Today’s “Meet the Trulian” features an iOS developer for our Premier Agent Application, Anastasia Blodgett. Anastasia was the first engineer hired straight out of college at Trulia and was a huge advocate for Trulia’s existing internship program. Read on to learn more about Anastasia and how she got into her current role.
What’s your role at Trulia?
I’m currently an iOS developer working on our Premier Agent Application, which is a platform tool for real estate agents. Previously, I was a full-stack engineer for Trulia, working on Trulia’s business services, which focused on real estate agent tools.
What inspired you to get into your role?
I have always been inspired by new technology and consumer experiences. Mobile is one of the fastest growing platforms that continuously revolutionizes our lives, and it’s exciting to be able to build mobile products that help satisfy consumer needs.
I am Trulia’s first engineer that was hired directly out of college. At that time, Trulia was hiring mostly senior engineers or engineers with previous work experience. It was an exciting opportunity for me – when I joined, I was one of the youngest and one of the first female engineers. I took it as an opportunity to advocate for young talent and their innovative approach to design, marketing, business, etc., promote the recruiting opportunities that can be found on college campuses, and encourage an internship program. As a result, Trulia has built a very successful internship program, hiring a dozen or so interns each summer.
What was your dream job growing up and why?
I wanted to be an international flight attendant so I could travel the world and meet different people, while also learning a lot and making money. Growing up in the Soviet Union, I wasn’t exposed to nearly as much diversity as I am here in the U.S., so I’ve always been fascinated by people who can speak different languages.
If you could have drinks with one tech luminary – dead or alive – whom would it be and why? And, what would your first question be?
Elon Musk. In my opinion, he’s a genius. He proves that nothing is impossible if you have a passion and belief. I would ask him what he envisions the world to be in 10, 20, and 100 years, and if he had a daughter, would he influence her to join the engineering world.
What’s the one gadget or personal tech item you cannot live without and why?
Google Glass. I wake up and put it on right away and take it off only when I’m going to sleep. Just kidding. My phone is my alarm, my main source of communication, my event reminder, note taker, camera, book, health and exercise tracker, my entertainer, developer’s test environment, and so much more. So, I’d say it’s the one device I couldn’t live without.
What was the last movie you saw or book you read and what – if anything – would you change about the ending?
Lately, I’ve been reading mostly educational, self-motivational, or psychological books, like “The Odd Girls Out” and “Positive Intelligence.” However, a few weeks ago I watched the movie “Bridge of Spies” and I found it had a surprisingly dry and boring ending. The story itself is interesting, but the production lacked the excitement of the exchange of the spies, so I would change the ending to somehow make it a little more intense.
What’s your proudest accomplishment and why?
Graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in computer science while also being a mom of a two-year-old. I moved to the U.S. 10 years ago by myself and three-and-a-half years later, I was accepted into Berkeley.
If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
Reading people’s minds. I believe the key to any successful relationship is communication. There are so many instances where relationships, businesses, etc., fall apart simply because of a lack of communication. Knowing explicitly what people’s intentions are would reduce a lot of worries, stresses, and concerns.
If you could time travel, would you go into the future or past and why?
I would definitely go into the future. I wouldn’t really want to see my personal future, but would love to get a glimpse at the future of technology, politics, and the economy of the world. Specifically, I would want to see how we use technology to solve environmental, health, and economic problems.
