Our Engineering team works hard every day to build the very best software to help address the multi-billion dollar global problem of retail crime. Sam joined our team in 2021 and he shares here what the interview process was like, how his first 30 days went and what has surprised him the most about working at Auror.

Hi Sam, please introduce yourself!

Kia ora! I’m Sam, a Software Engineer here at Auror and I joined in June 2021. 

What initially drew you to Auror?

I was looking for a smaller product-based SaaS company that had a modern tech stack and also a product that I could believe in as making a difference in the world. Luckily I was in a position to take the time to find the perfect fit for me, so I could focus on things that I value, which are:

• NZ-based/founded: I love the idea of smaller NZ companies taking on the world and I think the scalability of a SaaS product is perfect for this.
• Small-medium size: I wanted a balance between feeling like the work I do makes a difference, but also feeling like I was completely supported in my growth as a developer.
• Product-based SaaS: To me, this perfectly ties the previous two points together, allowing a smaller group of people to scale up and deliver a global impact.
  

Auror was the right size with a high talent density where I would be able to do meaningful work while also being supported. 

We have a fairly intense process from application stage through to the final job offer - how did you find the experience?

Looking back on the interview process really demonstrates how Auror lives its guiding principles, in particular “Be Deliberate”. While it took a number of weeks to go from initial application to offer (Easter and other holidays were also a factor), I could really appreciate each step of the process and what we were both learning about each other. I learnt a lot throughout the process and felt like it had been a great investment of my time, regardless of whether or not I received an offer. The thorough process also gave me confidence that if I didn’t receive an offer, it would be backed with valid reasons and feedback I could learn from.

How was your first week?

Joining previous companies I was used to the first few days being an absolute blur of new faces and being introduced to people whose names I couldn’t remember 30 seconds later. Auror was completely different in that I’d already met around 10 people throughout the interview process and these were familiar faces on my first day, which made a huge difference. 

During our first week, we’re solely focused on learning about the company and the people in it. As a developer I can’t say I know much about Marketing, Customer Success (CS) or how to even go about selling Auror as a product. So I loved having the first week to better understand all of the moving pieces and how they fit together.

Everything being so meticulously planned meant my first week was actually very relaxing (once I resigned myself to the fact I wouldn’t be writing any code yet!). Because the onboarding process was so thorough, I got to start with a group of other new people. These people quickly became my friends as I spent lots of time with them in different sessions getting to know the company and the different teams. For me it was great to have these people who you know are on the same journey.

So when did you get to start coding?

In my second week I started working on some “good first tickets”, small improvements hand-picked by our product team, that allowed me to get exposure to the development process and codebase while not feeling intimidated about the size of the work. Most importantly, throughout these first tickets there was no time pressure and I was encouraged to take as much time as possible to learn the process, be deliberate and seek perspectives from other team members. These tickets often also fell into the “quick win” category so made for some happy CS team members and introductory chats.

What was a highlight of your first 30 days?

The highlight of my first 30 days was getting to know everyone at Auror, not just developers and product squad members, but also members of the customer team. Because of the first tickets I was able to deliver meaningful changes across the entire platform and get a tasting platter of what it was like to work on the Auror product. Not long after I joined we also had a quarterly event with some of the team from Melbourne, and it was awesome getting to know everyone in a more social environment (a distant memory now we’re in lockdown).

What is something that has surprised you about joining Auror?

I think the main thing that surprised me about working at Auror was everything was as good as it seemed during the interview process. Perhaps this is a bit cynical, but I found the interview process and image of the company so amazing that I was almost nervous that “the real thing” wouldn’t add up to that. I quickly realised that the authenticity and enthusiasm everyone brought to work was the real deal.

How does Auror help you to do your best work?

Since joining Auror, I’ve never once felt like there has been anything holding me back from doing my best work.

All the little things that make your day-to-day life easier are there and there’s a focus on enabling each person to do their best work, whatever that looks like for each individual (I even got to choose between Windows and Mac!). For me as a motorcycle rider, sometimes I don’t want to ride into the office in torrential rain. And that’s completely fine, I can work from home instead. The flexibility of working has been awesome even down to a walk around the block to clear your head of code during the day.

As a developer, it’s apparent how much thought and effort has gone into making sure we have the best tools possible. Auror has absolutely been optimised for developer experience and it’s something I’m extremely grateful for. Without giving too much fun stuff away, we have some amazing automation, integrations and logs that make otherwise hard jobs reasonably easy.

Do you have any advice or tips for others who want to work at Auror?

The process is awesome and is designed so you can be yourself, so don’t stress about whether you have enough years of experience or have worked on the right tech stack.