Charlie Kroon

Hi 👋, I’m Charlie! I am a Fullstack Software Engineer on the Security Insights team at GitLab. As a teenager, I thought I’d become a journalist, a writer, or work at a fashion magazine. I’ve done all of these, but they weren’t as fun as I expected. That’s why I decided to switch careers in 2020.

I really enjoy travelling. My favourite places I've travelled to so far: Hawaii, the Algarve (Portugal) and Patagonia (Argentina). In my free time I enjoy running, working out, being outdoors, meeting up with friends, knitting and learning new things.

📝 How I work

• I use GitLab To-Do, so feel free to ping me on MR's or Issues.
• I check Slack and email throughout the day, but when I’m in deep work, I snooze Slack notifications to stay focused.
• I enjoy working with others, sharing knowledge, and brainstorming solutions. If you’re interested in pairing or want to talk through an issue, feel free to reach out!
• I believe there’s no such thing as overcommunication. Regardless of someone’s experience, I always assume they might not have full context. For this reason, I try explain even the most obvious details to ensure we’re aligned and nothing gets overlooked.
• One of my favorite values is: Always assume positive intent.

👩‍💻 How I work best

I have ADHD, and while I’ve learned to manage it well, it still shows up in my work sometimes. Here’s what helps me stay focused and effective:

• It takes more effort for me to read through big walls of long text. Concise communication, like bullet points, summaries, or visuals, helps me process information faster.
• I may miss obvious details occasionally. If you notice this, a quick clarification or follow-up is always welcome.
• Switching between different tasks can be challenging. Having a bit of buffer time helps me transition more smoothly.
• Starting large or complex tasks can feel overwhelming. For this reason, you might see me often sum things up or break bigger tasks into smaller parts.
• I focus best when I can stay in one context at a time, so I usually batch similar tasks (like code reviews or documentation) to minimize switching.
• Asynchronous communication works well for me, as it gives me time to think and respond thoughtfully.
• I sometimes find it harder to express my thoughts clearly in calls, which can make me sound a bit unsure. If that happens, feel free to let me know — I’m always happy to rephrase or follow up in writing.
• During calls or meetings, I usually write down instructions and double-check afterward to ensure I’ve understood them correctly.