Justin's Portfolio

I love to work in the flow state, when I'm in this state of mind, my ability to get work done increases tenfold. If I throw on my headphones to tune you out, I have nothing against you. I just wanna make sure we get the job done.
I separate work into two primary sections, discussion/high-level and deep-work/low-level. When I'm discussing, I'm open to throwing ideas around, conversing with teammates on problems that need to be solved; On the other hand, when focused on deep work, I'm less talkative as I'm thinking a lot more (the voice inside my head is busy fixing the task at hand)
I don't mix discussion work and deep work. Ie. setting up a team meeting just to program for 2 hours sounds like a waste of time, cause then the productivity in both these aspects go down. So I try my best to separate them to maximize my time and the time of my teammates.
When I leave a task for a while, it doesn't mean I've given up on it, I just need a break to recharge. I'm still thinking about the problem, college has taught me that sometimes you are more productive when you don't actively focus on the problem and instead just let it tinker in the back of the brain. 🧠
I set huge expectations for myself, even if I don't expect the same for others. I'm always willing to over-deliver (especially if I'm passionate about it). I remember this time when my grade 10 math teacher asked everyone about what grade you're aiming for in the class. I answered as high as possible like if I can get a 120%, that's what I'm aiming for. I just don't understand why someone would aim for less than perfect. 👌
I pride myself on my open-mindedness, I'm open to small to radical suggestions for work (especially best practices lol). I always tell myself, if someone is thinking a certain way and I'm not, it doesn't mean that they are wrong, it just means that I'm failing to see something.
During discussion work, I'm a big fan of visuals, so pull out the whiteboards and sticky notes! 📝
I make a concerted effort to be inclusive of teammates during discussions, when a teammate feels left out, I feel the same. Group cohesiveness in my opinion is one of the most important aspects of working in a strong team.
I work best when I'm in a clean environment. My environment dictates my habits, which dictates my quality of work.

I definitely value consistency over everything else. All goals and battles are won with consistency, to me, having a teammate who is consistent says a lot about their character.
I value teammates that I can depend on. This means they can meet deadlines and follow through with what you say you're going to. And if they can't follow through, being able to reliably communicate is important.
I like teammates who can communicate their intentions, and why they are doing said action. Not only in terms of the project, but also with their schedule. 🗣
I place in high regard pro-active teammates, a member who can take initiative, even when it is uncomfortable.
I respect goal-oriented co-workers, being able to focus on the input goals instead of output goals and work on the underlying problem instead of any issues that arise. 🎯
I value teammates who are attentive and inclusive of everyone, someone who helps out the one left out, 'the little guy', it makes me respect them so much more. People like that are so cool. 🙂

Traits that I value in friends: Good Morals, Honesty, Open-mindedness
I value friends who are open about their situation, if they are struggling, I want to know about it or at least be aware of it. 🤗
I appreciate friends who are aren't afraid to get real, cause otherwise, are you really friends?
I find worth in friends who know when to have fun and how to have fun. Being someone who can read the situation is a very important to me.
I value friends who bring new perspective to my life. If I have a troubling situation, I would rather be challenged (playing devil's advocate) than have a friend who always agrees with everything.
I don't expect a friend to be the upmost loyal, I understand that you have a life too, no one is the protagonist. But I do expect you to value our friendship to some degree. We're partner to partner, not leader to follower.
I respect friends who tell me if I'm being stupid. 🤪
I admire friends who access a situation and form an opinion without being influenced by others, even if that opinion goes against everyone else.

I can't stand people who don't own up to their mistakes, and always find some reason to blame it on another person or factor. Owning up to your mistakes doesn't make you inperfect, you're still learning, and so is everyone else. 🙂
I get disappointed by people who identify themselves as self-proclaimed experts. Or brag about how good they are. Good people don't brag about how good they are. They do the work and let the result do the talking. If you do a good job, opportunities will come searching for you.
I will always give someone second or third chances. But if you fail to communicate your situation, then you might lose your credibility with me.
I have trouble tolerating people who fail to accept change. People want progress, but don't want change, it just boggles my mind. 😕
This isn't something that I don't have patience for, but I just don't understand Tiktok trends and dances, am I getting old?

I'm not indecisive, I often won't initally take a stance on any side, even when one side seems correct. I always want to get the full picture of the situation before taking any decisive stance. I'm very thorough, not indecisive. 🤓
I have a tendency to be very blunt, I don't mean to be rude, I just want to get to the point. I don't like to beat around the bush, I like to get to the point. I'm not trying to be rude, I just want to be efficient. 🤷‍♂️
I often analyze people and situations, I don't mean to be creepy or intrusive, I just want to understand why people do what they do. I'm just curious. 🤔
My opinions are very strong, but I never take any disagreement personally and tie them to my identity. If your reasoning is valid, I am always open to change. 'Strong opinions loosely held'.
I'm an introvert who loves to be social 👋, but only when I believe the time calls for it. Don't confuse my tendency to work on my own with trying to be distant. I just know how I need to work to get things done.
Quote: You can never fully understand a person, we aren't psychics, the only way to clear up any misunderstanding is to start talking to them.

If there is something you think I can do to improve, please let me know, I wouldn't like to fall into confirmation bias. I can be bribed with tea or hikes. 🙂
Initiating a heavy chat or project immediately is something I would prefer to avoid, giving me at least a day's notice would be best, so when the time comes, I am prepared physically and mentally to tackle it with all my effort.
I'm a big softy for personal talks, so don't be afraid to jump into the deep end. (though not when I'm doing work-related discussions)
If we are talking and I ask bizarre/deep questions, it just means that I'm comfortable and enjoying your company.
I'm that guy that searches up 'Small Talk Examples' & 'How to start a conversation', so if you're worried about an awkward conversation, don't worry so am I, you'll be fine. 😛
Tell me when you disagree with me, just be prepared to defend yourself. 99.99% of the time, I'll be open and able to compromise.
I'm alright with events/work being delayed once or twice, just please communicate; Conversations are a two-way street.

Justin Zhang

ML/Infra Software Engineer

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