- Industries: Banking, Data Engineering, Data Management, and Artificial Intelligence Companies: Angaza, Treasury Prime, GitHub, and Covariant
- I chose banking because I believe the current banking system in the U.S. is plagued by out-dated thinking that has not let the industry harness new technology to make banking easier for consumers. Treasury Prime is an example of a company that wants to harness the technology of APIs to make it easier for businesses to make new innovations in banking. I chose data engineering and management because data is the backbone of web technologies. One set of interests I have is how to secure data integrity and how to provide that data to those that need it for analysis. I think working at Angaza dealing with consumer tracking and payments would be one way to serve those interests. I chose Artificial Intelligence because it can not only make menial tasks easier, but also make dangerous jobs safer by allowing robots to take risks humans should not take. I see Covariant as a company understands the role robots can serve and wants to make software that allows them to be adaptive.
I chose GitHub because I believe in one of their core values, make it easier to collaborate with others, especially in the world of open source software. - Currently, my LinkedIn profile only shows that I am interested in computer software. I will need to add specific interests in banking, data management, data engineering, and AI. I will also need to begin making connections with others in those industries via LinkedIn.
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?
I attempted to monitor my habit by using two glass jars with small objects inside of them. One jar represents how many hours I woudl like to work during the day and the other jar starts out empty. After I work an hour, I transfer a small object in the first jar over to the second empty jar. This process contiues until the first jar is empty.
I am still struggling to walk away from the computer when I am stuck on a problem, but I have been able to do it a couple of times here and there recently. I plan to continue to work on this problem as continually working causes more problems for me than it solves.
I would like to have used my time more efficiently, which I believe I could have done, paradoxically, by walking away from the computer more. I think the next module I could like to time box more issues and walk away, even if I have not solved the current problem.
I was most engaged when I saw how a concept from ActiveRecord could be more easily understood by thinking about it in terms of SQL, that of an instance of a database object. That moment was generated by going over problems in the ActiveRecord Obstace Course again and noticing a pattern I had not previously seen. When I started thinking about it more, I realized the concept was actually something I had seen before in SQL.
I was most energized when taking a problem step by step and being able to see the order I needed to solve the parts in. I used my strength of analysis to review the problem and see the smaller sub-parts of the problem. It is fun to see the component parts of a problem because then it appears less overwhelming and there is a blueprint for how to solve it.
I am most in the state of flow when I am engaging in a problem that is within the reach of my current abilities, but requires me to engage with the problem because the solution is not immediately obvious. A large part of this is determining exactly what the problem requires to be solved.
I would want to speak to a person that works in data engineering and/or financial technology. I was able to speak with a person that does work in data engineering and was able to explore what their daily tasks were and where they felt challenged in their job.
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? Unfortunately, I spent the last week being caught up in anxiety about the project. I noticed how easily the anxiety causes me to go into survival mode where I struggle to think of anything else outside the project. I tend to imagine doing anything not associated with the project is problematic. I want to accept the anxiety and understand that the formula is not more time equals more of the project being done, but the quality of the time. If I let other things in my life that give me pleasure wane, it will start to make me unhappy and cause me to perform poorly on a project. I will start to keep to a stronger pom schedule and step away from my computer for longer periods to let my mind process things.
Activities: what was engaging to the person/people you met with? They enjoyed challenging themselves to learn and implement new languages.
Environment: what did you notice about how they talked about the culture and environment of this company? They discussed the company being very collaborative, as a place where learning was paramount and open communication was important.
Interactions: what did you notice about your interactions with this person/people? They followed up with a person asking a question to make sure they properly addressed it.
Objects: what did you learn about their approach to code and/or product development? Take time to think over the problem the user is presenting and how you can best solve it.
Users: what did you learn about their approach to their users? They are sharply focused on trying to understand the client's needs before starting to code a solution.
