Heads up! To view this whole video, sign in with your Courses account or enroll in your free 7-day trial. Sign In Enroll
Well done!
You have completed Treehouse Festival December 2020!
You have completed Treehouse Festival December 2020!
Preview
So You Wanna Be In Tech? with Jorge Salas
19:52 with TreehouseJorge discusses their personal experience hiring & working with self-taught folx & bootcamp grads, and how they were able to thrive in tech roles.
This video doesn't have any notes.
Related Discussions
Have questions about this video? Start a discussion with the community and Treehouse staff.
Sign upRelated Discussions
Have questions about this video? Start a discussion with the community and Treehouse staff.
Sign up
[MUSIC]
0:00
Good morning, everyone,
I'm Toni Josato, chief learning and
0:03
operations officer here at Treehouse.
0:07
And that was wonderful,
wonderful information, thank you, Tomi.
0:09
Our next speaker, Jorge Salas,
is a senior engineering manager and
0:13
leader in technology and currently works
at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago.
0:18
Jorge is devoted to building, growing,
and retaining engineering talent.
0:24
He has hired passionate people
that are self-taught and
0:29
that have come from tech
bootcamps onto his teams.
0:33
He has his Bachelors of Science
in Computer Science degree from
0:37
the University of Illinois in
Chicago College of Engineering.
0:42
Please welcome Jorge.
0:46
>> Hello, everyone, good morning.
0:49
Sorry about the technical difficulties,
I think we're good to go now.
0:51
Again, my name is Jorge Salas,
thank you again for Treehouse.
0:55
And today's session's called So
You Wanna Be In Tech?
0:58
So most of you are here embarking on
your new tech career journey, and
1:03
that's where most of
the content will focus.
1:07
However, there are some
tidbits in there for
1:11
folks that are not entry level as well,
so settle in.
1:15
The outline is as follows,
1:19
I'll start with a little bit of my
intro and my journey into tech.
1:21
Then spend most of my time on the next few
slides talking about people's stories,
1:26
people that I've hired, met, and
1:31
worked with that have come from bootcamps
or other non-traditional routes.
1:33
I'll share their common success points,
and hopefully they can work for you.
1:37
Then I'll get into some of a real
topic that kinda creeps up a lot for
1:41
most people, self-doubts and, aka,
imposter syndrome and how to manage it.
1:46
Then we'll start to close it out
with sharing my experience of how to
1:51
take your career to the next level.
1:56
You're in tech, now what,
how do you navigate that trajectory.
1:58
Then I'll share what reasons why I'm
doing this and doing my part, and
2:03
then I'll open it up for questions.
2:08
All right, my journey, and it begins
with my folks immigrating from Mexico.
2:10
And so I was born and
raised in Chicago on the northwest side.
2:16
So at the time,
there weren't many people of color.
2:20
I was usually the only one or one of
a couple in my neighborhoods or school.
2:23
So from a very early age,
that was very ingrained in my mind.
2:27
And I can remember my dad saying,
you can't speak Spanish to me, and
2:31
I was like, okay.
2:36
So I was very early on just trying to
navigate that acclimation journey,
2:37
as you could call it.
2:42
Then when it came down to figuring, okay,
what do I want to do with my career,
2:43
they said, well,
computers are gonna be the next thing?
2:48
Well, it sounds a little cliche,
but in retrospect they were right.
2:52
So I was very lucky to
graduate at the right time and
2:55
hit the industry at the right peak with
a computer science degree from from UIC.
2:58
So I started doing Java Web development
on the front end, then made my way back.
3:04
I learned a lot from a lot of talented
software engineers and developers and
3:10
architects.
3:14
Then I went on to start my own company,
3:15
where I co-founded a software consultancy
that allowed me to deepen my skills, and
3:17
not just in one area but multiple sectors,
finance, health care, retail.
3:23
So I was very, very fortunate to have
that consultant mindset early on and
3:28
self-sufficiency and
marketing myself in the best light.
3:34
Then I took a full-time role at a Fortune
500 company, the Northern Trust, and
3:39
that's where I first
started managing people.
3:43
Since then, I've been managing people
in a senior manager-director capacity,
3:45
full stack developers,
architects, Scrum masters, etc.
3:50
And in the last year or two,
I've also dabbled with some [INAUDIBLE].
3:54
People's stories, we'll start with Jen.
3:59
I hired Jen at my last company, at NORC,
and she came from the CWR Coding Bootcamp.
4:02
When she came on,
she specialized in JavaScript front end.
4:09
And she later learned the back end and
4:13
helped other developers
support our applications.
4:15
Chris, who I also met at NORC,
my previous company,
4:18
came to us from DataCamp and
from a different part of the company.
4:22
And he expressed interest in helping
us with some Python development.
