What about your professional background made you a good fit for Cadmore?
In a word, versatility. I started from a design background, then moved into software development, which gives me the ability to not just design something but then take what I design and make a fully functioning product from it. During my professional career, I have worked with a wide array of industries. Each industry required a different approach. So I feel what makes me a good fit for Cadmore is my versatility; from design and UI development to complex data processing solutions.
What do you find most interesting and/or challenging about your role?
What I find most interesting is the ability to work on all aspects of a solution. Each new feature has its own challenges. Each we have been able to overcome, either by myself or with input from the rest of the amazing software engineering team we have here at Cadmore.
Has anything surprised you?
One of the things that has surprised me is the ability for me to use my versatile skill set. With some workplaces you don’t get to show your full skill set. From my experience, you would usually only get to focus on one area. Here, I go from being able to work on a complex data processing solution one day to working with a designer implementing a new user interface the next.
Any tips for working from home to share with us?
Communication. Ensure you communicate with others. Not just on a professional level but personal too.
When working from home, you don’t get the normal conversations you get in the staff canteen, the corridors, and your daily commute. One thing you can do that really helps is having time set aside that is dedicated to general communication, both professional and general chit chat. This can be done over Teams, Zoom or whatever communication solution you use.
Also mental health is always something to consider when taking on a work-from-home role. I have attended Mental Health First Aider courses in the past and from all of them the number one thing I personally have taken away from them is communication. Virtual communication is one thing but it’s not a full replacement for face-to-face interaction. So one thing I would recommend is seeking out some kind of social activity you can take part in. Looking on dedicated pages for your local community on social media can give you an insight into what’s around.
How do you unwind after work?
I have a number of hobbies I swap between depending on how I feel, from reading comics and playing video games to building model kits. More recently I have joined a local Dungeons and Dragons group.
One thing I always tend to do is go out in the evening and get a coffee from the local coffee shop. This provides a good change of scenery from the four walls I work and live in each day.