Hi Arif, could you start by telling a little bit about yourself?

I’m a self-taught full-stack developer who loves working with React.js. Before accepting the role of junior front-end developer at Indorse, I was a self-employed hairstylist. I did this on and off for 14 years. In between, I’ve held various roles, from food & beverage service assistant to casino croupier, and part-time uber driver.

That’s fascinating! What made you want to start learning ReactJS?

I found myself doing repetitive work in my former jobs and was after more of a challenge.

I took the Web Development Immersive course at General Assembly, which confirmed that I am greatly intrigued by design. I have some experience creating digital paintings and using Photoshop in my own time, which is something of a hobby for me. Therefore, it makes sense that during my GA course I found myself really liking ReactJS.

I started to love what I was creating and it was rewarding at the same time to see the results. This was my first JS framework. JS is fast and I like organising my workflow using the different components and then rendering them within the DOM. Doing this kept me hooked on ReactJS.



During my job search, I found that a lot of companies were looking for developers proficient in ReactJS, which pushed me to work even harder on improving my skills as a React and full-stack developer.

Awesome. How did you build your skills? Which things helped you the most?

I’m mostly self-taught, learning from Youtube, Codecademy, reading Documentations and attending a coding course from General Assembly Singapore. By attending General Assembly, I believe I was able to progress my skills a lot. My learning journey is accelerated by my desire for new knowledge of various technological aspects.

Why are you joining Indorse & what do you hope to achieve?

I see so much potential in Indorse.

I am someone who believes that your formal education should have less bearing on your future than it has done traditionally. Why not focus on the skills and experience acquired as a result of passion and hard work in the real world instead?

Indorse’s vision aligns with mine and has given me an instant solution to an important career issue. It solves the problem faced by anyone who has skills but the lacks the formal paperwork to back this up. I joined Indorse and now I have excellent opportunities to showcase my skills as a software developer.



Another thing that sparked my interest is Indorse’s core usage of ReactJS and the Ethereum blockchain.

Which aspects of ethereum do you find intriguing?

What made ethereum intriguing to me was not only the usage of it as a platform to run smart contracts, but also the ability for development of various applications to be built atop the Ethereum ecosystem, such as dApps — where problems that revolve around centralization and censorship can be further corrected.

Being new to blockchain technology, this has been a whole new realm of knowledge for me and I am eager to expand my knowledge as well!

Finally, what tips do you offer for people looking build their skills?

To quote what my uncle once said

“The difference between others who succeed in life and you is focus, Arif!”

This was the push that made me realized what needed to be done to achieve my goals. I was determined to take on coding and have found an exceptional passion in it, which I greatly believe had been crucial for my progress.

The virtues that have guided me throughout my learning journey are empathy, grit, awareness and focus.