What are your main takeaways from the shadow? How will you use this information to help you with your job search strategy? Take your time and slow down when when encountering errors. I will try to take my time when coding to avoid careless errors, but also to focus on understanding error messages when I encounter them.
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? I spend parts of this last week working effectively, but I also allowed myself to get distracted by anxiety because a project was progressing more slowly than I felt it ought to be coming along. I was able to quell part of that anxiety by starting to stick to a schedule and taking breaks, even when I felt anxious. I need to focus on working in the present rather than worrying about my progress in a project and trusting that as long as I am going forward on the project, I am doing what I need to be doing.
I found that jobs in the banking, data management, data engineering, and AI fields match my interests.
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? I used my time effectively to focus on trying to learn the design concepts in rails. I began working on the solo project and felt a sense of panic. My anxiety got the best of me and I believe hampered my performance as I struggled to understand how I should proceed with the project. While I did a fair amount of work, I feel like it was hampered by an inability to focus properly. I want to be better at forcing myself to take breaks. It is too easy to tell myself I can only take a break when I have completed a proble, but that often turns out to be the wrong strategy. My habit of staying off my phone and keeping distractions, such as looking at the news, was effective because I did not keep my phone in the office and opened browsers only to do research. To get better at taking breaks, I am going to have to fight my anxiety and leave my office when I'm in the middle of a problem to get perspective.
I am a lawyer turned software developer who enjoys pushing myself to learn new concepts. I find coding exciting because it continually builds off of core concepts to apply them to novel environments and more complex problems. I see development as a means to make life easier by processing vast amounts of data to see patterns and using that information to solve difficult problems. While the law is evolving and demands learning, those demands are infrequent. The law does not embarce new solutions to old problems as easily as the tech world does. I see technology as a way not only to continue to learn and apply new concepts, but to use it as a tool to create solutions to persistent problems.
I will focus on refining my story to an elevator pitch where no words are wasted, but which keeps things as simple as possible so the listener does not find themselves straining to understand the story.
What behaviors and activities were helpful for you? A helpful set of activities was blocking off specific times to work on certain projects for Turing. Additionally, it was important to keep my phone outside of the office I work in so alerts or the phone itself did not become a persistent distraction. Finally, it was helpful to communicate expectations of partners in group projects ahead of time.
What activities and behaviors could be more effective for you? I could be better about sticking to a schedule of poms. It was especially difficult if I was working in a group setting to speak up to say that we should take a pom, even when the time between poms was growing larger and larger. I would also like to slow down the speed that I write out code and to check code for syntax issues before I run it.
What processes would you like to try differently this module to become more effective at your work and as a software developer? I would like to stick to a schedule of poms. Additionally, I would like to learn to keep on a slow pace when I am writing code because I notice that the faster I am trying to code, the more errors I make and it takes longer to diagnose the errors.
Setting intentions for this module: who do I want to be this module? I want to be a student that sticks to a schedule. I often find it easy to push longer into work without breaks but this causes me to feel burned out later on and muddles my thinking because I give myself time to not think. I want to take bite sized chunks of time to not only work on projects, but also to work on the resources materials in the Mod 2 website. I believe if I can take the exercises slow, rather than trying to do them all at once, I will retain the material more easily, but also feel less stressed. In order to do this, I will need to curb the desire to keep working until an entire set of exercises is completed. I will need to trust the process that going slowly will be faster in the end because I will remember more of the information if I take my time.
What specific habits would help me get there? I need to remind myself what it looks like when I do not take scheduled breaks. I also need to learn how to calm the anxiety that comes with group projects. I experience a constant low level of anxiety during projects because I anticipate hitting speed bumps and I fear I will not be able to overcome them, essentially worse-case senario thinking. I want to get a better grip on that type of thought process so I don't let anxiety drive me into overworking myself. I need to tell myself that even if I work on a project or set of problems slowly, it's better to understand the material in a deep way rather than to keep trying to only go through everything and realize I didn't fully comprehend the problem and/or the solution.
