When you've worked towards a goal in the past, what systems or tools have been helpful for you in accomplishing that goal? How could you adapt those same systems/tools to use while at Turing?
I benefit greatly from discussion with other people. The opportunity to talk through what I'm learning, bounce questions off people and restate content in my owns words helps me internalize. While I can't do this in person, I should always be open to relying on slack channels to get community support. Once I get in the flow of Turing I may try to set up some kind of regular video hang out with folks simply to create a feeling of being on a team.
As you start this new career, what is one of your strengths and how do you know?
I am a quick study. I know this because I have needed to learn new often times fairly complex tools for my previous work with the start of each new project. I have often needed to become the local expert on technical matters or bespoke topics so that I can offer direction to a wider team. I'm generally good and researching and synthesizing information or skills.
Describe how you work best (conditions, environment, preferences, etc.):
I like to work in an open space where I can walk around when I feel the urge. I also like to talk outloud while working on tough problems, which sometimes requires privacy to ensure I'm not bugging other folks. Focus is hard for me so I usually need a period of mental warm up before successfully starting to work. That being said, I usually work quickly once I get past my initial slow start. Time pressure, such as the pomodoro method, are very effective for me.
As you start this new career, what is your greatest area of improvement when it comes to your professional skills?
Focus and discipline. I'm always working on many different personal projects and sometimes they are too alluring in the face of less gratifying work. I tend to save the least enjoyable tasks for the end of my to do list, which causes me to dread them and thus allow myself to become distracted. Ultimately, developing a strongest sense of discipline will go a long way to improve my focus.
How will developing a deeper understanding of your strengths and working preferences benefit you as a software developer?
My decision to change careers and invest in gaining these new skills is motivated by a desire to find work that is more true to my desires. I'm hoping to use this time to better understand my strengths and preferences so that I can enter the world of software development with more clarity about who I am and what I want in my profressional life.
Describe the vision you currently have for your career after Turing:
I want to work in a collaborative environment with progress-minded people who create engaging experiences meant to uplift others in a meaningful way. I want to have the chance to iterate on my work so that what I make is the best that it can be. I want the ability to work from home, when necessary while maintaining a communal working experience. I want to use technology to topple the discriminatory hierarchies of patriarchy, white supremacy, and capitalism.
Week 1: Week 1 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here (remember to reflect on what you have control over, what you want to try differently this week, and what habits you can utilize to get back on track):
- Describe one of your strengths
- What is something you have learned to do well (list a skill)?
- I can create and deliver an engaging powerpoint presentation.
- What is something you know about (list some knowledge/expertise you have)?
- _I know how to order and prioritize information for an audience.
- What is something you have a natural ability to do well (list a talent)?
- I have a talent for synthesizing and finding connections between disperate concepts. I'm a big picture thinker.
- How could you combine these to describe a specific strength?
Strength: Concept Creation. The ability to make a mock up of software that demonstrates the intended experience and calls out potential pitfalls and risks.
- Read through your Top 4 results from Pairin
- In your own words, what do these top 4 qualities tell you about yourself?
I am a sensitive, big picture thinker who looks for the beauty and meaning wherever it can be found. I tend to be hard on myself and take on more than I actually want while also appreciating and relying on others for support. - Do they resonate with you? Why/why not?
In general they align my own perception of myself with a few noteworthy exceptions. While I am sensitive and secretly an introvert, I am showy and loud in certain situations. I have always want to consider myself cool and collected but I tend to pop after suppressing my feelings rather than redirecting my impulses towards higher ends. - How do they relate to the strength you wrote about in Prompt #1?
My conceptual thinking and love of transcendence make me good at identifing the core of an experience and remaining focused on that core throughout the development of a project. My general enthusiam mixed with my search for meaning gives me an edge when developing and presenting compelling concepts.
- Challenges with strengths.
- What can make it challenging to recognize your strengths? How can you work through those challenges?
I'm extrinsically motivated and also hard on myself. This can lead to resentment when I don't get the validation that I seek and create roadblocks that prevent me from relying on mysely for motivatation and validation. Taking time to remind myself of strengths by reflecting on my accomplishments helps as does seeking validation from trusted loved ones.. - Do you ever see yourself overusing certain strengths? In what circumstances would you want to use them less and amplify other strengths? How could you adjust your approach in those instances?