4:27
Lupe I met at a networking event,
and she came from Springboard,
4:30
where she transitioned her
traditional design in architecture,
4:35
building homes, not software,
into a UI/UX role.
4:39
Where she now works for a medical company
designing really cool interfaces to help
4:43
patients connect to service providers
that are remote because of COVID.
4:47
And then finally Colie and David
are in my current team at my company.
4:52
And they came from a company rotational
program where individuals spend about six
4:56
months or so at different parts of
the company and realize if they like it,
5:01
they want to stay, and they can.
5:05
So Colie and David decided to stay
in tech and application development.
5:07
So as you can see,
there are a lot of bootcamps.
5:11
In addition to Treehouse,
there's three right here in the slide.
5:13
How do you figure out which one?
5:16
Course Report is a really cool website
where it lists all the bootcamps,
5:17
ranks them, pros and cons,
and gives you little tidbit
5:23
information on what they do out
of post-bootcamp experience.
5:27
And I pulled this data, they have a lot
of data on their website, and it's really
5:33
filtered by data science, full stack,
UI/UX, whatever discipline or specialty.
5:38
This is from the full stack section, and
the average bootcamp cost is about 14k for
5:43
between three to six months and
average starting salary is 65k.
5:49
So it's pretty good, it's pretty
compelling if you look at that data point.
5:53
Now, there are common success points.
5:59
Keep being you, just because you're
going into a new career doesn't
6:00
mean that you forget everything,
[INAUDIBLE] a little common sense.
6:05
But problem solving skills, if you
have an eye for detail or interfaces,
6:10
that's going to apply here.
6:14
And most people can fit a job description,
but you get hired for who you are and
6:16
how you're most able to match
with the team and the culture.
6:21
And realize if you have that expectation
that your the first opportunity is going
6:25
to be tough,
you're gonna have a better experience.
6:29
And hopefully some of these tips
will help you navigate your journey.
6:33
At this time, I do recommend a mentor.
6:38
It doesn't have to be super formal, it
could be a friend, a sibling, someone that
6:40
has gone through a similar journey, or
someone whose advice that you trust.
6:44
I found that very helpful for
me personally when I was
6:48
in my mid-level career, and
even now mentors are very important.
6:51
Holistic bootcamps, back to the bootcamps,
6:55
we spoke about portfolio
actually in the session before.
6:57
Portfolios are so important,
it shows and demonstrates and
7:00
tells the story of
the skills that you learned.
7:04
And it's a very powerful statement when
it's in front of the potential employer.
7:06
Next, a lot of the bootcamps
also help you with your resume.
7:12
If you're an entry-level, it's your
first time, no more than one page, and
7:16
you have to make that information pop.
7:19
Once it gets past the automation, your
resume gets past the automation steps,
7:22
it takes a human bot seven
seconds on average to look at it.
7:26
So one page, make the really good
information pop in front and center.
7:30
And interview tips,
if you haven't been in tech,
7:35
a tech interview can be very daunting.
7:38
However, with enough practice and
awareness of what questions to expect,
7:40
you tend to get pretty good at it,
and the more practice the better.
7:45
And network, network more and
with everyone.
7:49
I heard it earlier, I think most jobs,
7:51
I think 80% of jobs are gotten
through your networking experience.
7:54
But two tips, number one, ask if
someone is available for networking.
7:58
And number two, do not ask for
a job or a job lead.
8:02
Instead, ask how you can help them,
tell them what you're doing,
8:04
tell them what you're working on and
how you can help them.
8:08
That's a much more
open-ended conversation and
8:11
more likely to lead to
something else down the road.
8:13
And now I'll share a little short
story kinda tying all this together.
8:17
So if you remember Chris
from the previous slide,
8:20
he shared how he got his job at NORC.
8:22
He was an Uber driver before that, and
8:24
an Uber passenger happened
to be an NORC executive.
8:27
So he was talking to him,
networking, about his interests,
8:30
his educational background,
his passion for tech.
8:34
That lead to information exchanged and
he was later contacted for an interview.
8:38
So Chris had enough time
to learn R in DataCamp and
8:43
other tasks that was in
the job description.
8:47
And even did a little PLC that he took
to the interview based on what he
8:50
surmised what's going on with the project.
8:54
So sure, obviously he got the job,
and if I were the hiring manager,
8:57
I'd be hard pressed not
to hire him as well.
9:01
So that kinda ties in the networking,
the portfolio,
9:03
the powerful story that your work,
if you can show your work,
9:07
it's very, very positive in
a potential employment situation.
9:12
Having said that, I think a lot
of us have had these thoughts,
9:17
whether we're in an interview or
in a big meeting, and it's real.
9:23
And up to 70% of the population
experiences this.
9:29
And to be honest, I think it's
heightened for people of color and
9:32
people changing careers.
