Friendly and unafraid to question and challenge viewpoints
Alex · United States
Senior Software Engineer
Alex reached out wanting a clearer sense of what he could accomplish in his career, one that would balance job security with enjoying the act of programming as he progresses. Interestingly, he works in TypeScript. Since my background is in Python, our conversations stay focused on broader career and engineering patterns rather than specific code.
What was the obstacle that would have prevented you from buying this service?
Feeling like I did not have time to dedicate to such a service, and that I didn’t have a clearly defined problem statement. Regarding the time - a regular commitment to anything, whether it’s weekly, biweekly, or monthly, is challenging, so I’m reluctant to commit myself to those kinds of things, especially when time is particularly limited for me these days. And regarding the problem statement: what would this type of service provide me if I didn’t know what I wanted to get out of it?
What did you find as a result of our collaboration?
I’ve found a few things: a fledgling inner voice that wants to write about and explore the themes I come across day to day in software engineering, one that has been fostered by Tim’s curiosity, follow-up, and (never over-the-top) probing; clarity about what I’m trying to accomplish in my current job and broader career; and a mature perspective on various topics in software, including but not limited to the art of working within teams, AI in the workplace, and refining soft skills.
What specific facet did you like most about this service?
I’d say it’s nice to regularly check in with someone who has the right personality - friendly and unafraid to question and challenge viewpoints - combined with a very dedicated sense of follow-through. I appreciate that in my time with Tim, he is clearly in the moment, listening to what I’m saying and giving feedback, but also taking notes, thinking about what we talked about before and thinking about what we might talk about in the future.
What would be three other benefits about this service?
- Flexibility with scheduling
- Periodic communications outside of sessions, which demonstrate thoughtfulness and interest in my path
- The “extracurricular” materials have been really helpful
Would you recommend this service? If so, why?
Absolutely! Definitely to someone interested in web development or learning Django or Python, but also to early-mid career engineers looking to figure out the next step and how to approach what they are doing day to day.