YES! I often use my insight and intuition to avoid the need for displice and focus. A clever response in a meeting (and my priviledge as a white, cis-gendered man) can go a long way towards convincing others of my value without actually delivering real value. As I start coding, I need to rely on my joy of 'nerding out' to encourage me to be disciplined.
- Strengths in action
- Write 1-2 sentences describing how you like to work (i.e., Do you pre-plan? Do you talk through your ideas first? Do you work better with deadlines? How do you stay organized?
I like to do just enough planning to subvert anxiety while staying flexible enough to adjust to challenges, changes and other roadblocks. Thinking out loud helps me find clarity in my cluttered mind. The pressure of deadlines mixed with regular breaks helps me balance. I use a paper planner to track tasks because it is limited (unlike a computer task list) and gratifying when you cross something off a list. - How could you describe these working preferences to your project teammates? Your mentor? Your instructors?
Honestly, I would use my answer to the question above and elaborate on the value of talking through challenges. Having someone to bounce ideas off of is really helpful. - What would you need to be aware of when working with people who have different strengths from you?
As an emotional faux-extrovert who thinks out loud, I have inadvertently created challenging environments for others who don't work like me. Knowing who works like my and who DOES NOT work like me allows me to motify my approach to suit the team. Understanding others' strengths also helps myself and others find a comfortable role in a team setting. - How could your Pairin results help you better understand your everyday working preferences?
The Pairin results encourages personal relfection and understanding by challening my preconceived notions and/or affirming my cherished qualities.
- Continued growth
- Is there any particular strength you'd like to sharpen while you're at Turing? Any area you consider a weakness that you'd like to strengthen?
I want to sharpen my ability to focus. The flexibility of working freelance for the past few years has left me with less discipline and less practice managing time than I am comfortable with. - What are some steps you could take here?
Use external timing tools such as pomodoro. Schedule 'on' time and 'off' time. Be inspired by my cohorts' successess. - How could you be aware of progress you're making?
Taking time to relfect on my growth with my partner, friends and family.
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 2: Week 2 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
- Power of self-reflection
- What is challenging about self-reflection? Self-reflection requires honest reflection on both our strength and weakness. Confronting our internal struggles take emotional labor.
- How can you continue to build the habit of self-reflection at Turing?
By making self-reflection a regular part of my daily routine.
- Social identity mapping
First, create you own social identity map on a piece of paper (or print this out):
- Outer ring: write words that describe your given identity white, cis-gender male, tall, thin, brother, son, uncle
- Middle ring: list aspects of your chosen identity musician, gamer, partner, socialist, anti-capitalist, cook, friend, creator/maker, dog-person
- Center: write your core attributes—traits, behaviors, beliefs, values, characteristics, and skills that you think make you unique as an individual. Select things that are enduring and key to who you are. passionate, compassionate, intuition-driven, extrinsically motivated, justice-minded
After you complete your map:
- Underline the items that are important to you
brother, son, uncle, partner, musician, gamer, anti-caplistist, creator, passionate, compassionate - Put a + beside the items that you believe clearly demonstrate that you fit into the tech industry
Creator, passionate - Put a - beside the items that you believe do not demonstrate that you fit into the tech industry
intuition-driven, extrinsically motivated, anit-capitalist - Put a ? beside the items that you're unsure how they could show your ability to contribute to the tech industry
dog-person, cook
Reflect:
- What does your social identity tell you about what you already bring to the tech industry? I bring creativity and excitement mixed with experience frequently adopting new tools/techniques.
- What would it look like for some of your minuses or question marks to turn into pluses? In other words, how could some of these traits be assets for the tech industry? I could use combine by drivers and political stance with technical skills and help create positive social change.
- Values mapping Pull out 5 values for each bullet below from this list:
- Always valued: Creativity, sensitivity, integrity, encouragement, justice
- Often valued: caring, accountability, self-expression, optimism, enlightment
- Sometimes valued: trust, leadership, openness, self-esteem, confidence
- Seldom valued: making money, temperance, winning, wealth,faith
Reflect:
- What do these values tell you about yourself? I struggle with my worth and lack trust in my abilities while also relying on my intuition. I want to work with a team but don't seek out positions of power. I place a higher value on purpose and mission than I do on money.