9:35
Because if you're going into tech and not
many people look like you, there's that.
9:36
And then when you're changing careers and
you don't necessarily come from that
9:40
university that specializes
in engineering or whatnot,
9:44
there could be a little
bit of doubt going in.
9:48
So it's very real, and my experience,
it never really goes away, but
9:50
you can manage it.
9:54
And this sub-webinar
that I have right here,
9:55
if you google overcoming imposter
syndrome by Indeed, you'll find it.
9:59
And I'll share some really good
pieces of information that worked for
10:05
the presenter and also for myself.
10:09
So number one, validate that feeling,
validate that imposter syndrome feeling.
10:11
And realize that it's there for
the moment, but
10:16
it's not gonna be there forever.
10:19
Track it, if you don't already do so,
start a journal,
10:20
track who was there,
what was going on, when did it happen.
10:24
Then you start to see a pattern
of when these things happen.
10:28
Therefore, if you do have that pattern,
you can plan and
10:31
do some coping actions to help
you manage the imposter syndrome.
10:34
I'll share three things related to coping,
number one, I have a comfort object.
10:38
I have a little squeezy bottle that I
squeeze when I'm getting these feelings or
10:43
just when I'm fidgeting.
10:48
Other people have mantras that
they recite to themselves, or
10:50
they have Post-it Notes
with positive affirmations.
10:53
And the last thing I'll share is
a group of people that you trust,
10:56
you can text or email and tell them.
11:01
Just the act of sharing that you're
feeling like you're going down the rabbit
11:03
hole, super helpful to
unload that off you.
11:07
And then sometimes you get this really
good experience of what they've gone
11:09
through and maybe help you.
11:14
And then when you do this, this is a lot
of work, there's no kidding with that.
11:16
So reward yourself, treat yourself
to that special dessert or drink or
11:22
favorite meal when you do this,
this is a lot of work.
11:26
And as you'll see, I would also recommend
that you start creating a brag book or
11:30
a list of accomplishments.
11:34
And in general, I think this is
a good practice, on the daily and
11:36
weekly we do some really good things.
11:40
Jot them down so that when it comes
to performance reviews or you wanna
11:43
make that job switch, you have all this
information here at your fingertips.
11:47
Now I'll go into some thinking and
speaking changing.
11:53
So instead of thinking,
I should not let anyone down, say,
11:58
I'd like to help out as much as I can.
12:02
And instead of saying, I actually have
a question, say, I have a question.
12:05
Less is more, and
it comes off more confident.
12:08
And instead of thinking or saying, I'm
no expert, but I think we should do X so
12:11
that Y, there's no need to caveat
yourself as an expert or not.
12:16
You're only making a comment or
asking a question.
12:20
Just say, we should do X so
that Y, period.
12:23
And then start shifting from,
I am not good at this, and
12:27
start saying more I feel statements,
I feel like I'm not good at this.
12:30
So keeping with the mindset
that it's only temporary,
12:33
it's not going to be there forever.
12:36
So you're in tech,
now what, well, congrats.
12:41
To me, I like to think there is no finish
line, so you keep learning, keep growing.
12:43
Number one, I recommend that you
specialize in your strength.
12:48
So we talk about the T shape,
getting a specialty, whether it's UI/UX,
12:52
architecture, whatever you
decide is your specialty or
12:57
what you graduated from bootcamp in.
13:00
Company-wide opportunities are important,
don't just do that in your team or
13:03
in your department.
13:07
Go outside your team, network with
other departments, volunteer for
13:08
presentations or lunch-and-learn sessions.
13:13
If your name is out there tied with
your accomplishments, that's gonna
13:16
bode well come performance review time or
if you wanna make that job switch.
13:20
Just keep that in mind, get your name out
there, it's gonna be very valuable later.
13:25
Two, become proficient in other areas, so
13:30
now we're talking about this part
of the T where you go in there,
13:34
for example,
Jen started in JavaScript and front end.
13:40
And where you want to move on and
make sure that you're specializing
13:45
in your strength but
also be proficient across other ones.
13:51
She's now taking a course in data
structures and algorithms where she's
13:56
going to learn some of the stuff that
she didn't pick up in her bootcamp.
14:01
And then keep learning.
14:05
In my experience, every company that I've
been at has had training budgets of 1 to
14:07
$2,000 per person per year.
14:11
So whether it's books, conferences,
summits, take advantage of them.
14:13
And at this time,
get a formal mentor in your company.
14:18
It doesn't necessarily have to be
in your work hierarchy, but someone
14:20
that knows the landscape and knows how to
navigate it, and/or a board of advisors.
14:24
This came in really handy to me earlier
this year in terms of how to navigate that
14:28
job change, salary, options, and
things like that, it's very helpful.