How are those habits tied to the identity of a software developer? I think if I can keep to a schedule while working it will help sustain my work long-term. I know I will be more likely to burnout if I try to adhere to a schedule that is unforgiving. Additionally, I need to create a mindset that allows me to think of projects as challenges rather than things that induce anxiety because it will allow me to enjoy them more and relieve unnecessary stress. This applies as well to working slowly and thoughtfully.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tmelIULpMR2kfSv9EHsdoP3gdGItEIiKM3rYQjWUOHs/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ybPqqQgzeA6REcnIJW1keUb925EWpo-ygo7NoB3oKp8/edit?usp=sharing
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I have tried noticing how my time is spent when it is not structured, when I'm not in class or working. I find that often my habits are to use my time in an unstructured way without a stopping goal. This results in me losing track of time and not being productive with other things I need to do outside of Turing. I have tried implementing meditation in the morning and it is working quite well, I have been able to do it for two weeks straight.
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I would rate my health at a 3. I don't currently make enough time to workout through running or other exercise. Part of this stems from leaving my personal time unstructured and letting it go to waste. I could set specific goals for working out in my personal time and use that as a tracker to see if I am making progress or not.
I work through coding and reading. Coding brings value by giving me concrete things I can accomplish as well as requiring me put effort into learning. Reading is the work of exapanding my knowledge outside of coding. I put effort into planning when these activities can be done and into the activity itself.
I enjoy listening to podcasts on politics and off-beat topics, such as the history of religion. I could find more time to listen to these podcasts as I often find myself refreshed afterwards.
Love currently shows up in my relationship with my partner, friends, and family. I try to listen to others and to reach out to them so I can be there when they are having problems. I would like to reach out to others more often and to make more time for them as well.
The two main problems are ones of time and the chance to learn.
I want to design a solution that allows me to have time for pursuing things that bring me joy, but also one that lets me learn constantly. I want a career that isn't solely based on work. I want to be able to have time to pursue the things that brng me joy.
- I want to create a solution for the problems of not having enough time to pursue actions I know are good for me, such as working out. Additionally, I want to create an environment that fosters constant learning.
I know that I want a job that needs contant learning and development in the field, but not at the cost of keeping enough free time that I can pursue all of the things that fulfill me outside of work. I think I need to learn the type of learning that would be required at certain types of jobs as well as the balance the job offers in terms of time. I need to foster a sense of overcoming challenges at Turing because learning can often be difficult and frustrating when a concept is new.
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Our assumption was that they spend much of their time researching solutions to problems, seek help when they cannot perform a certain task or solve a problem alone, and offer their assistance to others. I could speak to my mentor about his day-to-day at work. Additionally, I could speak to my father who is a developer about his experience in the industry over the years. I want my life to contain a balance between work and home life with the opportunity to explore new technologies as they are developed.
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I want a job that does not actively harms society by developing systems or products that are harmful for individuals. I do not want a job that is unfulfilling, either because it does not require me to learn or because it harms others, after Turing. Ideally, I could work in data management that helps a sector of society better allocate its resources.
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I want a career in data management that constantly askes me to learn new concepts and implement them without a sacrifice of a work-life balance. I want my job to help others manage limited resources in responsible ways to prevent a depeletion.
- 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?
A developer who knows how to break a problem down into its smallest parts. The developer gets joy out of solving the small problems. They know how to pose concise questions and how to use those questions to research effectively.
They are a collaborator who understands that they work on a team. They strive to help others on the team succeed.
I would think they were a thoughtful person who thinks methodically about their job. I would think they were generous with their time and able to coach others to help them come to the correct solution to a problem.
- What are the habits that this person demonstrates to embody the identity of a software developer?
The person demonstrates their thoughtfulness about problems by first taking the time to understand the problem. They reach out to others to find out if they need help. In turn, they reach out for assistance when they have attempted to solve a problem for a sufficient amount of time, but their struggle is unproductive now. They arrive on time to meetings and submit their work on time.
