001 - How I Got Started in Tech, Coffee Chats, and Tech Transition Resource
At a glance, I will be covering
- How I get into tech
- Coffee Chats
- 60+ Tech Resource Resources
Read Time: 2 minutes
1. How did you get into your first job in tech?
I was getting out of the US Army as an infantryman in late 2014, and I was fortunate enough to participate in the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy, one of the first programs out there to help teach tech-like coding to military service members.
MSSA taught us about basic software development, and we learned about C#/HTML/CSS/JS. At the end of the program, I created a Windows Application that I published in the Windows Store.
After the program, I searched for a software development role, but no luck. After a few months, I eventually landed a role at Expedia as an International Operations and Traffic Analyst, where I monitored all the Expedia Group websites to ensure it was running smoothly.
In hindsight, it was the perfect role for me since it was one of the few positions where you could observe how the entire company's tech stack works. I got a great crash course in web applications, the cloud, and what it takes to run a global tech company.
If you want to learn more about what I did afterward, check out my about page.
2. Make networking easy with (virtual) Coffee Chats ☕
In 2022, I started dedicating two 25-minute virtual coffee chat sessions each week and ended up making 33 connections. I met with anyone from folks just starting in tech to product managers wanting some product feedback. Great discussions and use of my time so far, so I'll be continuing them.
You can also set one up for free by using Calendly + Google Meet by following these guides: (NOT sponsored btw 😊)
- Create a Calendly Event
- Link Google Meet to Calendly
If you are interested in chatting with me for free, check out https://nicu.page.link/coffee
3. Nicu's Free Tech Resource List Update
Back in December 2022, I created a resource page for all the tech transitioning resources that I know. I've recently updated and added a status field for which ones are currently open for applications.
I'm gonna try to update that on a weekly cadence.
New resources added in February
- TrainYo (Career Transition Program)
- SOMOS Tech (Community)
Current programs open for applications
- Accenture (General Tech)
- Barclays (General Tech)
- CyberSecurity Workforce Alliance (Cyber)
- IBM (Product Management, Networking)
- Satellite (Tech Sales)
- Shopify (Software Engineering)
Link for the rest of the resources