Güney Kayım

Backend Engineer at WhatsApp living in the UK

Issue #459 November 21, 2024

About

Güney Kayım is currently a Backend Engineer at WhatsApp . He has 15+ years of experience in the industry as a software and a research engineer. He also has experience in managing a team for a little bit over 2 years now.

After working in Turkey for ~7 years in various companies including startups (e.g. Vistek ISRA Vision) and corporations (e.g. MasterCard), he relocated to the UK in 2015. After working at Arm Ltd. as a Principal Computer Vision Architect, he joined Facebook (now Meta) in London in January 2021 as a Software Engineer.

Photos

7 images

Gear

21 items

Computer 16" MacBook Pro, 2021, M1 Max

Monitor 32" Dell P3222QE Display

Monitor iLoud Micro Monitor Speaker Buy

Keyboard MX Mechanical Mini Keyboard Buy

Mouse Apple Magic Trackpad Buy

Laptop Stand BoYata Laptop Stand Buy

Lighting BenQ ScreenBar Halo Buy

Accessories Elgato Wave Mic Arm Buy

Microphone HyperX QuadCast S Mic Buy

Webcam Logitech Brio 4k Webcam Buy

Accessories Gameboy Frame Buy

Software MAIDeSITe Height Adjustable Electric Standing Desk Frame Buy

Accessories IKEA Table top VÄSTANBY (Discontinued product) 170x78x5 cm

Accessories 3D printed figures

Accessories Albert Einstein statue Buy

Accessories 3D printed printed Marshall pencil holder Buy

Accessories Lego Bonsai Tree

Chair Herman Miller Aeron Buy

Accessories Strongology MOTIONIC Treadmill Buy

Accessories The predominant programming language I use lately is Erlang

Accessories Metamate (our internal LLM)

Interview

5 questions

› What is the most recent item that you've added to your workspace?

Treadmill :) The first piece of this setup is the Herman Miller Aeron chair - in other words, it is the only remaining item from my first WFH setup I built during COVID.

› Tools & Software

This is a tough one. I don't think I do anything special for that. I only try to do my best, don't try to cut corners, ask for help when I need and be thankful for the things I have in life. This keeps me motivated most of the time and I think creativity just comes along with it.

› How do you spark creativity?

› What does your typical day look like?

I start working around 9:00, with the first coffee of the day. Work until 12:30, then have lunch and come back to my office around 13:30 with the second and last coffee of the day. 2-3 hours, take a 1-1.5 hour break and work another ~2 hours (sometimes after 17:00, sometimes after 21:00)

› Why do you enjoy or appreciate most about remote work?

I have many reasons :)1. I get to spend more time with my family, drop my kid to school and pick up from school2. I can get very flexible with my working hours, if I need to do some house work during the day I can do it and I can work in the evening. This is completely up to me.3. I have an office in my garden, so my commute is ~15 seconds and I can get fresh air whenever I need it easily. When it's summer time, I can take my laptop out and work in the garden while I'm on my hammock.