Profile

Candidate CV questions (extra)

• Education:

  I don’t have a simple CV of a “traditional” computer science career path – but it just goes to show that there is no set path, follow what feels right and interests you.

  I went to Shrewsbury Sixth Form College for A levels studying Theatre Studies and Art – I did a lot of music outside of college. After college I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so I did all sorts, from trying to tour with a band and make a few recordings, working on a farm, customer service in insurance, working in a shop and then for a Pension company. In 2000, I moved to London where I worked both in Customer Service and back office at an Investment Management Company. After a couple of years of doing that and music in my spare time, I decided now was the time to go to University.

  I went to the SAE Institute to study Recording Arts BA (Middlesex University). This is where I found that I actually could do maths and physics. They came far more naturally than they did at secondary school.

  During the course you had work experience. Where I worked in a recording studio in London. At the end of my work experience, I got offered a permanent position. However, that meant I would have to put my studies on hold. As opportunities in the music industry were near impossible to find, I went for it. My grades were high enough that I still got awarded a Diploma of Higher Education.

  However, after about 9 months and some very long hours, I didn’t feel it was the right fit for what was quite low money. While at SAE one of my friends got me into programming and building websites. So I started my own business doing music and web production. I learned a lot from many mistakes, both technically and commercially. I did that for about 5 years, when as a family we wanted to move back to Shropshire.

  I got a job at a Digital Agency, Psycle Interactive as a front and backend developer. I was with Psycle 8 years, and for half of that I was a Technical Director. We worked on projects for Google, YouTube, Getty Images and Armani building all kinds of websites, platforms and interactive installations.

  It is during this time I worked with a lot of Googlers, and one of them referred me to join Google. After many interviews, in 2017 I became a Customer Engineer for Google Cloud which was a great fit as I had been using Google Cloud for a number of years.

  In 2021 I became a manager and I now lead the customer engineering teams specialising in Telecommunications, Media and Entertainment.

• Qualifications:

  9 GCSEs
  3 A levels
  Dip HE

• Work History:

  Lots of Customer Service jobs, with working on a Farm for a summer too 🙂
  Then…
  Customer Service Jupiter Asset Management

  Back Office Cogent / BNP Paribas

  Mayfair Studios

  Self Employed

  Developer Psycle Interactive Ltd
  Technical Director Psycle Interactive Ltd

  Customer Engineer, Google
  Head of Customer Engineering, Telco & Media, Google
  Head of Customer Engineering, Telco, Media & Entertainment

• Current Job:

  Head of Customer Engineering, Telco, Media & Entertainment

• Employer:

  Google