John Pope

 

I believe that I am able to bring the following skills to a project or working environment:

 

1.                   Understanding of the importance of committing time and responsibility.  During our 2nd year group project, we sketched out a timetable of necessary meetings/milestones and kept to these as much as possible.  We regularly had to meet up during weekends, which turned out to be very productive.

 

2.                   Happy to take the reigns and deal with the associated pressure - 'carpe diem'. 

 

3.                   Good interpersonal/communication skills - happy to discuss issues or chat at any 'level'.  I am currently student proctor to 1st year students and student representative for the 3rd year running.  I have a social ability to get on with most people (even Senior lecturers!).

 

4.                   Just as, if not more productive when I have a responsibility to others as when I have to myself.  I make it a priority to perform as well as I can in all tasks undertaken (and perseverance to see the task through), individual or group - especially in respect of Uni work.  I believe that the result of the 2nd year project (1st degree level) underpins this.

 

5.                   Penchant to motivate others and myself towards achieving a common goal.  Lets not concentrate on ourselves when there is a bigger picture.

 

6.                   Able and happy to offer civilised opinions to appropriate discussion.  During selecting the project team, I had an initial reservation about whether or not it would be a good idea for our group to have the numbers it has in it - this could have been misconstrued to mean that I was unhappy about some member of the team - I wasn't so I brought the point up.

 

7.                   Have the presence of mind to know when to assert myself as 'referee' e.g. so to allow everyone to have their say.

 

8.                   A professional attitude.  No matter what capacity held in I try to keep a professional outlook.  This helps me to focus on whatever I am supposed to be doing.

 

9.                   Able to respond constructively to suggestions for improvement - not afraid of constructive criticism.

 

10.               Everyone should be treated with some degree of respect.  Having had a life experience I believe that you should treat a person you first meet with courtesy and respect.

 

11.               Understanding of various aspects within the computer science domain:

 

  1. Programming languages - I have basic knowledge of the following C, C++, Java, HTML and JavaScript.
  2. Networks - I have technical knowledge of networking with Windows NT Server.  I spent the latter part of my industrial year gaining the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification.
  3. Software Systems design (SSADM and OO) - I have been involved in designing several simple applications from a spelling dictionary supplement to air traffic runway control system (2nd yr project).
  4. Internet technology – I have a great understanding of the workings of the Internet and its various protocols employed.
  5. Computer platforms – I have used the following at varying degrees of detail: MS-DOS Windows 3.1, 95/8, NT and Server, Sun Solaris 7, UNIX, Linux.