Build on your professional story by thinking about how you're progressing at Turing. Answer the questions below in your own gist to use your StrengthsFinder themes to add to your story:
-
Write 1-2 paragraphs about your StrengthsFinder themes: How have you seen yourself using these strengths at Turing? Has your understanding of these strengths changed since you first reflected on them? If so, how?
I was quite surprised at how accurate the strength finder quiz was, and what has stood out the most while here at Turing has been my learner and restorative strengths. Of course learning is what I am here for, but it goes beyond just the class sessions and the curriculum. I find myself thirsting and investigating how the other people around me approach the same problems, and their approaches to code. I feel the need to find out everything I can about different approaches even if they are not of use to my line of thinking with can mettle my direction at times, but is usually very helpful.
As far as my restorative strength, I have found my love for problem solving both a great help and occasionally a hindrance. Since much of the projects are driven by self learning and problem solving I have found them very energizing and engaging. However when I am stuck on a problem, I find myself unable to disconnect or focus on other things. As I spin thinking about solutions, my intellection and need to solve the problem have force me to push other things to the side. Currently I need to find a way to balance all the things and skills that need my attention.
-
Write a story about your Turing experience so far: When have you struggled? How have you dealt with struggle? When have you succeeded at Turing? How did you accomplish those successes?
Thus far the Turing experience has been just as crazy and I thought coming in. Some days are like an emotional rollercoaster as I vacillate from feeling good about concepts and projects, to good god how am I ever going to get this done. So far, in the end every project has beed completed and to a level that I am happy with. This was done with a ton of help from my mod, the mod above me and the community as a whole. Even if someone can not help direct me toward the solution I am looking for, it helps to hear they are having the same issue and we are all in it together. It is good to have people to lean on and learn from, and it has been the cornerstone of my success here at Turing so far.
-
Answer the question: how does your Turing story end? Create a vision for your future and your career transition into being a junior developer.
As everyone does, I hope my Turing story will end with me entering back into the work force in a relatively short period of time. I hope to find work here in Denver so I can stay near my family. I would love to get a jr. dev. job in an industry that I can really get behind. Maybe something in the non-profit field or working on software that makes peoples lives easier. After spending so many years doing digital marketing for large ecommerce sites, I would really love to get behind the product, service, or industry I am working in. If this can not be achieved with my first job, I imagine it is something I can make happen after a few years on the job.
-
After you practice storytelling in the session, answer this question: What was particularly easy or difficult about telling your story? What are 1-2 steps that you can take to continue to improve your abilities to tell your story, talk about yourself with ease, and examine your strengths?
After a few rounds of telling my story, I found it most easy to talk about and explain why I had started at Turing, and what drove my need to switch careers. The parts that were the most difficult was speaking about my values, work ethic and drive. It feels arrogant to discuss my strengths and values, and is something I have never been comfortable with. The main thing I believe I need to do to continue to be comfortable and confident in my story is to attend more networking and meet up sessions. I am highly uncomfortable in situations like these surrounded by new people (as are many). I need to force myself to do these things. To start I need to talk to those around me who would also benefit and see if they would like to go as a small group to help relive some of the panic of being around so many new people.