Jason recently joined our team last year, 2019, as one of our Software Engineers. In his few weeks in Akubo, he has built such connection and camaraderie with the team! Get to know him personally as he shares about himself below.
Name: Jason Smith Giltendez
Job title: Software Engineer
Has been in Akubo since: December 13, 2019
Educational attainment: Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (2019),
La Consolacion College - BacolodThree words to describe himself: Always starts small
Tell us about your career so far. What did you do before you came to Akubo?
I worked for 2 years as a part time Web Developer here in Bacolod. I decided to look for a new job to further develop my skills in software development; that’s when I joined Akubo.
What originally drew you to apply to Akubo?
My teacher encouraged me to try Akubo because back in college, Akubo is quite known in the IT industry for doing real stuff in software development and some of the alumni from my school also works in Akubo.
What projects do you work on?
I’m currently working on a new feature for Akubo.
How did you decide to become a software engineer?
The field is so broad and encompasses a variety of roles related to both computer applications and systems. This enables you to work in the area or areas that interest you most.
For instance, some software engineers spend their days building or rebuilding computer information systems. Others use their skills to create web pages or enhance a company’s network security. It’s up to you which direction you want to take.
What do you like about being a software engineer?
Whether you’re creating new software or helping a company figure out why their current programs and applications aren’t working, when you’re acting as a software engineer, you can expect to spend some of your time troubleshooting.
That makes this career option preferable to those who like to take a problem and break it down piece-by-piece until you’re able to determine a root cause. In this way, you’re like a computer detective. It’s your job to keep digging until you figure out what is going wrong so you can make the program or system work as intended.
Tell us about a typical day at work.
I start my day by checking emails, making sure that I reply to every one of them. After all of that, I start with my development task.
What’s the most rewarding part about being a Graphic Designer / being in Akubo?
Remote working, even for just a few days a week, makes up for a good work/life balance.
It’s not allowed in all work environments, but remote working is a perk that’s very well suited to software developers.
What do you look forward to learning?
Every day you’ll be presented with new challenges. You’re an engineer working on potentially very complex problems. Being required to learn every day can either be frustrating, or very exciting. It all depends on your mindset.
What things are you excited about in programming / work, or life in general?
It’s not painting or design, but programming is also a highly creative profession.
Any time you set out to write a program, you’re creating something new, much like when you are playing Lego as a child.
Many times you experiment with technologies, only to find that’s not a good way, so you choose a different path. Every time you write a new program, you learn something new.
What’s the key to managing / completing a project successfully?
The first and foremost thing that needs to be done to make a project successful is to lay a foundation strong. For this, you need to identify the clients and the stakeholders and understand their interests and expectations regarding the project. The next step would be to develop a solid project plan where the roles and the job responsibilities are clearly defined.
You need to define the goals and the objectives for better clarity and understanding. To make planning more effective, you can establish measurable and trackable success criteria to make sure if the project is on the track or not.
How do you define success?
Success for me is doing things that make me and where I learn at the same time.
Who or what inspires you?
Family
What is your philosophy in life / motto / mantra?
The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.
Tell us about three career lessons that you have learned so far.
-Don’t be afraid to start small.
-Make time for things that make you happy.
-To never stop learning.
What does Akubo mean to you?
Akubo is family. Family because it is supportive and gives you opportunities to help you grow as a person and as a Software Engineer.
BONUS QUESTIONS:
Favorite Movie?
3 Idiots
Comfort food?
Brownies!