- Workview & Lifeview
- Summarize what good, worthwhile work means to you (Tip: this is NOT about what work you want to do but about why work matters to you): creating things, being on a team, having moments to shine, bringing joy to others' lives
- Lifeview: summarize what you value in life; what matters to you? being loved and accepted as a whole person, seeking justice for others, finding peace in myself, growing my ability for compassion
- Where do your views on work and life complement each other? My life is guided by purpose and creativity and motived by people.
- Where do they clash? Work triggers my extrinct movitation in ways that can be toxic to my life and happiness.
- Does one drive the other? How? My lifeview drives my workview with the exception of my interest in creating things. This is primarily because I strive to define myself outside of my paid work and find most of my satisfaction through my relationships and hobbies.
Week 3: Week 3 Prompts
Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Habits of a Software Developer
What do you think are the traits of a good software developer? What are they like in the workplace? What would you as a co-worker think of this person?
Software developers are open to trying to new things and resilient in the face of challenge. They are able to work on individual tasks while utlizing the resource of their colleagues. I would love to work with someone who embodies these traits.
What are the habits that this person demonstrates to embody the identity of a software developer?
Seeking help when they are stuck. Taking time to follow best practices. Taking breaks when productivity slows down. Pushing through frustrations. Doing indepentant research to improve their skills and knowledge.
Who do you want to be as a software developer? What kind of behaviors do you already have in place to be that person? What behaviors would you need to put into place? How will you do that?
I want to laugh in the face of failure and find joy in struggle. I like to use a pomodoro timer and take time each day for my meditation practice but these are much easier when I am feeling good about my work. Pushing myself to rely on those techniques when I'm struggling would help expand their usefulness.
Working on the 1st Law of Behavior Change: Make it Obvious
Bring self-awareness to your current habits by making a Habits Scorecard. Make a list of your daily habits (examples: wake up, turn off alarm, check phone, etc.) as a way to bring awareness to what you do. Then, decide how effective that habit is for you and your goal of becoming a software developer. Put a + next to habits that are effective; put a - next to habits that are not effective; put a = next to habits that are neutral.
- Check news in the morning -
- Make time to sit most days +
- Code practice in the morning +
- Double down when I feel stuck -
- Taking regular breaks +
- Get dressed every moring, regardless of appointments or responsiblilies +
- Take Blue for at least 1 walk every day +
- Make a long to do list -
Pick 1 new habit you’d like to build and create an implementation intention following this template: “I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].” Then, stack the habit onto something you already do: “After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].” (Hint: make this highly specific and immediately actionable)
I will make coffee first thing after then dress and brushed. I will sit in the morning in the living room after finishing my first cup of coffee.
Design your environment for success: what changes could you make in your space to better implement your habit? How could you remove any triggers for bad habits? How will you implement these changes?
I will set some limits regarding when I can access certain apps on my phone to prevent me from diving into the news first thing in the morning. I will put my phone behind me (not on my desk) when I'm working.
Respond after a few days of this implementation: What are your results? How do you feel about this method? How will you move forward with this habit?
While I'm still plagued by my morning news habits, the addition of meditation after coffee has been a big success, which I plan to continue.
Week 4: Week 4 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here (remember to reflect on what you have control over, what you want to try differently this week, and what habits you can utilize to get back on track):
- Habits Reflection:
- How have you seen yourself become more aware of your habits? Have you tried implementing anything new? What have the results been?
*_ The pomodoro technique works well for me. Small incremental breaks make a world of difference when dealing with big, ongoing challenge._
- Start Where You Are (Empathize with the user -- you)
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Health: how you answer “how are you”; intersection of physical, mental, and emotional health
- How would you rate your overall health on a scale of 1-5? How do you currently make time for activities associated with your health? What is a small change you could make here to readjust your health ratings?
- 3.5
- My partner and I take a long walk or hike most weekends. I schedule time to play games with my friends. I play guitar during my poms.
- Stay commited to my meditation practice. Learn to appreciate my growth and achievement during my moments of struggle.
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Work: what you do
- Make a short list of all the ways you work right now; How much value do each of those things bring to your life? How are those activities purposeful for you?
- Learning to code: This is primary work at this time. It is a chance to change my career and create engaging experiences.
- Chores: It feels good to do chores.
