A few words about me:
I am a Front End Junior Developer who recently completed a BSc in Neuroscience!
I love to learn and enjoy the feeling of overcoming a challenge.
In my spare time, I like exploring the psychology behind why we think and feel the things we do - the mind is indeed a mystery!
Are there any professional experiences you've had that are quite unexpected compared to what you do nowadays?
As this is my first job, I'd say no. However, the field of tech does feel like a contrast to Neuropsychology!
Moving from academia, which involved a lot of research, paper reading, and I guess one could say more 'formalities', it definitely feels like more of a breather!
Is your background more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or non-STEM related?
STEM (Science)
Where did your professional journey start?
This is my first job after completing a degree in Neuroscience. During my second year, I was very fortunate to have had work experience at Neontribe, the company I am working for now! Through that, I was mentored throughout my third year on some basics which definitely boosted up my confidence and made entering the tech world a lot less daunting!
How did you get into tech and what motivated you?
I started learning Python after my A-levels and I really enjoyed the challenge of learning something new! After a while, I began seeing how vast the world of tech is - from data analysis, through VR, to website development. Interestingly, I also really enjoyed building and designing websites on WIX, but it took me a while to connect the dots haha!
I stumbled upon a charity called Mind of My Own, that allows children to communicate their thoughts and feelings to a carer/teacher/parent in a safe environment. I reached out to them eager to work with the Developers as I thought the charity had an awesome cause! I was then fortunate enough to gain work experience from Neontribe which was super rewarding as I got to learn more about the world of tech, but also see so many amazing projects with great causes come to life!
Have you experienced any 'career in tech' challenges / stereotypes?
So far I haven't experienced any stereotypes - I feel very fortunate to work in a company which has a balance of male and female Developers!
"... I've found that working in tech has given me confidence in my ability to learn."
What you wish you knew before getting started in tech...
I think I would have put less pressure on myself to be 'knowledgable' enough for the job - I've found it to be very much a long term learning experience where you're never going to know it all! There is definitely a huge comfort in that, because it allows you to make mistakes and to grow!
What has been your biggest 'wow!' moment related to working in tech so far?
Given that I've only recently came out of the education, my approach to learning felt very head on. The real 'wow' moment for me was realising how much I can learn on the job, and how things slowly begin to click without you even realising it! While this is by no means discrediting an active approach to learning (which is also valuable), I've found that working in tech has given me confidence in my ability to learn.
What do you like / not like about working in tech?
Tech is great world to work in so far - I enjoy the continuous learning, the challenges, flexibility and I'd say the 'chill' vibes haha!
I do find that working from home can make me a little lazy sometimes, so there is definitely a lot of discipline that needs to be put in place!
"... don't feel pressured to be at a certain 'level' before reaching out! Give it a go, see if it works and along the way you will learn so many things!"
What's been your favourite / most memorable / funniest 'career in tech' moment so far?
There a couple that come to my mind. I will be cheeky and share two haha:
1. Trying to solve a problem in your code, and realising sometimes turning it on and off DOES work haha!
2. Pairing with a fellow colleague to solve a problem like two detectives and eventually getting to the bottom of it feels AWESOME!
And to wrap up, is there any advice you'd like to give to others interested in a career in tech?
I would say reach out to people on LinkedIn or via email! There are people out there who are willing to help you out, so don't feel intimidated if you don't come from a tech background!
I'd also say don't feel pressured to be at a certain 'level' before reaching out! Give it a go, see if it works and along the way you will learn so many things!