Tech Candidate Spotlight – Jack Bliss, Senior Software Engineer in the UK

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Tell us a little bit about your educational background!

I was self-taught from a young age as a hobbyist. My first job in software was freelance work for friends and family. I later attended university for a Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering. Then, I returned to the software industry after graduating.

I believe my Master’s degree made the biggest impact on my tech career. It was only tangentially related but demonstrated technical skills and the ability to learn in a structured way.

What would you like to learn more about?

I feel DevOps helps me be a more rounded developer. Understanding limitations, trade-offs, and specialisations in infrastructure helps make my application code better.

Related: What are the Best Programming Languages to Get a Software Developer Job? (Video)

What led you to pursue a career in tech?

My mum is a software engineer and has been for many years. She always encouraged me whenever I showed an interest in programming. After some experience, I realised: I liked it, I was good at it, and it makes for a great career!

How has your skill set evolved over the course of your career?

I started out as a front-end specialist and have slowly become more involved in full stack engineering. Being a full stack developer doesn’t just mean you write front-end code and backend code. It also means you can design and deliver entire features end-to-end including architecture/design, infrastructure, QA, and sunsetting plans.

I initially specialised in front-end engineering because that’s where I had the most self-taught knowledge. Front-end code is very accessible because you only need a notepad and a web browser to start coding.

What are you most excited about in your new role?

Vortexa has assembled one of the most important datasets in the world. The liquid energy industry is largely unoptimised but impacts so much of our lives. Being able to increase the industry’s efficiency and find opportunities for other improvements is essential as we move toward a more sustainable future. The application is extremely detailed which makes it really fun to work on!

What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?

I typically used LinkedIn to find recruiters or I directly reached out to hiring managers. I also tried to find recruitment agencies to work with (but I didn’t get many responses) and used other job search websites.

What’s your best advice for jobseekers on Hired? 

Research your salary expectations and don’t be afraid to adjust them over time! Respond quickly to offers. This will help move processes quickly and boost your profile to hiring managers.

Related: Want More Interviews and Better Matches? 8 Key Tips!

Hear what everyone has to say in the first stage interview. What have you got to lose?!

Hired is a very convenient platform for meeting hiring managers and recruiters. Plus, it’s so quick and easy for jobseekers to register on.

Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?

Keep learning and pushing the limits of your knowledge. Having a well-rounded understanding of relevant topics can help get you promoted while making you better at your primary focus.

About Workday

Vortexa is on a mission to open, connect, and optimise the energy world through pioneering technology and unmatched market information. Founded in 2016, Vortexa has 51-200 employees and is headquartered in London.

Benefits

Stock options, match up to 3% of your salary in the pension plan, health insurance, paid time off, flexible working hours, company activities, management training, and more.

Tech Stack

Python, ElasticSearch, PostGres (+GIS), AWS, Kafka, Javascript (React/Redux/Typescript), Node JS, Redis, Scala, Kotlin, Kubernetes, airflow, Java