- Create RPG content: I try to make time for this when possible but it is not a priority. It is a creative outlet that feels particularly engaging to me because it is novel and I have some experience and talent that helps me succeed. They are a chance from me to create something entirely on my own.
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Play: what brings you joy? Think about joy just for the pure sake of doing it; everyone benefits from this kind of play
- What activities do you do that bring you joy throughout an average week? In what ways could you make a small change to bring more joy into your life?
- Play with my doggie
- Cook meals for me and my partner
- Play games by myself and with friends
- Play my dad's guitar
- Scheduling these and holding to that schedule can help me maximize by joy time.
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Love: sense of connection; who are the people who matter in your life and how is love flowing to and from you and them?
- How does love currently show up in your life? How do you show love to others right now? What adjustments would you like to make in this area?
- My partner expresses love for me daily
- I regularly talk with friends and family
- I cuddle my doggie
- I show love my listening and validating
- I want to get better at buffering my partner from the frustrations of Turing
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Looking back at the 4 areas, do any problems emerge that you want to begin designing solutions for?
Managing my time and personal expectations is a regular challenge.
- Define your needs, problem, and insights:
Based on what you wrote about above and your group conversation, what problems have you identified that you'd like to design solutions for? What do you already about what you want for your career? What do you still need to find out? Who or what do you want to grow into by the end of the Turing program?
- I want to grow my capacity for struggle. Ongoing challenge sometimes erodes my confidence but I want to reframe my struggle to see it as part of the process instead of evidence of failure.
- Ideate -- challenge assumptions
When you discussed software developers with your small group on Monday, what assumptions came up about what software developers actually do? What steps could you take to challenge those assumptions and find more facts to answer the question of what developers do? In addition to what a typical software developer life could look like, what do you want yours to include?
The best way to challenge assumptions is find evidence to subvert or support it. The place to get this evidence is from software developers themselves. To that end, I want to continue seeking out input from friends and friends of friends who work in the field. I want my life as a software developer to include balance, support, joy and creative opportunity.
- Prototype -- start creating solutions
What is the basic threshold that your new career must meet after Turing? What would you hope WILL NOT happen in your future after Turing? What is your absolute, no-holds-barred, ideal dream for your future after Turing?
It must provide me with reasonable working hours and appropriate pay. I hope it doesn't require me to work for a company who does not share my politcal and moral values. My ideal dream would be to use my skills to create imaginative interative experiences beyond the realm of web development.
- Test –- solutions
Based on this week of reflections, write out your initial vision statement for your career:
My career will reflect my values of justice, empathy and compassion. I will use my skills and understanding to create engaging experiences that bring joy, expand awareness and empower people to improve lives. My career has creating museum exhibits has prepared me with an understanding of complicated production process mixed with a refined intuition for user experiences. This combined with my drive to help dismantle the social and economic injustices endemic to our country will define my career and the impact that it brings to the world.
Week 5: Week 5 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here (remember to reflect on what you have control over, what you want to try differently this week, and what habits you can utilize to get back on track):
- Habits Reflection:
- How have you seen yourself become more aware of your habits? Have you tried implementing anything new? What have the results been?
The pomodoro technique works well for me. Small incremental breaks make a world of difference when dealing with big, ongoing challenge.
- Design Thinking Reflection: Cultivating Beginner's Mind
- How can beginner's mind be helpful when it comes to thinking about your career and job search? What are some habits you could put into place to cultivate beginner's mind regularly?
It can be easy to assume things about the tech industry. Beginner's mind will helpful subvery this by encouraging me to ask a question rather than make an assumption. I'd like to schedule a small slice of time every week to 2 weeks to right down a few questions related to my upcoming job search. This will help transition my mind to a perspective of curiosity.
Optional additional reading: How to Cultivate Beginner's Mind to Become a True Expert
- Go through the Flower Exercise brainstorming worksheets linked here. Then complete your Flower Exercise final worksheet here and link that finished worksheet here. Draft: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BXTpPwrG_xRuCAheWQdTbQWuzJ-ykgv5rVaLfyRjT6Y/edit
Final: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1moEK7yNAyPkq0VCTlRIJf29XlFr96ReYH5YMi7Dtwac/edit 4. Write out your top 5 strengths that you've seen in action this module; then write out the strengths of a software developer. Where do you see these lists overlapping? Where are they different?
