What is your favorite restaurant & where is it (City, State)?
My favorite restaurant would have to be The Bag and Kettle in Carrabassett Valley, Maine. Growing up near Boston, my family vacations consisted of exploring the various Ski Resorts in Maine and Vermont. Sugarloaf Mountain quickly became the family favorite and the place we still visit today! The Bag and Kettle is conveniently located right at the base of the mountain and is usually packed with Skiers. Though famous for their Burgers, my favorite thing on the menu would be one of their Pizzas. Whether it was the conclusion to a day of skiing or the main event of a day we skipped the slopes, a visit to the Bag was always a highlight of the trip.
Could you share with us what a typical day looks like for you as a Software Engineer on the Unified Community Access Pod?
Each day starts with setting clear goals, which helps organize my schedule but also sets a benchmark I can strive for. Checking off all items on the list by the end of the day is extremely rewarding and boosts momentum for the following day.
The list of tasks usually consists of code reviews, feature programming, and project design planning. I’ll also have a handful of meetings which might include team sprint planning, project syncs, or design reviews. On a typical day I’ll also converse with Quality Engineer team members to discuss feature testing or converse with the Project Manager on various project-related topics.
We’re curious about the tools you use daily. Could you share with us the programming languages and technologies that you frequently use in your projects?
On a given day you’ll likely find me programming in C#, JavaScript, or SQL. Each of these serves a distinct, yet interconnected role in my projects. C# is leveraged for back-end development, JavaScript is utilized for creating dynamic front-end interfaces, and SQL is used for storing persistent information.
A key tool that we also utilize with these programming languages every day is version control software. This software functions as a collaboration hub which allows us to see other’s code, suggest changes, and even test changes in a controlled environment. Having this ability to collaborate is one of my favorite things about the job. It not only ensures a higher code quality, but also contributes to the progressional growth of the individual contributors.
Having creative freedom to solve problems is important to you in your role. Can you tell us a bit more about this?
One aspect I value about my role here is the ability for problem–solving. I love being assigned a project and needing to find the best way to implement it, with many design decisions needed to reach the final product. The end goal is clearly detailed, but there is a lot of freedom and opportunity for creativity in getting to it. This excites me as I feel there is always something new to learn! Each new project I work on becomes a new opportunity to leverage what I learned from coworkers and my previous mistakes and successes. As a soccer fan, I liken it to a team scoring a goal – there are lots of different ways for a group of players to put the ball in the back of the net and that’s what keeps it exciting. Each goal counts for a single point, but some lend a far more enjoyable watch.
What has been the most valuable piece of advice or learning you’ve received since starting your role as a software engineer at PointCentral?
One impactful piece of advice I received early in my career at PointCentral is to never hesitate to ask a question. I took this to heart and made it my goal to ask whatever popped into my head, regardless of how “silly” it might seem. This advice went a long way, as asking a quick question would often leave me with much more useful information than I had even expected. It is something I will continue to do and advise to anyone, especially those starting a career in Software Engineering.
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