Meet Alex Barkin, a software engineer on the Feed team. Read more to learn about his time at Nextdoor.
Why did you join Nextdoor?
I decided to join Nextdoor after having the chance to intern at Nextdoor, because it truly feels like a company where you can accomplish impactful work, and our users care about the product we’re making. Everyday we get to work on exciting features that help build communities across the world.
What has been one of your favorite projects to work on?
My favorite project to work on would have to be the newly-revamped Chat product here at Nextdoor. Chat is a key facilitator of For Sale & Free transactions, and without a solid product, neighbors had a much harder time performing these deals. While I was interning at Nextdoor I had the chance to make small improvements to our Chat product as a part of the For Sale & Free team, but getting to work on it full time meant we could deliver a lot of new features quickly. During this project I got to lead the web aspect of it and was really pleased to leave a product which I was confident would help users communicate.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Outside of work I love walking and exploring the city of San Francisco. I moved to SF for my role at Nextdoor about a year and a half ago and instantly fell in love with what the city has to offer. I got myself an electric scooter and love riding it up and down Embarcadero on the weekends, always ensuring to stop in to the ferry terminal market to get some warm bread and empanadas. I also love getting out of the city and hiking around Berkeley or other parts of the Bay Area.
Most memorable moment at Nextdoor?
The most memorable moment for me at Nextdoor would definitely be when we turned on the new Chat service to real users. We started by enabling it in Australia, which meant meeting in the office at 7am to flip the proverbial switch; what a way to start a Wednesday morning!
Best career advice?
Always start broad and don’t be afraid to change your focus. I started my internships focusing on data analysis and machine learning, but quickly released I had a passion for developing impactful user experiences that help users engage with the product.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
My favorite place in the world is outdoors – ideally with my friends or family.
How do you like to give back to your local community?
My favorite way to give back to my local community is through mentorship and education. I enjoy helping others gain an understanding of the software engineering field.
Interested in joining #TeamNextdoor? Check out our open roles here!