My strengths:
- Analyze and synthesize
- Communication
- Intuition
- Creativity
- Empathy
Developer strengths:
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- Analyze and synthesize
- Communication
- Intuition
- Creativity
- Discipline and focus
I believe I will always struggle with finding enought disciple and focus but I believe that many of my core strengths will aid me as a developer, at as the developer that I am hoping to be.
- Write a refined vision statement here (what new things have you discovered this week to incorporate into your vision statement?):
My career will reflect my values of justice, empathy and education. I will use my skills and understanding to create engaging experiences that bring joy, expand awareness and empower people to improve the world. My career creating museum exhibits has prepared me with an understanding of complicated production processes mixed with a refined intuition for user experiences. This combined with my drive to help dismantle the social and economic injustices endemic to our country will define my career and the impact that it brings to the world.
Answer the below questions in a separate gist and link them into your career journal using this template:
Week 1: [Link here to your gist]
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- (partially complete)
- (not started)
Ideas here are adapted from Atomic Habits by James Clear
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Reflect on your habits from last module. What behaviors and activities were helpful for you? What activities and behaviors could be more effective for you? What processes would you like to try differently this module to become more effective at your work and as a software developer?
Pom is a must for me when doing project work. In MOD 2 I want to build a more steady schedule to follow. Being beholden to a schedule is a strong motivator for me. It also helps to give me permission to do non-turing stuff. -
Setting intentions for this module: who do I want to be this module? What specific habits would help me get there? How are those habits tied to the identity of a software developer?
I want to be confident in my ability to contribute to group projects without feeling pressure to abandon boundaries. Building and holding to a schedule will help me get to this place, also being vunerable with my struggle. Time boxing and sharing struggles/eliciting help are both very important parts of being an effective developer. -
Incorporate temptation bundling to create a new habit by using this template:
*After waking up and brushing my teeth, I will take 5 minutes to sit and be present. *After sitting, I will check my phone for 10 minutes.
- How to enjoy “hard” habits: Reframe your habits to consider their benefits rather than their drawbacks; name 3 habits that you have to do and explain the benefits of them. How do they further your goals longterm? How will they add to your processes as a successful developer? At the end of the day, how do they add to your life?
*Working on codewars will give me more general coding practive and help build coding vocabularly. *Taking time to sit will help me remain present and aware of my emotions during challenging/euphoric moments. *Reviewing lessons and writing down questions will help me solidify the concepts from class and keep me engaged with the current coursed content.
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Environment design (optional 5-min. additional reading: Motivation is Overvalued. Environment Often Matters More): how does your environment set-up currently help you with your habits? How could it be improved to make it easier for you to follow through on your habits?
I have a designated working area that is distinct from the rest of my house. I have my guitar within reach to encourage pom breaks. I have a comfortable desk that works well with my tall-ness. Keeping my room clean helps me feel good about my space. It could always be cleaner. -
“When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” Read this 4-min article on how to stop procrastinating. Apply the 2-minute rule to reframe 2-3 of your habits by scaling them down into the 2-minute version. How does this reframing help you think about shaping your new identity as a software developer?
- Pause, breathe feel
- Open codewars list, read one brief
- Read one page
Answer the below questions in a separate gist and link them into your career journal using this template:
Week 2: [Link here to your gist]
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- (partially complete)
- (not started)
- Assess your habits from week 1: how did you spend your time this past week? What was effective in your habits? What could be more effective? What steps will you take to make that happen?
Taking breaks was a big win as well asking for help when I was stuck. This week I want to use my morning productively via temptation bundling.
- Write a draft of your professional story here as 1-2 paragraphs. Focus on answering the questions who are you, why are you here, and what's next? Consider how to talk about your motives and values, the turning points that led to your career change, and what you envision for yourself going forward.
My journey began on the floor of COSI columbus, my local science museum, where I worked as an interactive educator. I taught classroom workshops, performed for packed auditoriums and led visitors through open-ended, hands-on experiments. Eventually this led to me training other educators, managing the education team and eventually writing content for a variety of interactive experience. This foundation brought me to the next phase of my career, where I worked as a producer for a design-build firm that specialized interactive musuem exhibits. Here I split my time between project management (budgeting, tasks management, milestone) and creative development. I worked in this setting for 5 years until I relocated to Baltimore where I continued my creative development work as a freelance consultant. Throughout all of my different phases of work, one theme remains consistent. I create engaging experience. At the start of the pandemic, I lost many of my freelance clients and I decided to use this time to expand my skill set for creating experiences. So for me, software development isn't a career pivot, it's an expansion of what I have spent my career doing, creating engaging experiences that uplift and enlighten.