14:33
I hope that helps you, so
I highly recommend that.
14:37
Lastly, doing my part, so I think I look
like most of you, I did it, you can do it.
14:40
Today the population in Chicago
is 60% people of color,
14:45
30% black, 30% Latinx.
14:50
But that's not represented in tech, and
less so in management and leadership.
14:53
If we look ahead 20 years,
in this country, in the year 2040,
14:57
people of color will be the majority.
15:01
So that's why I'd like to align
with initiatives like Code 2040,
15:03
whose vision and
purpose resonates with me.
15:07
And it's creating an innovation
economy where black and
15:09
Latinx people are contributing at all
levels, in all roles at a proportional
15:13
rate to their demographics in the US,
so it helped me.
15:17
You're already part of this journey,
it helped me diversify tech and
15:21
[INAUDIBLE] it up.
15:24
Thank you, and right now I guess
we'll open it up for questions.
15:25
I'll look here at my other device for
questions.
15:31
Okay, the first one,
I'm undertaking bootcamps,
15:37
I'm hoping to get a junior Web
developer role in the UK next year.
15:40
The idea of finding a junior role
seems daunting, any tips or advice?
15:45
I will be building a portfolio soon,
I have a great support system, I journal,
15:50
and the rest.
15:55
Is there anything else
I can do to prepare me?
15:55
How does one find a mentor, And
15:58
how many items should I
have in my portfolio?
16:04
How do you recommend
networking in COVID times?
16:07
All awesome questions.
16:09
Well, I think, starting from the back,
16:10
how do you recommend
networking in COVID times?
16:13
Everything is online now, even this
presentation right now, Treehouse.
16:16
Treehouse probably has the chat sessions,
there's networking sessions on the left,
16:21
I believe.
16:25
And also, I'm also reading, coordinating
with Liz from Treehouse on Slack.
16:26
I found Slack to be very rich in
terms of channels and expertise?
16:32
I'm currently on the Techqueria,
Slack, and that's where I met Liz,
16:35
that's how I connected
to this presentation.
16:40
So I think that's one, that's where I
would recommend to start networking.
16:44
In terms of the mentor,
I believe Jen shared with me that it was
16:49
her older brother that kinda
recognized that knack detail.
16:53
So really, especially in the beginning,
it could be anyone,
16:58
it could be a family member,
a trusted friend.
17:01
Also, on the Slack channels themselves,
there are people that
17:04
join a specific channel to be a mentor or
are looking for mentors.
17:09
So you can ask questions there, and
17:14
hopefully someone will
pick you up on that.
17:16
I found LinkedIn to be
also a very good resource.
17:20
Medium.com is the website that
I get daily digests from.
17:24
There's very good sections on there
in terms of not just tech but
17:27
a little bit on the networking as well.
17:31
Let's see, the other ones,
17:37
do you think post-COVID the UI/UX industry
will change to more remote roles?
17:39
I think so, I think so,
and that's interesting.
17:48
Who knows what's going to happen
next year with the vaccine,
17:52
etc., and then hopefully after
spring how things will look?
17:56
I think, to be honest, I think somethings
are here to stay in regards to COVID.
17:59
I think remote is going to be more
the norm rather than one day a week.
18:04
It might be most of
the time someone's remote.
18:09
And maybe there is a coordinated
schedule where people,
18:13
we all need to do all staff or
company meetings, things like that.
18:16
I think it'll be hybrid going forward,
those are my thoughts and
18:20
what I'm seeing and
percolating in my company.
18:24
As we begin to think how do we get
people back, first self-select and
18:28
then people eventually,
maybe it might be some hybrid model.
18:32
How well are your teams working
together in the remote world,
18:37
what softwares are you using?
18:42
Wow, yeah, I on-boarded,
this is new for me as well,
18:45
I on-boarded at the Federal Home Loan Bank
of Chicago during COVID.
18:50
So I haven't met my manager or
my teammates or peers yet.
18:56
So we use Teams, and
we use Teams to communicate.
19:02
And it's very good, it understands
how to do audio/visual well,
19:07
so I use the phone a lot to communicate.
19:12
I also use a screen if I need
to look at a presentation or
19:15
a spreadsheet being shared.
19:18
Teams, and, Yeah,
basically it's all Teams right now,
19:21
I mean, we wouldn't be communicating,
we wouldn't be doing well without Teams.
19:27
Outside, it would be Slack, but
I think most things are Zoom,
19:32
Teams, Slack, and it's pretty much online.
19:36
So you get proficient with that,
I think that's gonna be helpful,
19:40
even next year when we're out
of this post-COVID phase.
19:45
You need to sign up for Treehouse in order to download course files.
Sign upYou need to sign up for Treehouse in order to set up Workspace
Sign up