POEInterview

ByRileyMcBrearty
POEBlock3
InterviewDate10/22/15
Location:Byphonecall
DateofSubmission:10/29/15

Interviewee:EricFried
Degree:B.A.andB.S.inComputerScience
PlaceofEmployment:IBM(InternationalBusinessMachines)
BusinessEmailAddress:
efried@us.ibm.com
Initialcontactmade:FathertalkedwithCoWorker
FieldofEngineering:Software

QuestionsandResponses

1)Pleasedescribethefieldofsoftwareengineering,ingeneral.
Somebodywhoisasoftwareengineerbytitleandbytrade,andthatthereisa
distinctionbetweenacoderandadeveloper.Codersmainlyworkoncodingcertain
programs,whilethedeveloperscreatesoftwarefromadesign.
2)Whatisyourcurrentjobtitle?
AdvisorySoftwareEngineer
3)Pleasedescribeyourparticularjobandduties.
Mr.Friedworksonimplementingvirtualizationsoftware,whichisgoingtobeusedin
thecloud,whichisbasicallytakingabigcomputerwhichismadeoutofhardwareand
makingitlooklikeabunchofsmallvirtualcomputers.Thoselittlecomputersgenerally
liveanddieinashortamountoftime,andtheyliveforthedurationofaparticular
workload.Ingeneral,Mr.Friedmainlyworksonvirtualizationofthecloud.
4)Whatisyouraverageworkschedule?
Mr.Friedtriestokeepclosetoa40hourworkweek,butthatisrelativelyrare.He
doesthisandrecognizesthatitmaylimithiscareerpotential,butheisafatheroffour
children,anditisaconsciousdecisiononhispart,butheislivingproofthatsomebody
cangointothefieldofsoftwareengineeringandstillhaveamanageableworkweek.
5)Startinginhighschool,describeyoureducationalbackgroundchronologically.
Mr.FriedwenttoaHighSchoolinEngland,duringthemid1990s,anditwasan
internationalschool,soinsteadofhavingadvancedplacementslikethereareinthe
UnitedStates,theyhadtheInternationalBaccalaureate(IB)system.Whenhewasin
highschool,Mr.Friedwasnotfocusedoncomputerscience,butinsteadhadbig
aspirationstobecomesomesortofscientist,somewhatalongthelinesofachemistora
biologist,sohetooktheIBclassesinchemistry,biology,math,andfrench.Whenhe
wenttocollege(Mr.FriedwenttotheUniversityofTexasatAustin),hisfirstsemester
hetookacomputersciencecoursejusttoseewhatitwasabout,foundouthelikedit,
andtookanothercourse.Hekeptdownthatpathforafewyearsandfinallydeclared
computerscienceashismajor.Rightoutofcollegehetooksummerjobs,mainly
computerrelated,andtookmoreafterhestartedgettingfartherintocomputerscience.

6)Ifyouhadtodoitover,relatedtoyourcareeroreducation,wouldyoudo
anythingdifferently?
Mr.Frieddoesntregretdoinganythingthathetookforhiscareer,butheissurehe
couldvedonethingsdifferentlyandthingswouldveworkedoutdifferently,butdoesnt
knowiftheycouldveworkedoutbetter.Rightoutofcollegehehadacoupleofyearsin
the.comarea,andthatwaswherethebubbleburst,andeventhoughthatendedupin
flamesandcrashedandburned,hewouldntgobackandundoit,becausehelearned
somethingsfromitandgotvaluableexperienceoutofit.Allofthisshapedwhoheis
now,buthewouldnthavedoneanythingdifferently.
7)Whatadvicewouldyougivetomeassomeoneinterestedinpursuingacareer
pathsimilartoyours?
Starttakingclassesoncomputerscienceandsoftware,andcontinueonwitha
regularengineeringcoursejustincaseyoustarttoloseinterest.Meanwhile,ifyouare
stillinterested,starttakingupinternshipsatsoftwaredevelopmentcompanies,thatway
youwillgainvaluableexperienceworkingonsoftwareandcoding.

Reflection

1)Whatsurprisedyouthemostabouttheinterview?
ThethingthatIwasthemostsurprisedaboutwashoweasilyunderstandablehis
descriptionofthesoftwareengineeringfieldwas.
2)Whatwasthemostimportantpieceofinformationthatyoulearnedfromthis
interview?
ThemostimportantpieceofinformationthatIlearnedfromthisinterviewisthatyou
canmaintainamanageablescheduleevenifitlimitsyourcareerpotential.
3)Howhasthisinterviewinfluencedyourfeelingsaboutyoufuturecareer?
Thisinterviewmademefeelthatsoftwareengineeringwouldbeamuchmore
interestingfieldthanbiomedicalengineeringwouldbe.
4)Howhasthisinterviewchangedorconfirmedyourplansregardingyourfuture
career?
ThisinterviewcausedmetolookbackandthinkaboutwhetherornotIshouldstillbe
majorlyinterestedinbiomedicalengineering,whichcausedmetochangemyplans
regardingmyfuturecareeroverintothesoftwarefield.
5)Whatisthenextstepforyoutopursueyourplans?Whodoyouneedtotalk
to?Whatinformationdoyouneed?
Mynextsteptopursuemyplansistostarttakingcomputerscienceandsoftware
coursesduringmyjunioryearinhighschool,andseehowthatgoes.Iwillalsoneedto
startplanningwhichcompaniesthatIcanapplyforinternships.ThenextpersonIneed
totalktoissomebodywhoisinthesoftwareengineeringfieldwhoisjuststartingout
andfreshoutofcollege.TheinformationIneedisprimarilyalongthelinesoflearning
differenttypesofcodeandhowtoimplementthem.