- Update your LinkedIn profile with the following: updated photo/headshot, headline, summary statement using your story, and Turing added to your experience and education sections. Include a link to your profile here in the journal. Remember the guidelines and tips from the lesson here.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-umland-he-him-4264455b/
- What other steps will you take this week to update your branding or practice your story?
I will work on creating alternate versions of my story to suit different situations. I will add my cohort mates as connections on linkedin..
Answer the below questions in a separate gist and link them into your career journal using this template:
Week 3: [Link here to your gist]
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- (partially complete)
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Assess your habits from week 2: how did you spend your time this past week? What was effective in your habits? What could be more effective? What steps will you take to make that happen?
Last week was tough. I started strong but the combination of being stuck on jsFun and a challenging project quickly sapped my energy and confidence. While I did practice good break habits and set aside time for non-work but I didn't take time to challenge my negative narrative. -
Reflect on how you’ve spent your time so far at Turing to gauge your engagement and energy:
When have you been excited, focused, and enjoyed your work?
When I have a discrete chunk of work that is large enough to allow for solo focused time, when I am planning out the structure of a project, when I am creating visual elements.
When have you felt bored, restless, or unhappy?
When I feel that my success is out of my hands or my group is working without shared/clear understanding.
When do you feel energized in your work?
When I get to think creatively, when I am thinking about the user experience.
When is your energy drained?
_When I have been stuck for an extended period of time. When shifting gears isn't successful. _
- Setting up habits and routines to make time for the job search this module:
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Block out time on your calendar this week to work on your job search. When will you make this happen? How will you hold yourself accountable to this? What activities will you focus on during this time this week? What outcomes do you hope to reach by the end of this week because of these activities?
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When: during PD time and Friday morning
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How: Put it on my calendar
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What: searching for local FE jobs and add some to my board to get practice with huntr
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Outcomes: Become familiar with huntr, get a sense for what software companies/jobs are currently in Balitmore
- Applying wayfinding to using job search resources
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Go through the resources listed here and explore 2-3 tools. List what you looked at here:
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Built in
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Owler
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Glassdoor
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Apply wayfinding: of what you looked at, what did you discover that aligns with your vision? If it didn't align with your vision, what will you try next? Decide what tools to bookmark to explore later.
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There a lot of commerce and fintech jobs, which don't interest me. I may need to adjust those expectations in order to get some real job experience but I also want to continue/expand my search to see what other opportunties I have missed.
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Find a job posting that aligns with your vision. What's the posting? How does it align with what you're looking for? Add it to your Huntr.
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A junior front end dev job at Groove Commerce seems interesting. It's not my field of interest but it is my the type of job that I'm looking for. They have good ratings for work/life balance and seem to offer good benefits.
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What next steps will you take to explore that opportunity and find contacts? Add that information to your Huntr card.
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Add a weekly job hunt to my huntr.
Answer the below questions in a separate gist and link them into your career journal using this template:
Week 4: [Link here to your gist]
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- (partially complete)
- (not started)
In week 4, you'll have a job experience activity with employers. The next two prompts are designed to help you both prepare and reflect on that experience:
- Prepare for Job Experience: AEIOU
- Activities: what questions do you have about the activities that a software developer does on a daily basis?
- Environment: what questions do you have about the overall environment and culture of this workplace?
- Interactions: what questions do you have about the team at this company? What do you hope to learn during this experience?
- Objects: what questions do you have about the code or the product?
- Users: what questions do you have about how the company interacts with their users?
- After the Job Experience, reflect on the same questions; what are your takeaways from the activity?
- Activities: what was engaging to the person/people you met with?
- Environment: what did you notice about how they talked about the culture and environment of this company?
- Interactions: what did you notice about your interactions with this person/people?
- Objects: what did you learn about their approach to code and/or product development?
- Users: what did you learn about their approach to their users?
- What are your main takeaways from the shadow? How will you use this information to help you with your job search strategy?
