We last spoke to Joseph Whyle a little over a year ago, when we discussed his time studying Information Technology, and his journey into work in the industry.
Joseph graduated with a Bachelor of Information Technology, and after working in several different places, landed at Sharesies as a TX Engineer. Just recently, he stepped up into the role of Technology Experience Lead (Acting). This time around, we wanted to hear more about his day-to-day.
Firstly, how is your new role?
It involves more management, which I’m new to. Before I shifted, however, I had been working up to the new responsibilities, so the transition felt natural. I’ve always loved the technical nature of my work, but I’m enjoying learning new leadership and people skills.
What are your teams' responsibilities?
The core function of my team is to provide technical support that enables people to do their work. We juggle multiple projects, as well as the stream of troubleshooting requests we receive from all over the business. We focus on the internal tech – the gear and software the Sharesies team need to do their jobs every day.
How do you juggle all your tasks?
Every day we’re presented with new tasks or problems. That means reassessing our priorities every morning – often new tasks or requests will have come in overnight, so first we check through those and decide which are urgent, then we plan our day.
We start the day with “stand-up”. This is when my team and I get together to discuss what we’re working on for the day. It ensures we’re all on the same page, but it also gives us the chance to get help or share knowledge that can help someone progress through their tasks.
What do you do when you get stuck on a problem?
More often than not, people will come to us with an issue we haven’t come across before. We use a wide range of gear and an even wider range of software, so we've got to stay adaptable.
Google is our best friend, which might sound weird, but in the evolving world of tech, it’s sometimes the best way to find an answer to the latest issues.
How do you communicate technical problems to non-technical people?
I make sure to deliver explanations in digestible chunks. People have laughed at how different I sound when I’m leading someone through a problem, especially remotely. I slow down and get really calm because if you rush through it, people get lost and have no chance to ask questions, and then everyone's time’s just been wasted.
An IT issue never occurs at the right moment, so you encounter some really frustrated people. That’s when remaining cool is especially helpful. The classic big stress is when it comes to a huge meeting and something breaks. You just use techniques to buy yourself time, stay cool in the moment, and then if you need to let your frustrations out, you wait till after.
Can you share anything about any projects you’re working on right now?
We’re currently working on implementing secure single sign-on. The large number of systems we use means there’s a huge number of different passwords and authentication processes for each person to navigate. We’re working on a more seamless solution, where a user will be able to sign in once and then have access to all their systems, in the most secure way possible.
What’s been a surprisingly helpful skill in your career so far?
Being open and friendly. You’re never too busy to stop for a chat. It will make the office a friendlier place to be, and people will feel comfortable coming to you for help. And on the flip side, when you need help in return, you have larger network of people to reach out to.
The network of people around you can be your biggest asset. I was fortunate in that, before I even studied, a friend of mine talked to me about the IT industry and helped me figure out what I wanted to do. My old manager was the one that encouraged me to go back to study. And now, throughout my work, I’ve come across many influential people who have a lot of great knowledge and advice to share.
Do you have any advice for anyone who isn't as comfortable socialising?
Just say hi. Offer to buy them a coffee. Or if you’re wanting to get an idea of someone’s vibe before you talk to them, there’s no harm in asking someone who knows them. And don’t get intimidated if they’re in a more senior position. In small places like Wellington, doing a bit of networking can be really effective. You never know who your next boss is going to be.
What’s your approach to work life balance?
As long as you’re getting your work done, I don’t think it matters how and when. Some days you’ll have to put in more work, and some you won’t - but it all balances out in the end. I have a young family, so I have to be strict about when I set aside time for them. I don’t let work get in the way of life.
There are periods when work gets super busy, it’s inevitable, but those are the times that I’ve learnt the most. You learn the importance of working as a team.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is yourself. If you know a day off would help you feel better the next, you should take it. A mental health day and are sick day are the same thing in my opinion.
What’s next for you?
I’m grateful to have moved into this new position, I've learned a lot but there’s still room for more. That’s always been the way at Sharesies though, new opportunities are always presenting themselves. Upskilling just happens naturally.
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