With graduation season behind us, many graduates are now entering the labor market and embarking on new career paths. But what does it mean to make the transition from university to industry and what does the transition look like? We sat down with two of our Associates who have recently completed their first year with Galatea to have a look into their experiences, how they have grown and what advice they would give to other recent graduates.
Matina Mahasantipiya
Tell us a little about yourself
I’m Matina, originally from Thailand but graduated from the University of Florida in 2022 with a degree in Computer Science.
What brought you to Galatea?
When researching companies, Galatea aligned with my interests in tech and finance. I also learned about the startup culture and as a new grad, I knew I’d enjoy a more casual environment. A year later I still do! Genuinely, I do feel lucky in finding a balance of interesting, challenging work and a fun office.
What type of project are you currently working on?
My team is building a platform for our client that supports their customers in sending and receiving payments (think ACH transfers, Venmo, etc.). We just integrated the platform with a sister platform and are focused on laying groundwork for a new phase. Our team has participated in all phases including, architecture work, back-end development, front-end development, testing, and more. The project is a little bit of everything which is why I enjoy it!
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned within this past year?
Galatea has helped me to learn the value of self-initiative and responsibility. Not every workplace has this structure, but Galatea leaves a lot of room for Galateans to self-manage. It is up to the individual to be mindful of their own productivity and contribution and there are resources such as mentorship, discussions and training to help provide support along the way.
What lessons have been unexpected?
Building relationships with your team and clients provides you with a tremendous amount of resources. Additionally, it is important to be adaptable because sometimes there are going to be things that are out of your control.
What are you most looking forward to learning next?
When I joined my team, they were at the very end of the architecture phase of the project so I missed working on a majority of that part of the project. Now we are circling back to the architecture phase on a new section of the project and I am really looking forward to learning about this aspect of software development.
What advice would you give to graduating students embarking in their careers?
If you’re like me, you will probably start off feeling like you don’t know anything but it’s ok to not know everything from the start (no one expects you to!). However, it's also your job to be proactive in finding the answers, be it self-learning, testing something out, or asking others on your team. It is all part of the growing and development process and everyone on your team has the common goal to get you up to speed as fast as possible so don’t be afraid to ask questions!
David Spinrad
Tell us a little about yourself
My name is David, I graduated from Northeastern in May 2022 with an Industrial Engineering degree. I really enjoyed the computer science aspect of my academic and co-op projects, so I pivoted away from traditional engineering and started writing code!
What brought you to Galatea?
Galatea contributes on a number of unique and distinct projects in the financial sector. Which means there is constant exposure to new concepts, technologies, and goals. I find that there are always opportunities to learn and grow. Additionally, this diversity of work cultivates sharp professionals, who are as knowledgeable as they are experienced. I wanted to be a Galatean because of the diversity of projects, and also to learn from those who have years of experience successfully navigating the industry.
What type of project are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on a position keeping platform. We are making software for traders so they can receive accurate, real time results on their profit and loss after making trades in the market. You can think of it like your account in Robinhood, we’re creating software that helps you keep track of your portfolio.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned within this past year?
Galatea encourages ownership as one of its core values. I have experienced first hand how ownership facilitates satisfaction in your work. On my projects, I have come to further appreciate the broader picture, the small details, the hiccups, and the successes because I am invested in and completely own my work on my project.
What lessons have been unexpected?
We must be precise to communicate about a majority of details in this sector. It takes effort, carefulness, and mindfulness to accurately communicate details about the projects Galatea works on. The details for some stakeholders may not be a concern to others in different roles on the project. I’ve learned to be more thoughtful on the specifics of a conversation when communicating with different stakeholders.
What are you most looking forward to learning next?
Recently, I have been building a new service in our system from scratch and it's getting ready for deployment. I am excited to explore how we can improve the performance of what I’ve built while taking on new requirements.
What advice would you give to graduating students embarking in their careers?
From someone who pivoted late in their collegiate career, my advice is: be curious! Curiosity leads to details and specifics, and these details are where understanding and confidence bloom from. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!