What’s your job about?
I work as an Analyst Developer at FNZ, a global fintech company. I am involved in the Aus Core project, creating a financial solution for several Australian clients, so that their customers are able to manage their wealth and assets. We are currently coming to the end of our 1.0 release, so there has been plenty to do recently. My day-to-day agenda involves debugging through the codebase and database, chatting with team members about requirements and possible solutions, and participating in daily stand-ups to discuss how we are all progressing. Starting in my first software role has been very daunting, but the people have been incredibly helpful, always keen to help out.
What’s your background?
I am originally from Christchurch, where I spent most of my life growing up. I completed high school in 2016 and moved to Auckland to study Biomedical Sciences. I made the switch to Computer Science after one year and completed university in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science. I had never done any coding before university, but I fell in love with it instantly. I worked on the Shwoop start-up for the majority of 2020, which helped build up my understanding of industry software techniques. You should take any chance you can get to work on a real-world product, as it is very different to what you work on at university, and is very enticing to employers.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Definitely! One of the main positives is that what you studied is not as important as your way of thinking. There are more maths majors than computer science majors working in delivery, and the diversity does not stop there. Problem-solving techniques and collaboration are the most important. A day won’t go by without you discussing what you or someone else has worked on.
What’s the coolest thing about your job?
The diversity of work that is available to do is incredibly vast. No bug that needs fixing or new feature that needs adding will feel monotonous. Everyone is also always happy to help, and the help is not limited to your own team either. Apart from work, there is a big social scene at FNZ too. I get involved in indoor netball and indoor cricket, which can even take place in the middle of the workday. FNZ is very flexible with what hours you work, so you can duck away for an hour to let off some steam.
What are the limitations of your job?
When a release is scheduled, you have a due date to get your work done. Often it involves picking up more items if defects arise, which can result in more hours worked. On the other side of the coin, the flexible work hours mean you can come in later the next day if you were busy the night before.
Three pieces of advice I would give to myself as a student: