Tech & Wellbeing: My Trade Secrets For A Defendable Dev Career

You have the passion, but aren’t sure how to be a successful developer? I have recently been invited to speak on a Tech Talk Podcast, where host Mike interviewed me on my software engineering passion: Dive into my journey of transitioning into the world of coding and C# development and how I made it! From an early interest in programming to overcoming career hurdles, I’m hoping that my story is a motivating example of perseverance and lifelong learning to you. Here are some topics you can look forward to that are being discussed!

Early Programming Interest

My fascination with programming began at a young age when I discovered QBasic on my dad’s Windows 3.1 laptop. I fondly recall coding little personality quizzes for myself and my sister. This early exposure fueled my curiosity in technology.

The Winding Career Path

Although intrigued by computers, I initially studied Industrial Design. However, visa challenges after graduating led me to explore other paths. Among these were contact centers and tech support roles. It was during a tech support position that a manager recognized my development interests. To my surprise, he offered me an opportunity to train as a C# developer from scratch.

Learning and Mastering C#

With the help of a dedicated mentor, I immersed myself in learning C#. I found the language intuitive and powerful, especially for integrating with financial systems in a Windows environment. Years later, I continue to thrive as a C# developer!

…he reached out and said, hey, somebody in our finance team, they want to train a software developer from scratch, whether I would be keen to do that. And that was my opportunity then to get into software development…

Navigating Career Growth

In the podcast I highlight the importance of advocating for yourself and negotiating deserved promotions and raises. I share insights from my experiences at different companies, where I transitioned from tech support to software development roles.

…what you notice in a lot of companies or in the industry is, people don’t often approach you and say, hey, here’s a promotion. So what you often times have to do from yourself is to go to them and say, hey, this is what I’ve done. This is what I’ve achieved. I believe that I’m confident enough to say that I deserve a promotion or I deserve a raise

Continuous Learning and Community

In the ever-changing tech landscape, I cannot stress the need for continuous learning enough. For example, I use resources like online courses, YouTube videos, and most importantly, my professional community of colleagues and mentors for guidance. Speaking of resources that can help you become the successful developer you want to be, have a look at my curated list: 16+ dev blogs I’m following in the new year!

Work-Life Balance Tips

I understand the demands of software engineering and offer easy tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. For instance, indulging in creative hobbies, getting outside for walks, and setting boundaries between work and personal time. For even more tips, you can also have a look at the following article I wrote for Offerzen: https://www.offerzen.com/blog/improve-my-mental-health-and-team-dynamics

…Listen, it’s past six and you’re trying to center a div…

The Future Ahead

Currently working as a back-end developer at Redstor, a cloud backup company, I enjoy focusing on product development in a talented team. Here, my drive and passion for coding continue to motivate my growth in the field.

I hope that my journey is an inspiration for aspiring developers. With determination, faith, skill mastery, and the power of grasping opportunities, anyone will come very far. There are rewarding paths available for women in tech for those willing to learn, adapt and persevere.