Get to Know Prakash Patel, Engineering Manager

Thanks for joining us, Prakash! Let’s start by talking about how long you’ve been with Hired and what your role entails. 

I have been working with Hired for almost 4 years now. I am a Vettery OG and I joined the team as a Senior Data Engineer in early 2019. For the past year and a half, I’ve worked as an Engineering Manager, managing the Data Engineering and Search teams at Hired. I partner with different Product and Engineering teams to work on extensive data/software problems. On a daily basis, I collaborate with my team to contribute to product initiatives and various data needs from teams within Hired to those outside of Hired. 

Can you share a little bit about your background and what led you to join Hired? 

I was born and raised in India. Since childhood, I have found computers fascinating. Eventually, it became my passion so I decided to pursue a Bachelor’s in Information Technology. After graduating, I gained some professional experience and came to the US for my Master’s in 2014.

My first professional experience consisted of building a custom CRM application for a VOIP company. However, I found working on data-related problems more challenging. After graduating from the New York Institute of Technology, I did some consulting in data and analytics for companies operating in the finance, retail/e-commerce, and biotech spaces. 

Being a candidate, I felt how difficult and time-consuming it was to find and apply for a position that was suitable for me. During my job hunting journey, I was a candidate on Vettery’s Marketplace. I actually received an Interview Request from Vettery itself! I consider this a life-changing experience. I was drawn to the company’s mission, values, and engineering culture, which I became familiar with during the interview process. 

When it comes to working at Hired, what’s your favorite part?

The company culture and team dynamics are my favorite aspects. I’ve partnered with so many different teams and peers within the company while working on numerous projects. We all get along well and support each other, which makes coming to work a pleasure.  

What do you like most about your job?

Without a doubt, my team and the people I work with are what I like most about my job. On top of that, I like the challenge of balancing priorities of the Engineering team and the business. It’s satisfying to find solutions that meet both technical and business needs.

What has been your favorite project at Hired?

Implementing Airflow from scratch was my favorite Data Engineering project at Hired. It solved horizontal and vertical scaling of the data pipelines and ETL jobs in a cost-efficient way. This project not only achieved scaling, but also incorporated stakeholder visibility into the Data Engineering ecosystem.

How have you advanced professionally since joining our team?

I sharpened my accountability and ownership skills a lot since joining the team.

I enjoy being at the forefront of technology and innovation. As an Engineering Manager, I can stay up to date with the latest developments in my field and apply them to the projects I manage. I also enjoy the opportunity to lead and mentor a team of talented engineers. It is rewarding to help them develop their own skills and achieve their goals.

Related: Engineering Manager or IC? Which Tech Career is Best for Me? (Video)

What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?

I am a firm believer in this Larry Page quote since I stepped into computer science: “A healthy disregard for the impossible.”

Data/Software Engineering is a rapidly changing field. Building a strong foundation in programming and computer science principles is essential, while staying up to date with the latest technologies and trends helps you stay in demand.

Be open to new challenges and constantly learn. These are some of the best career lessons I’ve learned.

What are your passion projects or hobbies outside of work?

Being in the tech industry, learning new programming languages and technologies are things I have always loved. Also, I have been taking courses to learn new technologies and stay competitive. As I transitioned to my EM role, I collected and read books about management and leadership to learn best practices from industry experts.

What advice would you give to someone interested in Engineering Management? Any book, podcast, or influencer suggestions?

It depends on personal preferences. However, I learned a lot from reading blogs. I signed up for various newsletters too. I often read blogs and articles after work and over the weekend. This way, I get a chance to keep up with the innovations in the cloud, software, and data engineering.

Last summer, Hired hosted the One Team, One Dream Hired Summit, the first offsite gathering for the company in more than two years. What was one of your takeaways or favorite memories? 

Seeing some of my closest peers after a long time was amazing and a great opportunity for everyone to bond. Participating in different team-building activities, games, and breakout sessions was definitely memorable (building a spaghetti tower with marshmallows was a blast!). In each session, I got to know peers from different teams. Before this I only knew their names or saw their Slack profile images.

Overall, it was a magnificent experience and I am so thankful to the Leadership and People teams for some lasting memories.

Speaking of a good time, what is your go-to karaoke song?

“Happy” by Pharrell Williams is my favorite because of the uplifting message. It helps me embrace joy and positivity!

We’re a remote first company so we have to know: if you could work from anywhere, where would it be? 

I think working remotely would be amazing in a beautiful natural environment with the utmost serenity (and a good internet connection, of course). Perhaps, a cabin in a mountain or a forest.

Related: How to Maximize your Job Offer as a Remote Engineer

Any WFH pets who keep you company throughout the day?

Well, I don’t have any pets but I do enjoy gardening. I have a few indoor plants I care for everyday while I work from home!

Thank you Prakash!

Interested in joining the Hired team? Check out our open roles!

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