Updating Results

Angus Hankinson

Whether you are designing something from the ground up or fixing something that already exists, there is always going to be elements of problem solving, design, and weighing up different trade-offs for different solutions – it’s a fun process to be a part of.

What's your job about?

Re-Leased is a property management SAAS – my areas of responsibility lie within resolving bugs and adding refinements. My day-to-day work generally revolves around investigating the cause of a certain issue within the system. Once found I then devise solutions and try to pick the best one that results in a fast, low-risk fix. I then brace the area with any necessary tests before solving the issue. I find it enjoyable as it results in dynamic work where I get to experience working in many different areas in the system.

What's your background?

I grew up in a mixture of Auckland, Sydney and Dunedin for my schooling years before starting my degree at the Eastern Institute of Technology in Hawke’s Bay in 2018. I would say the most important stages of my life thus far have been school and tertiary education; I began tinkering with computers and code in the Digital Technology course at my high school in Dunedin before jumping straight into my degree. I first began working at Re-Leased through the internship program at EIT before landing a full-time job. I’ve have been here for close to a year inclusive of the internship. 

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Absolutely. There is nothing definitive about my background that would highlight me as someone suited for software development. I think all you need for this career is a love for problem solving and a hunger for personal growth.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

What I enjoy the most about the job is finally nailing down the cause of a complex issue along with the corresponding solution. There is something very innately satisfying in that, and it scratches an itch for me that nothing else really does. Whether you are designing something from the ground up or fixing something that already exists, there is always going to be elements of problem solving, design, and weighing up different trade-offs for different solutions – it’s a fun process to be a part of.

What are the limitations of your job?

Sometimes it can be tiring and demoralizing when trying to find the cause of a bug that is difficult to reproduce, or to work with code that’s untested and brittle. That being said, these are often the most satisfying fixes in the end.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

  • Get out of your comfort zone, learn about newer technology stacks that the education system has not caught up to quite yet.
  • Learn proper time-management.
  • Spend time figuring out what other hobbies you would like to chase over the coming years.