Ideas below are adapted from Atomic Habits by James Clear
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Assess your habits from week 3: how did you spend your time this past week? What was effective in your habits? What could be more effective? What steps will you take to make that happen?
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Implement a reiforcement strategy: to make one of your habits more satisfying, what is a reward you can give yourself immediately after completing the habit? How will this reward encourage you to continue completing that habit?
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"Don't Break the Chain": Use a habit tracker
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What is a habit that you want to make sure to do every day? How could you visually cue yourself to complete it (i.e., moving a paper clip)? How can you visually track it each time you've completed it? Could you automate the tracking? How will you do that?
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Need help? Check out one of these habit tracking apps
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How to get back on track when missing a habit: if you miss a day or two of completing your habit, how will you get yourself going again?
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Pick an accountability partner (your cohort accountabilibuddy, your mentor, a close friend, etc.) and create a habit contract with them. How often will you check in with each other? How will they hold you accountable?
Answer the below questions in a separate gist and link them into your career journal using this template:
Week 5: [Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
Review your habit tracker: how did you monitor your habit(s)? What does this tell you about your overall progress becoming the person you want to be? In general, how satisfied are you with how you spent your time this module? What could be improved next module?
Mind Maps:
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i. Engagement. What did you reflect on last week in regards to when you're engaged in your work at Turing? Pull out an idea that resonates with you most (e.g., "Talking through a problem with a partner," "The moment when I solve a problem that I previously didn't know how to do," "Setting up a successful project management process for my team") and break that idea down into parts and make a list (what are all the steps that go into that moment? When do you get to use your strengths? What is fun about this?).
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ii. Energy. What did you reflect on last week in regards to when you feel most energized in your work at Turing? Pull out an idea that resonates with you most and break that idea down into parts and make a list (what are all the steps that go into that moment? When do you get to use your strengths? What is fun about this?).
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iii. Flow. When have you had an experience recently in which you were in a state of flow? You can also think about this as "joy" or "play." Pull out an idea that resonates with you most and break that idea down into parts and make a list (what are all the steps that go into that moment? When do you get to use your strengths? What is fun about this?).
Prototype your mind maps: what do these mind maps tell you about what's important to you as a software developer? What questions do they bring up about what you still want to learn about this career?
Prototype your outreach: (Be prepared to share this in your small group discussion)
- Who comes to mind as a person you can reach out to? Why that person? What questions would you ask them? Come up with 2-3 people here to serve as prototypes
- How would this outreach help you further your job search strategy?
Outreach & Networking Plan: Based on your reflections above, create a concrete plan for your outreach:
- Who is the right person for you to reach out to?
- How will you find them? How do you know they’re the right person?
- How will you reach out?
- What questions do you need to ask them?
- How will you use this information to further your solution?
- How will you follow up?
Execute your plan:
- Reach out to your contact THIS WEEK. If possible, reach out to more than one person OR find a meetup to attend also. What happened? What other next steps should you take? If this is a person connected to a company you're interested in, be sure to add it to your Huntr card.
Please list the top 3-5 industries and companies you'll pursue in your job search as of right now.
- Education
- Social Justice/Political Organizing
- Entertainment
- Consulting
Why did you pick the industries/companies that you listed above? How do they relate to the values and goals you have for yourself in your job search?
- I want to work in a user-focused industy that solves problems or provides enlightening experiences. I'm also very interested in working in an environment where creativity is highly valued, which makes me want to include consulting, even though I am a little burnt out on client relationships.
How does your LinkedIn currently reflect your goals and industry interests? What changes will you need to make to your LinkedIn to better reflect these?
- I think my LinkedIn reflects my desire to solve problems and work closely to the end user.
Week 1: Week 1 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 2: Week 2 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 3: Week 3 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 4: Week 4 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 5: Week 5 Prompts
[Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Find the prompts to Mod 4 here:
- Week 1
- Week 2
- Week 3
- Week 4
- Week 5 Note: Mod 4 Prompts will be provided to you by your Career Specialist at that time.
Week 1: [Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 2: [Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 3: [Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 4: [Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here:
Week 5: [Link here to your gist]
- (completed)
- (partially complete)
- (not started)
If you will not be able to complete your journal this week, please provide an update for the Career Dev team on when you'll have it completed here: