Developer?

I was really interested in computer engineering in my college days. In fact, I met Kartik at a Python conference held at my college. He was one of the speakers there. Me and one of my friend, George, (who is also a part of our team here at SpringRole), thought that we should interview the startup CEO. And, that is how I got acquainted with Kartik.

Fast forward to my final year, I was still trying to understand what my software developer journey would be like. I reached out to Kartik to have some pointers on how to approach software development as a career option, and a quick call later, I was offered an internship with SpringRole.

This was my first chance to be part of a startup which was working on outstanding technologies. I have always been hungry for knowledge and it was a chance for me to get real hands-on experience.

Post my internship at SpringRole, I got a full-time job at an MNC where things were fancy, but slow. I missed the pace and the learning curve I had at SpringRole and once again reached out to Kartik saying I craved the startup culture.

A few conversations later, I was part of the SpringRole team again. This time as a Software Development Engineer.

What does a software engineer do at SpringRole?

Initially, it was a big challenge again because I was doing something which I was learning at the time. I found great mentors in Vinay (Head of Engg.) and many other people at SpringRole.

The pace is blistering here, and we work on multiple projects at the same time. I am building web applications for the core products at SpringRole. In the process, I learned about the product evolution journey.

Software Developer is a crucial role at SpringRole. I get to build the product which our users will be using in the end. The position demands a certain level of creativity and empathy during development. We need to consistently put ourselves in the shoes of the end user while developing and make sure the end product adds value to them.

I also have to make sure that I keep abreast of technological development. The landscape of development changes daily, and keeping track of the changes helps in building a product which creates value.

You mentioned you like how a product evolves and that you are looking into the direction of product management. Why?

I believe in working for something which creates value for our fellow humans. I do not believe in building something which is just out there because it could be built.

“I want to create something of value. You need to really commit to a cause. People these days are doing a lot of things without any core reason.”

Technology needs to evolve better. We cannot have one or two companies coming in and building every bit of technology we use these days. The monopolistic approach these companies have needs to stop. There is a need for people in tech who could build better products keeping the user as a central focus. And, that is why I want to be a Product Manager.

Technology should add value to human life and shouldn’t render us just a consumer. I am working towards it and am reading a lot about how products evolve and how we could build something substantial with the help of a team. I enjoy the challenge of it.

What do you love the most about SpringRole?

“It has to be the fact that there are no walls here. You can reach any senior team member and start talking. It could be about what you are working on or anything completely different.”

This is precisely what I didn’t have at my previous work. You get to understand different and experienced viewpoints in every aspect of life. It could be work, life, fun, future, politics, or football. It is priceless.

The other thing I like about SpringRole is that I am excellent friends with a lot of people here. We are friends outside of work. We play football every week and make time outside of the office to enjoy life.

What is the favourite part of software development for you?

The fact that I can build anything from scratch is something which excites me. The knowledge that my codes are helping people and adding to their daily work experience is empowering.

The best part of any software development has to be the realisation of your vision for an end product. And, the realisation that I built it.

“I feel it’s a great responsibility to build products keeping the human experience at the centre of it. It is really rewarding to see your code work.”

Walk us through a day in the life of Abhraneil.

  1. Wake up to a good cup of Chai.
  2. Meditate (this helps in being mindful the entire day, something I picked up from team-mates here at SpringRole)
  3. Spend a couple of hours reading about upcoming products and technologies.
  4. Get ready for work and reach office.
  5. At work, the first thing is to set an agenda for the day and to make sure what the pressing development needs are.
  6. Get some of the priority work done. It is usually coding until lunch.
  7. Have lunch and take time out for foosball.
  8. Have a couple of focus coding sessions before the standup.
  9. Standup with the team at 7 pm.
  10. Wrap up the work for the day and leave for home.
  11. Have some time spent with my guitar (I play everything from Jazz to rock to blues)
  12. Supper and sleep

I love guitars. It is something I cherish. I play everything from jazz to rock to blues, yeah, I am an amateur guitar player.

What is the SpringRole team like?

Everyone here literally breathes product. Everyone is in tune with the work they are putting together. They know how things should be done and will let you know what the right approach is. They know how to think of any work from a customer-first perspective and would push the cause in everything they build.

“The team is really trustworthy. We have each other’s back, and we wouldn’t shy away from helping or working on problems faced by anyone of us.”

What advice do you have for future developers?

“I would suggest having a creative mindset towards development. It is crucial for any aspiring developer. The envelope of what could be done through technology is expanding on a daily basis and there usually is a better way to do anything which is done before.”

While getting into technology, you should know that there could be multiple ways of doing anything, and if there is some insight which could help you reach the potential you were looking for. You should go for it.

It is very important to be open-minded. Just because something worked a particular way, doesn’t mean it has to be the same way going forward. Keep up-to-date on how technology is evolving and be conscious about the broader implications to anything you build.

How can anyone interested in working at SpringRole apply?

You can reach out to any one of us at SpringRole and talk about working with us. I am sure everyone would love to tell you what the culture and work looks like.

I reached out to Kartik saying I wanted more from my development job, and that I was craving startup culture. I got it. I would suggest anyone interested to do the same. Reach out to us and show why you would like to learn and grow and develop great products with us.


About SpringRole

SpringRole is enabling everyone’s #VerifiedProfessionalProfile on the Blockchain. It is a decentralized attestation-based professional network platform powered by the blockchain.

SpringRole is the platform where people can view, share, and get attestations on their professional profile, thereby creating a verified resume that they can share and use. The organizations themselves verify a user’s educational qualifications and work experience, which is written directly to the blockchain. To assess a user’s skill set, SpringRole has a system of weighted endorsements that let users objectively look at people’s profiles and evaluate their skill level.

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