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Tristan, Software Engineer at Advertising Company: Advize Career Interview
A recent Oregon State University graduate's journey from instructing children in coding to a software engineering role at a prominent advertising company offers valuable insights.
The path involved a Master's degree, roles at Coding with Kids LLC and Protege LLC, developing e-commerce tools and backend systems.
The work centers on collaboration, algorithm development, code maintenance, and problem-solving, demanding both strong technical skills (Java, Python, understanding system hacking for security) and soft skills (empathy, communication).
A typical day balances meetings with coding, emphasizing the importance of measurable outcomes and impactful contributions.
Securing entry-level positions requires proactive networking, understanding the nuances of "entry-level" definitions, and showcasing practical skills through projects like hackathons.
A key takeaway is the interview process's difficulty, necessitating focused preparation.
The career's rewards include analytical problem-solving, direct customer interaction, and the ability to connect customers and markets while contributing to impactful product development.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tristan Hilbert
Software Engineer
Advertising Company
Major: Computer Science
Loyola Marymount University - Masters : Computer Science
Computer Science
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
None Applicable
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Career Path of a Software Engineer at E-commerce Company
Tristan's career path began with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Oregon State University in 2020, followed by a role at "Coding with Kids LLC" instructing children, and then a software engineering position at Protege LLC where they "work[ed] on tools for an e-commerce site," including backend development and localization. After two years and a recently completed Master's degree (2024), a job transition led to their current role at an advertising company.
Main Responsibilities of a Software Engineer at an Advertising Company
Tristan's main responsibilities as a software engineer center on "communication, contribution, and caretaking," encompassing daily team interactions ("agile standups, retrospectives, sprint planning"), algorithm development and data mapping ("A to B mapping," such as translating website requests for a gift card vendor), and ensuring code maintainability and system stability, highlighting the crucial role of collaboration and problem-solving in preventing production failures.
A Day In The Life Of A Software Engineer At Advertising Company
A typical day for Tristan, a software engineer, involves a "nine to five" schedule heavily weighted toward collaboration: the first half is dedicated to meetings with stakeholders and colleagues, followed by code review ("peer reviewing code...making sure that...this is bit style guides"). The remaining time is allocated to actual coding, with some engineers even exceeding the typical workday to further contribute to projects.
Most Important Skills For A Software Engineer At An Advertising Company
Tristan, a software engineer, emphasizes the importance of both soft skills like "collaboration" and "empathy," advocating for hackathon participation to develop these, and hard skills such as coding proficiency in languages like Java or Python, and optionally, statistics and math for specialized roles; the interview also highlights the value of understanding "how to hack programs," not to be malicious, but to improve code security and comprehension of underlying systems.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Software Engineer At Advertising Company
Tristan, a software engineer, enjoys the analytical problem-solving aspect of the role, viewing it as "an efficiency expert" who optimizes the interplay between people and technology. The relatively high tolerance for mistakes in software engineering, unlike fields such as medicine, aligns well with their personality and contributes to their job satisfaction.
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Software Engineer At An Ad Agency
Tristan's biggest challenge as a software engineer is balancing "making sure that you're not being stuck in the code" with effective collaboration, a struggle many software engineers face. This necessitates continuous learning and adapting to either a more technical or people-focused career path, highlighting the dual demands of the profession.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The E-Commerce Industry As A Software Engineer
Tristan, a software engineer in e-commerce, enjoys the "really nice stories" and direct customer interaction, finding "customers are not just a number." The ability to "provide good services without having to provide a lot of the work necessary" and connect customers and markets are also key aspects of their role that Tristan finds rewarding.
What Type Of Person Thrives In Advertising, According To An Advertising Company Software Engineer
Success in the software engineering industry hinges on being a "determined collaborator" who deeply understands the product, actively seeks collaboration across teams, and defines impact for others. This involves "talking to managers of other teams, talking to software engineers within other teams, talking to even the CEO and CTO," ultimately fostering career growth through impactful contributions and continuous learning.
What a Software Engineer at an Advertising Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Industry
Tristan, a software engineer, advises that the interview process is "much, much harder than the actual role itself," a fact that initially caused self-doubt but which they learned to approach by consistently improving skills using "space repetition" and focusing on interview preparation rather than taking feedback personally.
Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Software Engineers
Securing an entry-level software engineering position requires more than online applications; Tristan emphasizes networking at conferences as crucial, stating that "the best route to getting a job is not some applications," and personal connections, even as a student, led to interview opportunities. Understanding the varying definitions of "entry-level" across companies, and researching role levels on sites like Levels.fyi, is also vital for navigating the job market.
Significant Career Lesson From A Software Engineer At Advertising Company
Tristan, a software engineer, emphasizes the critical importance of "measurable outcomes" in their career, learning that focusing on results—whether "the amount of people that you served" or revenue generated—is key for professional success, rather than solely focusing on the process. This includes tracking accomplishments, communicating them effectively to management, and recognizing when to move on from a problem that is taking too long.
College Experiences That Helped a Software Engineer at Advertising Company Succeed
Tristan's undergraduate hackathon project, a "Google Vision application that was an actual e-commerce application," significantly impacted their career trajectory, showcasing practical skills to potential employers. The collaborative nature of the project, working with "some of the favorite people" Tristan is still friends with, proved equally valuable, highlighting the importance of teamwork and networking in building a successful career in software engineering.
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