Software Engineer 4
(Female, Age 53) from Reston, NY
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 53 who works as a Software Engineer 4 in Reston, NY. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Software Engineer 4 |
|---|---|
| Salary | $119,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 40 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Reston, NY |
| Years Experience | 8 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I am an employee of Northrop Grumman in the Northern Virginia area, in a division involved with the Federal Government (DoD)
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
Task lead on a software development project.
Responsible for scheduling staff work, meeting delivery deadlines, software testing, presenting software documentation to boards, etc.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
6 holidays, 5 personal days, 2.5 weeks vacation, Blue Cross insurance (PPO), 401K w/employer contribution, pension
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
well
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
yes, work with others in an office environment (cubes). Very much enjoy working with others, prefer this to, say, working from home. there is frequent collaboration between team members so it’s very good to be geographically located in the same building.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
work in an office, that has no windows, ancient furniture that’s not computer-friendly, poor lighting, etc., etc. However, it is located very close to my home.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 3
Benefits: 4
Hours: 1
Co-Workers: 5
Supervisors: 6
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 2
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
internet
What was the application process?
submitted resume
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
yes, face to face with 2 separate individuals
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
really don’t recall 🙁
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
not really, meaning there was no formal management training
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Masters degree in computer science
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
yes. I attended a liberal arts college and the writing skills gained there have proven invaluable over the years. And of course my masters degree was the perfect preparation for becoming a software engineer.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
n/a
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
major in Computer Science at a 4-year college OR
minor in CS and major in math, physics, chemistry
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
need to be someone who pays a lot of attention to detail, goal oriented, conscious of deadlines, technical ability. Excellent writing, oral communication skills enhance ones ability to advance. need to get along with others. software developers do not exist in an isolated environment.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
yes
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
1. always stay current with technology
2. figure out if you want to advance into technical management as early as possible
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
yes, i believe the reason is obvious!
What are your current career goals?
remain in field, in technical leadership position, for approximately 5-7 more years.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | software development manager | 15 years | 80000 | software manager for small team developing software for the Navy |
| Prior Job 2 |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:?
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
3.4 | Randolph-Macon Woman’s College | Chemistry, BA |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
3.5 | University of Virginia | Computer Science, MS |
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