I Code For BuzzFeed And I Was An English Major

I Code For BuzzFeed And I Was An English Major Paola Maldonado, BuzzFeeds mobile developer talks about zu sich incredible career reinvention, Latinas in tech and how PowerToFly helped her land her dream job.Im working as Mobile Developer on the exciting new BuzzFeed News app. Ive been there for a little over a month, and I couldnt be happier. I have been learning so much, and Im psyched to be writing code that will potentially reach millions. As a bonus, I get to work with great, talented people every day.You did elend start out as a developer. What welches your original career?Though I did have a good amount of programming experience in high school, in college, I actually majored in English. Ive always been fascinated by language, I love the classics, and I fantasized about being a writer, so it seemed like the right choice. Alas, upon graduating, I had no idea what to do with my degree, and I was soon stuck in a rut at administrative positions that were unsatisfying.You changed car eers and taught yourself how to code. Explain to our readers how you did this. How long did it take? What classes did you take?mucksmuschenstill dreaming about being a writer, I started a blog to share some of my work, but I soon found I spent more time changing the layout of my blog than doing actual writing. I decided to learn HTML CSS, so that I could do even more customization. I took an online course via Skillcrush. I enjoyed it so much that I started to consider it as a potential career change.I began applying to bootcamp courses, and I was soon accepted into the Access Code pilot program, where I was introduced to iOS. This program was perfect at that time, because it allowed me to keep my full time job while I was learning. After the course concluded, I accepted a full time 6-month paid internship at startup Viggle, where I got firsthand experience at a tech company, working with an engineering team, using a project management tool and version control. The experience was in valuable, and it made me solidify my decision to pursue mobile development, but I did not yet feel confident about my skills, so I continued my education. I took a second bootcamp course, at Turn To Tech, which included an internship, and in a few short months I started to get some great job offers.And during this time you found out about PowerToFly. What was the process of finding a job like?I found PowerToFly via Twitter back in August 2014, and I was so excited to learn about the company and the platform it was aiming to launch. I signed up for the email list to stay informed. Not long after then, PowerToFly actually reached out to me through Twitter via NYCTechLatinas, the Meetup group I help organize, regarding a possible collaboration. I had the opportunity to speak with PowerToFlys Community Manager, who, once she realized I was looking for work, encouraged me to set up a PowerToFly profile. This lead me to interview at Buzzfeed where I got the job and currently workYou are t he co-founder of NYCTechLatinas. Tell us a little bit about that group.NYCTechLatinas was founded with the purpose of creating a community of Latinas in technology. Latinas are hugely underrepresented in tech, but we are definitely out there. Our goal is to connect and empower these women, which we do by hosting monthly events, including professional workshops, networking opportunities, and most recently a hackathon aimed at giving back to the community.What other networking avenues would you recommend?In addition to NYCTL events, I also attend iOS Meetup events. If there is something youre interested in learning, whether its JavaScript or Product Management, I guarantee theres a Meetup for it.I also use Twitter for networking purposes. Ive reached out to women via social media, and have had women contact me as well. I am always happy to share my experiences to help and inspire other women. Definitely put yourself out there and be reachable.Can you provide us with any other addition al tips for women looking for a career change?Learning to code is no easy feat. You really need to believe in yourself and stick with it. Its certainly not something that you learn overnight. In total, it took me a year and a half from the time I started learning to the day I accepted a full time job offer. I think I could have accomplished this in less time, but admittedly what held me back was my own fear that I couldnt do it. There were plenty of times when I doubted myself and thought about giving up. Once I made up my mind that, yes, I could absolutely do this, thats when I started to see real progress, not only in my confidence, but also in my skill. Its incredible how negative thoughts can really cloud your mind. For this reason, I also recommend you reach out to other women in tech via Twitter, e-mail, or other online forums, and create a good support network.Last, do your research There are so many resources out there, many of them free. Find out which way of learning works for you, whether its books, online courses, in-person courses, and then just go for it. You can do itYou can find out more about Paola on her PowerToFly profile. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistic sreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the wertzuwachs of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is boo ming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income potenzial/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achie vement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to zupflmmel up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.