Chengxuan X.
About me
| Chengxuan X. | |
| Computer Science | |
| Advanced Computer Science | |
| Taught Postgraduate | |
| Goodricke | |
| 2015 | |
| China |
My employment
| Software Engineer | |
| IBM | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Digital and IT services | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2015 |
More about Chengxuan
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A day in the life of a Software Engineer in the United Kingdom
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work at IBM Hursley lab.
What do you do?
Software engineer. My main focus area is integration software. I'm also an IBM senior inventor.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
Passion for coding and building systems plus some luck during the only interview I've attended. I've also done the 2014 extreme blue internship with IBM in Ireland before my Master's degree. My choice was also limited to companies that can provide sponsorship for a Tier 4 visa.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Yes. I originally thought I'd join Blizzard and work on developing World of Warcraft
Describe your most memorable day at work
The day I found my first mentor. It's the best decision I've made for my career growth. We have established a personal relationship beyond work in which he's been given me support in many aspects of my life.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Balance the delivery speed and the amount of technical debt are always challenging :)
What’s your work environment and culture like?
IBM is very inclusive when it comes to culture. Open and Inclusive! I'm currently working at home because of COVID. But Hursley park is an amazing place to visit and walk around.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
An internship with IBM really helped me get a feeling of software development in practice. I've also volunteered as a student teacher to help children with learning disabilities which really helped me to understand others from a different perspective.
What would you like to do next with your career?
Be an expert in an area and stay helpful to people around me (both physically and remotely).
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Be confident and give yourself opportunities to explore different options.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Software Engineer (devOps, Agile, Cloud Computing etc). Culture and working environment at Hursley. Work in the UK as a foreigner (please be aware that my visa experience will be outdated :) )
Next steps...
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