✨ Reflecting on My First Few Weeks at WhirlyLabs ✨
Since joining Whirly Labs (Pty) Ltd last month, the experience has been both challenging and rewarding. Working in secure code review alongside our brilliant CTO Fabian, with over 20 years of experience, and Teddy, my insightful and humorous colleague, has been eye-opening. They’ve been patient and supportive as I navigated this new role, which has made a huge difference.
One thing that’s both exciting and daunting is the nature of the work itself. Even when a client provides thorough documentation about their system, it doesn’t always translate directly into how the code behaves. Fabian will often divide up sections of the project between us - Teddy, himself, and I - and we’re tasked with diving into the codebase to figure things out. It’s like being handed a puzzle without the picture on the box. At first, it can be overwhelming, but over time, I’ve learned to enjoy the challenge of piecing everything together.
When I do get stuck, Fabian and Teddy are always ready to offer guidance and steer me in the right direction, which has been invaluable. That said, the freedom to figure things out on my own has been an incredible learning experience.
Of course, I’ve had my share of facepalm moments too. Recently, I spent hours trying to track down a specific piece of code. After writing a script to locate the file on the server, I proudly shared my progress with Fabian - only for him to send me the GitHub link to the publicly available library I’d been searching for! 🤦♂️ Lesson learned: external libraries are a thing, and sometimes you get tunnel vision when deep in the code. Having a team that collaborates is key in those moments; they can help you see the bigger picture when you get stuck in the details.
I’m also honing my report-writing skills, which is just as important as finding the bugs. Communicating vulnerabilities clearly and concisely helps developers easily understand and fix the issues.
One of the most fulfilling moments so far came during my first project, where I identified vulnerabilities that made it into the final report. Knowing that my contributions had a direct impact made me feel valued from day one.
What surprised me the most was how much I enjoyed the team dynamic. I’ve always been more of a lone wolf, but working with Fabian and Teddy has completely shifted my perspective. Their expertise and mentorship have accelerated my learning, and I’ve even been able to share some of my insights along the way.
Plus, I’ve found a home for my tech humour! I love making jokes about programming and tech, but until now, I haven’t found many people who "got it". My team here totally resonates with it, and we’ve even started sharing programming memes that we all laugh at together. It feels great to be part of a team where I can be myself, share laughs, and geek out at the same time.
#cybersecurity #securecodereview #teamwork #vulnerabilityassessment #programminghumor
Senior Manager - HR at Universal Technological Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
7moHappy Work Anniversary Ankit.