Florence and Subomi are two of our tech newbies here at notonthehighstreet…
We talked through their careers before tech, what they wanted to be when they were younger and what working in our tech team here at NOTHS has been like…
What were you doing before working here?
Florence: I did a degree in History of Art and became an Actor and Tutor for 4 years after graduating. I then decided to go travelling, came back and joined Makers Academy (like Subomi) and learnt to code.
Subomi: My experience is slightly different. I studied Accounting at university, before getting a job in retail for a year working out what I wanted to do. I worked in a few temporary roles in finance before getting a role here. I started off as a Finance Assistant and was promoted to Accounts Payable Manager about a year after. I worked in the team for about 3 and a half years, and then left last year to go to Makers [Academy] and train up as a Software Developer. I reapplied as a Junior Software Engineer and got the job!
It was funny re-interviewing — I remember my interviewer having a chat and saying, “I won’t ask you any questions on the company because you undoubtedly know more than me…”. It was a unique situation to be in!
What did you want to be when you were younger?
Subomi: My big dream was always to become an athlete (which I still do as a hobby outside of work). I remember doing a sprint in my nursery sport’s day and absolutely loving it. I still do athletics every week… it’s always been a big passion of mine!
Florence: An actor definitely. As soon I was talking I was pretending to be other people and imitating them! There was a stage where I wanted to be an inventor too, which has some definite similarities to the life of a Software Engineer…
What made you take a job in our Tech team here?
Subomi: Well, I’ve worked here already so I knew what it was all about! I still remember my first ever interview here… coming into the office, having a great chat with our receptionist and then experiencing the office and loving all the colour and different themed meeting rooms. My interviewers were just so down to earth too, it instantly put me at ease and made me feel comfortable. It was great to know these people were going to be my colleagues, it felt like a really good fit.
Florence: Culture was a really big part of it. I remember looking at the notonthehighstreet page on Linkedin and thinking how friendly people looked. My interview was also pretty great — there was just a really warm feeling from everyone I met. From the beginning there was so much focus on learning and providing us with the opportunity to grow and develop. I couldn’t ask for much else!
Why did you switch your career to work in Tech?
Florence: People get very confused by my life choices! Basically I always felt a bit torn between being creative and logical/problem solving. I’ve always loved lateral thinking problems and things like Sudoku that take a lot of brain power. It was why Art History was something I was really passionate about and why I decided to do it at university. I’ve always looked at problems backwards; looking into the ‘why’ and being systematic. That was one of the big reasons I left acting; I wanted to exercise that problem solving part of my brain more.
Subomi: I had been in finance for a little while; having completed an accounting degree and then moved to work in finance at NOTHS. Finance was always one of those things I was good at, but wasn’t really my dream. Part of my Secondary schooling was in Nigeria and I think through subtle comments made by people around me and just expectation in general, I chose finance more as a ‘safe’ option and not out of genuine interest. After doing it at university and then 3 years at NOTHS in the team, it reached a point where I had to think about whether it was actually what I wanted to do for the next 10 years.
How did you find out about Tech?
Subomi: I always loved game consoles and was genuinely interested, from a young age, at how they get made. Especially because during my childhood they developed so quickly — I loved being a part of the evolution from console to app! It just kind of grew from there really. There are lots of similarities between what I was doing before in accounting and what I’m doing now — attention to detail, making sure things are correct etc — so it was a fairly logical change.
Florence: One of my piano students actually told me about it — he was a Software Developer himself. I was describing the sort of thing that I felt that I was missing in my career and he said it sounded exactly like coding so I tried it out online and loved it!
What do you like about working in Tech here at notonthehighstreet?
Florence: I feel so supported here. It’s relaxed in a way — we’re allowed to ask questions and to be inquisitive into different things and that’s great for training. It feels like a really safe space. I’m also finding the work stimulating too!
Subomi: I’ve been here for ages so I think that says it all about the company, but coming back in as a Junior Engineer I thought would be different. There is obviously still a lot to learn but everyone is so willing to help us to grow as well as genuinely asking for our opinion on things, it really makes it a great working environment. Knowing that we’re a valued member of the team gives you that motivation and inspiration.
What are you most looking forward to over the next 12 months?
Subomi: I’m really curious to see how much knowledge I am going to amass over the next 12 months. If I even think about how much I’ve learnt since November, it’s amazing looking at how far I’ve come in just a few months. There is obviously a lot to still learn but now I’m working in a professional environment with some brilliant Engineers, I’m excited to see how much I’ll grow over the next 12 months.
Florence: Mine would definitely be the same. It’s been a great start here at NOTHS and I’m just looking forward to seeing what the next year will bring!
