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?
- This module, I definitely got off to a really good start. I was exercising and reading regularly, spending time with family, hanging out with my nieces and nephews etc. Towards the end of the mod, specifically when doing the group project, my habits really fell off. Very little exercising, sleeping in instead of waking up early and getting ready for my day and only personal reading, very little family time as well. It was a really big challenge and having to continually give things up to make sure that the group stayed relatively on track for our group project definitely hit my morale some.
- Overall, it taught me a lot of great things. No matter how much it seems that I have to carry the team, I can't sacrifice myself and the things that are important to me. It felt like many of the group members were too afraid to dive into the newer technologies and relied on my previous experience and foundation behind JS to help carry it. While I love helping others, it made me understand that we are all here to become software engineers and high quality developers. Having the people in the team dive into the newer technologies, without guiding them through it, would be a great skill for them to learn.
- Speaking your mind and opening up is a very big lesson I learned from that as well. There are ways to give constructive feedback and help the team members grow as well. The only way for them to become great software developers is if they go through the same struggle that all other software developers have to go through as well. Helping them by leading through it is not the best way for them to develop the necessary skills for what they will learn out in the field.
- Seeing as how I want to be more than a junior software engineer, learning to speak my mind and increase my leadership skills is going to be a big focus for me. This is learning me towards decisions, such as being an SAB rep, structuring better DTR's and check-ins during projects and many more. The intermission will be a really good time for me to flush out some new learning about leadership. One of the things I feel I do really well is being a "Leader without a Title". One of my favorite books, however I lead through my programming and want to having the natural leadership skills of team management catch up with it as well.
Mind Maps:
- 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?).
- I feel most engaged when I am learning new things and applying them onto a stable foundation that has been built up through previous lessons.
- I feel most engaged when I am able to complete things that I have been working at for a long time.
- I feel most engaged when I truly understand the code that I am writing and can fully articulate the logic behind the code.
- I feel most engaged when I can talk through a tough problem with programming friends.
- 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?).
- I feel most energized when something that I am struggling with before really clicks with me.
- I feel most energized when I am able to conversate with other members of the cohort with meaningful conversations.
- I feel most energized when I am able to help others inside of the cohort and help them become more successful in their programming careers as well.
- I feel the most energized when I space out my work and take the proper breaks.
- 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?).
- I am almost always excited and have a flow when I am programming. Currently, programming about 12 hours per day and have not felt the burn out.
- I really feel the flow when I am bug testing. Bug testing is something that I did as a junior software engineer for about 6 months and it is something that I have developed a passion for. Taking the time to step through a debugger one by one really teaches you what the code is doing and how to structure your code.
- Lately, I have learned that I get into a good flow when I am putting myself in a position of power. To explain this some, it means when I go to bed early and awake early and refreshed, when I work out and feel good, when I spend time with my family and nieces/nephews and impact their life in a positive way. It is incredibly motivating for me. When working, I can generally snap myself into a driven and focused mind set fairly easily, however, I have noticed a vast difference when I accomplish things that are important to me as well.
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?
- As a software developer, a company with empathsis on customer empathy, a solid experience while using the safeware, and a focus on growth for their developers is a large part of where I would thrive.
- What do the specifics look like? Right now, it feels like everything is very general and that has always been how my job searches how been before. Really take the time to dive into what I want, how I will benefit the company and how they benefit me are perfectly legitimate questions to have and ask in a job search.
- Diving more into the company mission, culture and norms as opposed to accepting the general "This is who are company is" speech that is normally given during an interview process.
- Showing genuine interest in the industry and the company will only help both of us in the long run. The power of research, asking the right questions, and confidence in myself as a developer is incredibly important in the coming months.
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?
- My first person to reach out to would be my Uncle. He is a business development coach and works with a lot of companies on a daily basis. I would ask him how the search for his web development process has been and where he found comfort in companies. Rather than using him more for a business reference, I would ask him more of "How to approach a company and appeal to them."
- My second person would be my good friend Vaso. He always has an amazing amount of contacts and was part owner of the software company that I worked for previous to Turing. He has contact with someone that has been in the industry for 25+ years and was my Lead Software Engineer working with Easy Data Tracker. Recently, I had a phone interview with the US Government for a job he was applying for. He has amazing contacts in the industry and has proven himself to be an amazing reference. My questions for him would be tips during the interview process. How to articulate my thoughts in a thoughtful and advancing manner while doing an interview and how to approach any coding challenges thrown at me.
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?
Jim Powell, the previous Lead Software Engineer from the previous job that I worked at.
- How will you find them? How do you know they’re the right person?
I have direct phone contact with both Jim and Vaso.
- How will you reach out?
A phone call is all it will take.
- What questions do you need to ask them?
For Jim
A. How to articulate my thoughts in a thoughtful and advancing manner while doing an interview and how to approach any coding challenges thrown at me. B. Any ways that I can get myself known in the software industry when I am an unknown developer.
For Vaso
A. Any other leads that he can give to me for business a custom website. The more I can build up my portfolio both as a developer and satisfaction from previous customers, the more I can demonstrate my skills. B. Any tips for approaching a company. He has worked in sales for over 30 years and has a wealth of information on how to present yourself, great habits for efficiency and productivity, as well as how to get in front of the right person.
For Uncle
A. The same question I would give Vaso for question B. I would love to see from another perspective on how to get in front of the right person from someone that teaches companies how to have a more productive environment as opposed to someone from a sales perspective. B. Not sure of another specific question, we usually have great insights while talking over a couple of hours. Would definitely pick his brain and company contacts.
- How will you use this information to further your solution?
- How will you follow up?
Execute your plan:
Honestly, I have been so busy with my final and passing Mod 2 that I have not reached out to anyone yet! While I am feeling a bit behind on this, I was able to set up some meetings with Vaso and my Uncle the friday after Mod 2 has ended. With my huntr, I have booked another company out of Colorado Springs called Bombbomb on top of the Ent Software Developer job I had booked before. Looking at finding some contacts in the companies that I can reach out for directly.