Developer Stories: Meet Jack, an Associate Software Engineer at Crisp

Hey, Jack 👋 Nice to meet you! Do you want to give a quick introduction to yourself?

Hi, I’m Jack, a software developer at Crisp. I am passionate about technology and making the world a better place for all. I’m also an avid gym-goer, I work out at least 4 times a week!

How’s life at Crisp? Are there any exciting projects you’re working on that you can share with us?

Working at Crisp is great! There are plenty of projects in progress/on the horizon. Currently, I am working on a grid component; improving user experience so it’s easier for the end-user to peruse large datasets with ease. I work with a great bunch of engineers/developers who are very passionate about what they do. There is a huge wealth of knowledge in our team and it’s great having the opportunity to tap into such knowledge on a daily basis. I am learning very quickly and picking up some really good best practices.

How did you find the transition from learning code at university, to then working in software development? Was there anything you found you were particularly well prepared for, or if there were gaps in your knowledge?

For me, learning at University doesn’t compare to learning on the job. At University you’re in a very safe space with lenient time pressures, working and learning on the job presents its own challenges, especially where time is concerned. I don’t think anyone can really prepare themselves for working in software development. It’s a fast-paced environment with lots to learn and lots to do! There just aren’t enough hours in the day! But for me that’s the beauty of being a software developer/engineer, there’s plenty to learn, an abundance of problems to solve, and there’s never really a dull day!

How did you find landing your first dev role without prior work experience? What channels did you use to find roles?

In terms of job searching, I applied for several roles on job sites such as indeed. I was also contacted by recruiters on LinkedIn who introduced me to various companies. My current role was advertised on indeed.

Having landed my first role it was very daunting going into it from being a full-time student. I was very surprised just how quickly I settled in.

The development team leads that I’ve worked under have been fully supportive of my transition from education to practice. There is a ton of support and guidance and I’ve asked as many questions as possible along the way.

Asking questions is one of the most important things a junior developer can do. You don’t learn without asking questions, but also you don’t learn without making mistakes.

I’ve embraced not knowing, being hungry for knowledge and being relentless in my approach to bettering myself through learning new things and taking on new challenges.

Do you have any standout tips/tricks to help those looking to get into tech?

I think this is quite a broad question. It really depends on how passionate you are about technology. If you want to become a software engineer or similar it helps to have a degree but it isn’t vital. As long as you go out of your way to learn and familiarise yourself with modern technologies you should be halfway there to opening up some doors.

How do you keep yourself motivated when working towards your next goal?

Quite a difficult question to answer, it depends on what goal. There are many ways I can motivate myself. To generalise, it’s always important to have the right mindset and to remain positive. Having the right attitude and energy will inevitably lead to success.