- 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 be a software developer who gives himself time to work on code that not only accomplishes its task, but is written in a way that it can be further developed and modified to suit a user's needs. I want to reach out to others on a regular basis to learn new ideas, attempt to assist them in any challenges they might be facing, and to ask for assitance where I need it. I want to be punctual and organized so that I do not try to scramble at the last minute to get necessary taskes accomplished.
Daily habits wake up + let the dogs out + feed the animals + go back to bed = get up again + make tea + do daily brushing and face washing + look at news on my phone - begin working by setting the timer for a pomodoro + watch YouTube videos on my phone - take time to read a novel +
I will meditate at 7:15 A.M. in my office after making tea in the morning.
Make sure my phone is in the other room. Make sure the meditation pad is in my office. I will leave my phone in another room and use an analog timer to set the meditation time.
The results were good, I have been able to meditate every day for at least 5 minutes a day since I committed to meditating. I feel the daily meditation in the morning is helpful, it allows me to clear my mind. The world starts to slow down a bit and I feel like I can make better decisions. I will continue to abide by the start time and the location. I will keep the distractions, such as my phone, out of the place where I meditate.
What are your results? How do you feel about this method? How will you move forward with this habit?
My results were positive, I meditated six out of seven days. I feel this method is effective because I use it to make myself accountable, either I have meditated by 7:15 or I have not, there is no ambiguity. Keeping my phone out of the room breaks down unnecessary distractions to not only getting through a meditation session, but it also makes it easier to start meditating. I will continue to use this method and checking to make sure it is effective.
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What is challenging about self-reflection? You can overly focus on negative experiences or traits to the detriment of the positive. On the other side of the spectrum, it can be easy to lie to yourself about things you self-reflect upon.
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How can you continue to build the habit of self-reflection at Turing? Use a daily five minute journal practice of identifying things you are thankful for and positive things that happened throughout the day.
Social identity mapping
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What does your social identity tell you about what you already bring to the tech industry? My natural curiosity will be helpful because it will drive me to understand new langauges and frameworks, but also to research solutions to existing problems. Additionally, being imagantive will serve me well because I think I can learn to channel that into the structure of programming which will help me implement creative solutions to problems.
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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 can learn to use the trait of independence within a group by leveraging it to lead more. Prior groups I have been a part of have typically had lulls where a decision needs to be made, but everyone is reluctant to do so. I think I can reimagine what independence looks like for me by thinking about it as how I can assist the group by being independent to propose choices and solutions. I view it as a type of independence that works within a group dynamic. I can use my characteristic of kindness to focus on developer empathy.
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Always valued: accountability, service, diligence, growth, and respect for people.
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Often valued: caring, generosity, gratitude, mentoring, and patience.
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Sometimes valued: communicating, making money, excitement, work with others, and winning
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Seldom valued: competition, fast pace, inspiring others, purity, and pressure
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What do these values tell you about yourself? They tell me that typically, I am focused on keeping myself accountable to others, that I wish to grow as an individual, that I try to care about others, and that I enjoy a slow pace to work and life
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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): I value being able to learn new ideas and how to implement them in my job. Work that helps the community matters to me. So does work that does not require a fast pace. This is not to say I don't want to work hard, but I do not desire a job where I am constantly working outside of work hours.
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Lifeview: summarize what you value in life; what matters to you?
I value being able to learn about and engage with new ideas. It is important that I spend time with friends and family where I can engage with them fully. I want to feel like I am giving more than I am taking from life. -
Where do your views on work and life complement each other?
Being able to engage and use new ideas as well as having strong boundaries about when work ends and when it begins. -
Where do they clash? There will likey be times when it will be hard to maintain the desire to learn new things and the desire to engage with others. I may want to read a book about new concepts, but I may be tempted to do so at the expense of spending time with other people.
