Meet the Team: Christine Kim

Tell us about you! (Where are you from, hobbies/interests, things you do outside of work!)

I'm from Maryland and have enjoyed suburban living but somehow ended up in New York. While I miss the grass and fresh air of suburbia, I do enjoy the convenience of the city. I'm usually either out with friends trying new restaurants around the city or staying in with my dog and watching some TV or doing some sort of arts and crafts.

What does a Senior Software Engineer do anyway? How did you get into Engineering?

What you imagine software engineers do—I'm in a dark cave typing away, or, as my parents like to think, I'm someone to call when your phone, internet, or printer isn't working. Jokes aside, my day-to-day consists of writing some code to hopefully improve or fix something existing or implement some new feature for our Going members.

I took a somewhat common path into engineering—a coding boot camp. I initially got my degree in Accounting and worked as an accountant for a couple of years, but I wanted to explore the world of coding/engineering. I applied to some coding boot camps and decided to move to New York to start this new journey. I ended up really enjoying coding, and thankfully, I was good enough to land a job, and now we're here.

What's your favorite thing about your role here at Going?

My favorite thing about being a software engineer at Going is that the ways in which I can help others travel and experience the world are so vast that there are lots of opportunities for me to grow and learn as the company also grows.

I also love getting that insider knowledge from my more experienced co-workers, whether with our travel experts finding deals, using points and miles, or others sharing their travel advice and learnings.

What advice would you give to a candidate interested in working at Going?

Outside of preparing, researching, and figuring out if it is a good fit for you, I recommend coming with an open attitude to learn and grow.

What brought you to Going in the first place? What's your why (why Going?)?

I heard about the job listing through my sister and brother-in-law. I was starting the process of looking at what was out there in the job market, and my sister found out about this job posting from her friend and my now co-worker. I applied since it seemed interesting, but I did not know fully what to expect since I hadn't heard about SCF/Going before. Throughout the interview process, I got to meet many of my amazing co-workers and learned more about Going, which kept drawing me in more and more. By the end of the interview process, I was so excited, and the passion for Going rubbed off on me that I was more than eager to receive an offer.

I enjoy coding and contributing to Going's mission that way, but what really makes Going special is the people I get to interact with and work with. I believe that the people make the experience in any setting, and working with humans who not only care about our members but also each other is what really drew me in and is a big part of my why.

What's your favorite travel destination and why?

Japan—I've wanted to travel to Japan for a while, and when I finally got to visit in the spring of 2024, I fell in love. I went to Tokyo and Kyoto, and the two cities were a good mix of exploring and experiencing part of the Japanese culture. I loved how clean and amazing their transit system is—the contrast to NY was too real. I can go on and on about things I loved because I loved everything about it and can't wait to visit again.

Do you have any hidden talents?

A random hidden talent I have is I'm pretty good at untying knots - like jewelry that knots up I can usually untie it.