Based on the Work With Me guide
- I support friendly, respectful work environments.
- If I spent time figuring something out, I try to improve the documentation for the next person.
- I care about building ethical technology
- I value meaningful work, integrity, growth, compassion, humility, and balance.
I'm generally friendly, willing to help however I can, and enjoy collaborating.
I chose remote work because I do best with a self-controlled environment. I'm on the autism spectrum so I can come across as "strange" sometimes. I also have auditory processing issues, so I may ask for a repetition or recontextualization of information.
I prefer to receive negative feedback in writing first, with live discussion afterwards, if needed. I'm happy to receive positive feedback or recognition in public.
What hours do you usually work?
I'm usually online around 8:30 am EST and clock off between 6:00-6:30 EST.
When do you prefer to work alone, versus in groups? How do your energy levels fluctuate throughout the day?
I start and end my day with deep work. I have those hours blocked off on my schedule. Meetings are possible during this time, but please ask first.
I have my most energy in the morning. I usually have very little left in the tank at the end of the day. Similarly, Mondays are my most energetic and on Fridays I have little energy left.
I respond promptly on Slack and only check email about twice a day. I only respond outside of working hours if the matter is urgent or the information I have will unblock someone still working (East Coast vs West Coast, for example).
If you're looking for whether it's okay to interrupt me, check my calendar! If I'm in a meeting, obviously I can't respond. If it's during deep work hours, I can be contacted but may be a little slower to respond.
When you don't feel safe in a conversation, how does this manifest itself in your actions or affects?
I will get very quiet. I will also fidget a lot.
What about when you're just not having an "on" or "good" day?
I can get distracted, fidgeting will be worse, and my work may be sloppy with silly mistakes.
Ask me if I'm having an off day and if I'd like to pair to resolve whatever it is I'm working on.
Do you have any habits that can be easily misinterpreted?
I sometimes fidget or stim and that has nothing to do with my level of engagement.
I also have a habit of interrupting people in conversation or come across as waving my hand saying "Me, too! I know this thing!". I'm not trying to be rude, sometimes I just miss social cues and my enthusiasm for connecting with people on the same wavelength gets the better of me.
Additionally, I'll often be the first to respond when a question is asked in a group setting and my response may not be fully thought out. This is something I'm working on and is a result of some previous bad experiences where I had to prove myself and show I was contributing in a face-paced situation. This is particularly true in technical conversations.
I don't expect this list to change your actions—but it might help you better understand and empathize with my reactions.
I am uncomfortable in situations where I don't "know the lay of the land" or what's expected of me. I'm a planner.
Soft skills
- Building confidence in my technical abilities
- Mentoring others
- Maintaining focus
Technical skills
- Svelte!
- Security issues
- All things backend (I want to be stronger here)
- Accessibility
- The web as a platform
- Music
- Writing
- Fantasy books
- Comic books
- Baseball
- Tea