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Does one drive the other? How? The desire to give back to the community along with wanting to engage with new ideas drives me to work. In turn, this leaves me wanting to see how the work I've done is helping others and how I can improve upon that work.
Describe one of your strengths
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What is something you have learned to do well (list a skill)? I can often see small details and how they can impact larger projects.
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What is something you know about (list some knowledge/expertise you have)? I know how to perform research, mainly in the law.
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What is something you have a natural ability to do well (list a talent)? I am able to make connections between seemingly unrelated things.
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How could you combine these to describe a specific strength? By paying attention to details and learning about new things, I am able to make connections between different ideas.
Read through your Top 4 results from Pairin
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In your own words, what do these top 4 qualities tell you about yourself? They tell me that I enjoy making connections between ideas, that I look for logic where it might not appear to be present, that I am cautious, and that I am focused on self-control.
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Do they resonate with you? Why/why not? Many of the qualities do resonate with me. I was initially surprised the Imaginative-Inspirational quality was present as I though a core strength would have been analytical. After processing the Imaginative-Inspirational quality definition, I can see in myself that I make connections between ideas frequently and try to assert logic in non-logical situations. I am often hard on myself and continually move the goal posts meaning that I rarely achieve goals. I strive for self-control in all aspects of my life and am weary of indulgence.
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How do they relate to the strength you wrote about in Prompt #1? I believe it is the desire to see logic in all things and a desire to research that match up with the Imaginative-Inspirational quality. I believe moderation and being calm allow me to notice details.
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Challenges with strengths What can make it challenging to recognize your strengths? How can you work through those challenges? I have often viewed my strengths as deficiencies. I have been concerned that I am too moderate and regulated to act with decisiveness. Furthermore, I am critical of my mind wandering too much, a necessary component of being imaginative. I want to start moving away from thinking of my natural inclinations as deficiencies so that I can begin to cultivate them and know how to effectively apply them. I can start doing this by looking at how to use these strengths in various situations, an approach akin to finding a way to use a tool in many settings.
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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? I can see myself as being too moderate and deferential. I do not want to second and third-guess my thoughts, especially when I am part of a group. I would want to speak up more assertively about my opinions and not to go along with memebers of the group who do present their ideas. I can learn to start trusting my initial thoughts and inclinations. Furthermore, I can accept the fact that I will make mistakes by doing this, but that I will learn from those errors.
Strengths in action
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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 work well with deadlines as it forces me to start focusing on the work right away since I dislike unnecessary pressure that can come with waiting until the last minute to finish a project. I stay organized by creating specific times for work and relaxation.
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How could you describe these working preferences to your project teammates? Your mentor? Your instructors? I could let project teammates know that last minute pressure causes me significant stress and I believe it prevents me from thinking as clearly as I otherwise can. I would let my mentor and instructors know that I work best when a deadline is clearly communicated early and that it is important not to be constantly interrupted when I am working.
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What would you need to be aware of when working with people who have different strengths from you? I would need to be aware of what their strengths are and whether they match with mine. If they match, it will be easier to agree on how to proceed with a project. If they are not, we will need to come to an agreement where each side bends a bit. We will also need to determine how each other's strengths can contribute to a project.
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How could your Pairin results help you better understand your everyday working preferences? They can show me that I need structure to my work, but also that I need time to just think to make connections between ideas.
Continued growth
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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 would like to sharpen my Imaginative-Inspirational strength. I want to better understand the connections between programming concepts and how the concepts can be arranged. I believe this would help me find more creative solutions to problems. I would like to work on my assertiveness. I frequently feel disappointed when I don't speak up in group meetings, I often worry the answers I suggest will be wrong.
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What are some steps you could take here? In terms of my Imaginative-Inspirational strength, I want to look at a problem and leave myself sufficient time to allow my mind to wander so it can make connections. Additionally, I want to look at other's code to see models of how to think differently. In terms of my weakness, I want to start speaking up more during meetings and to accept the fact that I might be wrong, but that's okay.
