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The lion’s share: A day in the life of… Tom Vance (Software Engineer)

The lion's share: A day in the life of Tom Vance, a Software Engineer.

This blog series gives insight into the day-to-day life of LoyaltyLion’s employees. We’ll look at members from all teams – diving into their roles and responsibilities – how they started their careers and what they do in their spare time.

So let’s meet Tom Vance, a LoyaltyLion Software Engineer.

What is your morning routine?

I’m quite an early riser so my alarm is usually going off around 5:45am. Weather dependent I try to get out for a ride on the bike, or I’ll wander up the high street to the local bakery for some breakfast.

I’ll usually jump online around 8 and get started for the day. Our daily standup doesn’t start until 10, and I really enjoy the 2 hours in-between to get up to speed.

Why does what you do matter?

As a member of the development team, we’re responsible for building and maintaining the features that our merchants and their customers use every day. It’s really rewarding to see new features that we’ve built delivering great value to customers.

I also like to think that part of my job is helping and supporting the rest of the development team; for me, this is also really important. Helping the rest of the team learn and grow is really rewarding.

How did you get the job?

I had actually spoken to and interviewed at LoyaltyLion the year before I joined. At that time things didn’t work out, but whilst sat on a beach in Bulgaria my phone rang and it was LoyaltyLion. I’d been at my last job since university and was looking for a change. To cut a long story short, now I’m here and loving every minute of it. 

What does a typical day look like?

Because I get up early, working from home really suits me at the moment. I’m up and online sometime before 8am, which is great as it means I can leave earlier and enjoy my evenings. 

The development team has our standup around 10am, where we all chat about yesterday’s endeavors and what we have planned for the day. This meeting gives everyone the opportunity to raise any concerns or difficulties that might be having its a great chance to reach out for support.

The rest of the day usually involves working through a story from the current sprint, and clocking off at around 5 – 5.30pm. 

How do you spend your evening?

I’ve been living alone during the pandemic which at first was challenging, but with tools like Zoom, it’s been super easy to keep in touch with friends and family and have some more modern game evenings.

Now that things are starting to relax and little, I’m adapting to the new normal and keeping my social bubble small. I’m back seeing some friends and have even managed the odd dinner out. 

What’s your proudest achievement at LoyaltyLion?

There are so many great things that happen at LoyaltyLion it’s hard to really nail down one thing as my proudest achievement. Playing a role in developing new tools for merchants to grow their business such as our upcoming cross-store rewards feature has been really interesting.

Tell us your favorite thing about LoyaltyLion.

Having moved from a much larger company, my favorite part of LoyaltyLion is the smaller, close-knit team. Everyone is super friendly and is always happy to chat and offer support or advice.

I also really enjoy the flexibility in my role. I’ve been allowed and pushed to explore how LoyaltyLion can help shape my career. There are so many learning opportunities and it’s great to be part of a team that actively encourages that. 

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining the company?

As with joining any new team or company, there is a lot to learn, but it’s important to ask questions. Everyone is here to help and no one is judging you for reaching out. There is a lot to remember when you first start – names, processes, new technologies – you can’t possibly learn it all at once. Take it slow and use the team around you.

Tom is a Software Engineer here at LoyaltyLion. He learned to juggle during a short stint in the circus, where he performed many years ago. Unfortunately, he is currently pet-less but has had many over the years, ranging from Great Danes to lobsters and chinchillas.

Interested in joining the LoyaltyLion Development team? Take a look at our careers page for our current job opportunities.

About the author

Tom Vance

Tom is a Software Engineer here at LoyaltyLion. He learned to juggle during a short stint in the circus, where he performed many years ago. Unfortunately, he is currently pet-less but has had many over the years, ranging from Great Danes to lobsters and chinchillas.

This article originally appeared in the LoyaltyLion blog and has been published here with permission.

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