Insider profil
Keen to receive questions about
Top Insider Advice
There isn't enough kindness in this world generally, but as a person that has to recruit is quite clearly obvious in most interviews when you are being your authentic self. As an engineer, you would often exclaim at the stereotypical management that you would hear about on the internet. As I grew into the position that you would hear stories around, and developing myself, I realised that all those are based on trying to second guess the answers that you think the interviewer would want to hear. Generally, I want to just find out about the person; approach an interview as an opportunity to show who you are, what you enjoy and what you are good at. Be open and honest with your answers and don't forget that an interview process is a two way process.
Career path
Lead Engineer
Kingfisher Plc
Started 06/2021 to PresentSenior Software Developer
Kingfisher Plc
From 11/2018 to 06/2021Software Developer
Kingfisher Plc
From 09/2016 to 11/2018Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
A significant proportion of my role enables me to do what I am good at; helping and supporting people in achieving their goals. This varies between all sets of people that I interact with and can be everything from supporting line reports in their career growth, when they have problems and troubles or completing administration to enable them to do their job as quickly as possible. Resourcing and supporting projects then can vary from ensuring we have the right people on the right project, talking through programmes around their requirements and suggesting engineering enhancements on how to get their requirements across the line. In terms of engineering strategies and supporting the engineering leadership team, this can be anything that is required. Supporting the growth of engineering through changing recruitment strategies, figuring out the skillsets of engineers and sourcing applications to support their growth has been just some of the items I have tackled. The work I get involved with is varied and involves a lot of helping people with their problems. As an engineer, your sole purpose is to solve the problems of the business that they have provided for you. As a Lead Engineer, I have taken my technical ability to solve problems and get to apply it to people in supporting their wellbeing, thoughts and dreams which is exceptionally satisfactory.
Greatest achievements
In my role as a technical lead and senior engineer, I solutionised, created and lead the team to continue creating a component library. For those, who don't know what that is, it's a front end collection of components that mean that we have consistent designs and reuse across the websites. Specifically, in the area of merchandising for B&Q and Castorama websites, it means consistency across all the visual elements that people see, while creating clear templates for merchandisers to use to create clear web pages for the website. The part I am most proud of though is that many different component libraries and design systems have come and gone within the code base of Kingfisher and yet after many years this is still around. What I am even more proud of was the team that we developed. Despite being spread over two countries, have roots in several different backgrounds, we created a super friendly and engagement atmosphere. Several team members had promotions and excelled during their time in the team which included the pandemic. It was my personal first step into support people as well as technology and enabled me to make the decision to step into the job that I have now.
Isabelle P
GROUP SUPPLY SPECIALIST
Top Insider Advice
The best advice that I can give you is to be true to your values during the interview. Like everywhere, a company is above all made up of people so be yourself and think about the people you are meeting and potentially working with as well as the job itself. If you are not hired after an interview, it means that this role is may not have been the right one, but the right one will come along. Keep believing in you and your capabilities and never give up!
Karen B
Business Analysis Capability Manager
Top Insider Advice
Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you don't see coming. Be your own authentic self and if you see an opportunity which catches your eye - go for it! You have nothing to lose, and you could just end up in a great new environment where you're able to keep learning, inspiring and loving what you do.
Kate F
Design Research Manager
Top Insider Advice
I came from a heavy scientific background, making unnatural amino acids in the lab (which are all white crystals!) to a world of colour and possibility in food development, and felt really out of my depth. The change to industry was challenging, there were targets and KPIs and OKRs and all the other acronyms! And so many people to work with, challenge, influence... I then went to a retail environment where I felt out of my depth again initially, the pace was faster, there was less thinking time and quant evidence was king. I learned more about myself and decided after a few years to challenge myself again and go to the digital world. I've had a constant thread - understanding customers, employees, users - though the context and environment has shifted every time. And that's a good thing! Don't be afraid to jump at an opportunity, you will always learn something and it will benefit you.