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How could you be aware of progress you’re making? I could do weekly checkins. I could ask the following questions: (1) have I looked at a problem early enough that I can allow myself to think about novel solutions and (2) have I spoken up at least three times in the group meetings I have had this past week.
- 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?
One of the best tools I implemented in the year prior to coming to Turing was the Pomodoro Technique. It helped in two ways in my prior work. First, it forced me to focus on the task at hand, especially when I started to experience difficulties working on a project; I wouldn't leave myself the option of walking away from the project until I could get some kind of progress on the project itself or establish a plan for the project that would achieve progress later. Second, it reduced stress because, at any given moment, I knew whether I should be working on a project or taking a break. This system prevented me from talking myself out of working on a project because a system has been set up ahead of time that showed me what was expected. Adaptation of this system should be easy as it is based on time management and not focused on a specific project or type of work.
- As you start this new career, what is one of your strengths and how do you know?
One of my strengths is a sense of curiosity about the world, but, more specifically, an interest related to computers and logic. It was not until I started to explore the possibility of a career in coding that I saw how programming was heavily dependent on logic. This subject fascinates me through its ability to provide mental models of the world and for the ability to consistently test the predictive power of those mental models. I enjoy learning how computers implement these models and make processing large amounts of data possible. At times, I find myself going into longer detours that aren't necessary, but that I do enjoy. I believe having a natural inclination to learn this subject matter will help me to continue to put in the frequent work necessary to become proficient at it.
- Describe how you work best (conditions, environment, preferences, etc.):
I work best without access to my phone. I have given up the idea that I will ever be able to effectively work with my phone near me, unless it is on do not disturb mode. I try to have only windows with projects I am working on up on the screen. I've learned the hard way that it's very easy to become distracted by simply glancing at e-mail or the internet. If I am learning new material, it is often best to be in a quite space with no music. I can work near others, provided interruptions from both from each of us is kept to a minimum while I am learning. When I am working on a problem, I find it helpful to have a partner I can bounce ideas off of or learn how they would approach it.
- As you start this new career, what is your greatest area of improvement when it comes to your professional skills?
When working on a problem, I have found I get impatient quickly. I become frustrated because I often believe that merely having been shown how similar problems have been solved in the past is the only tool I need to work out a novel problem; however, experience has show me this might not be the case. I still struggle to accept that not understanding a new concept or how to solve a new problem the first time means that I won't ever be able to solve it. I hope to learn strategies to change my thinking on these issues.
- How will developing a deeper understanding of your strengths and working preferences benefit you as a software developer?
Knowing what my strengths are will allow me to either take up projects that play to those abilities or how to use my strengths in a particular way deal with a project that has elements where I am weak. Additionally, knowing where you are strong means knowing where you are weak and this would allow me to focus on improving areas where I could be better through self-study and mentorship. If I know the ideal work environment I can seek to structure my professional environment to those preferences as much as possible.
- Describe the vision you currently have for your career after Turing:
I recently heard a news story about the difficulty of obtaining small loans in low income areas. Large banks often do not have branches in these parts of cities or towns. Additionally, they often won't provide these type of loans, as it has not been part of their traditional business model. The story was quick to emphasize that there are certain small banks and credit unions that have branches in low income areas, but they do not have the capital to provide loans to all of their qualified customers. The piece went on to say that Netflix made a certificate of deposit of several million dollars at a credit union servicing low income communities and this allowed the credit union to make far more loans than they could have otherwise. I would like to do data management in an institution that seeks to serve underserved communities in banking. While this might seem quite specific, I believe it is a way to cut into the exploitative model of check cashing businesses that often charge exorbitant interest rates because people in low income areas have no other sources of loans. I also see it as a way to serve the community and expand economic opportunity for those in need by using coding to make services more efficient overall.