- What motivates you every day? I am motivated by the fact that what I am doing has an impact on the lives of people. The most satisfying part of my job is writing code and then seeing how it is actually being used in the real-world. There is no better feeling than pointing at something and saying “I helped do that!”. I also love to be challenged and to solve problems. A perfect day at work for me is sitting at my desk and dialed into an issue, trying every technique and every possibility I can think of to find a solution to the problem.
- Briefly describe what you do at IQ. Primarily, I am a software engineer working on a light-rail metro project. I spend my days tracking down and fixing defects. I really enjoy the defect work because tracking down a problem to its source excites me, especially when it is not so apparent. I am also a mentor to the Co-Ops and high school interns at IQ. This is one of my favorite parts of my job because I have the opportunity to work with these young, up-and-coming professionals and see how they grow and progress over the course of their tenure at IQ. It is really fulfilling seeing a young student who has had little coding experience progress and begin contributing to real-world applications.
- What does your workspace look like? My workspace is in a constant evolution to get the least amount of clutter on it. I never keep unnecessary equipment or knick-knacks on my desk. My next purchase for my office is going to be a large enough monitor to scale my 3-monitor setup down to 1. Now around my desk is a different story. I have a black glass dry-erase board, TV (which is mostly used for music), and my favorite accessory: a drafting lamp. I am always on the lookout for my next cool accessory or gadget for my office.
- What do you like to do outside of work? Outside of work, I like to do just about anything that does not involve sitting in front of a computer. I like to play with my dog in the yard, take him for walks, and even jump in the car for a drive. I enjoy gardening as well. At my house, I only have a small garden, but it is enough for me for now. This season, I have green beans, cucumbers, sugar-snap peas, and lettuce. Someday, I’d like to have an even bigger garden and more varieties of plants. During the winter months, I usually try to entertain myself with a project. Last winter, I tried restoring a 1958 Sony Turntable, which is still ongoing because I have not yet figured out why I am not getting sound.
- What advice do you have for others in your profession? The advice that I would give to others is the same advice I give myself: trust yourself. Because software development is a broad and ever-changing field, it can be easy to feel like you do not know enough or feel like you are falling behind the latest trends and techniques. However, if you keep a positive attitude and embrace the changes that come with the discipline, you’ll find that building upon the foundations that you have already established is not only easy, but usually really fun too!
- What do you love about IQ Inc? My favorite part of IQ is the people. I work with so many unique individuals every day. Depending on what kind of conversation I want to have, whether it is professional, casual, or just plain silly, I know there is someone at IQ who will have that conversation with me. I also appreciate the culture that IQ has developed and continues to grow.