A fulfilling four years (and counting) with Principal Engineer, Akanksha Gupta

Welcome to ‘Alive in Circles’?where we dive into what makes Circles.Lifers feel alive in and out of work at Circles.Life.?

This month, we sit with our one of our Principal Engineers, Akanksha Gupta who shares about her four years (and counting) with Circles.Life.

What’s your role in Circles.Life?

AG: I’ve been with Circles.Life for 4.5 years and I’ve grown from a Software Engineer to now a Principal Engineer.

In my role, I wear many different hats depending on the requirements of the day. On some days, you operate as a developer, other days a problem solver and sometimes, you’re a mentor.

Right now, I am part of the team which is working on delivering a platform that helps tackle some of the challenges of our SAAS journey and my role in the project is to ensure timely delivery of a quality assured platform that is ready? to take us to the next step of our journey, solving the customer pain points and capable of handling next generation requirements.

The latest technology that I am currently working on in my role is Golang and learning Java Spring Boot, thanks to the peers for on the job learning.

You’ve been in Circles.Life for 4.5 years. You’re a legend! What was your journey like and what keeps you going in Circles.Life and/or what makes you feel alive at work??

AG: The journey has been an unpredictable but an exhilarating roller coaster ride. It has its good share of highs and lows but I usually see the lows as a great runway to be able to rise and achieve the highs of the job.

Working for a startup like Circles is fulfilling because of the vast opportunities to grow. I get to dabble in a variety of? problems and pick up learnings along the way, which has helped me grow and shape my career as an engineer.

Apart from the self-motivation which mainly drives me, I would say that a huge factor that keeps me alive would be the company and team culture. I have never felt discriminated in any way and I love the open communication and collaboration amongst team members. Regardless of the title you hold, everyone is treated equally.

One key moment this was exhibited was during the KDDI launch in 2021 - where everything was managed remotely as it was the peak of the pandemic. Everyone was going through some form of distress given the challenges brought about by COVID but despite all this, all team members supported each other and also channeled their skills into something more constructive.?

Being here for over 4 years, I’ve witnessed 4 launches - Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, KDDI, each of which I was directly or indirectly involved in and every launch gets bigger and better.?

While I was able to see the company scale, my personal satisfaction did not only come from witnessing the company grow and going up the career ladder but it came from witnessing the growth and success of every team member. That moment is where you realize you have made an impact in the business.

What is a typical work day like for you?

AG: I start my work day listening to music or podcasts on my walk to the office. Some of my favorite podcasts include Finshots Daily, The So What from BCG and few more depending on the mood of the day.

There’s no typical day given the variety of deliverables each day requires. It can be rattling to some, but there is a thrill that comes in the unknown because of the new things you can learn along the way.?

My work day usually ends on a reflective note where I list key takeaways for the day.

When I arrive home, I cook, watch Turkish dramas, or keep myself informed with the latest global news.?

What makes you feel alive outside work??

AG: During my free time, I particularly like sketching, currently exploring human emotions (references purely Googled ??). I also love to cycle and catch up with my friends and colleagues over good food.?

I value the moments outside work because it allows me to take a pause and check in on myself. It allows me to regain a sense of my authentic self, keeps me rooted to my principles and allows me to recalibrate accordingly, which is very important especially when you are always on your toes at work ??.?

Ready to take a bold step and shape your career like Akanksha? We’re looking to have you onboard our growing team! Check out our careers page for opportunities to work with us:?https://www.circles.life/sg/job-board/