hi everyone my name is christine and i'm
hi everyone my name is christine and i'm

a front-end web developer
a front-end web developer

i actually just started programming six
i actually just started programming six

months ago and i found my first
months ago and i found my first

dev job about three months so now i've
dev job about three months so now i've

been a web developer for about
been a web developer for about

three to four months now and i really
three to four months now and i really

love it
love it

so
so

this talk i'm just gonna give a little
this talk i'm just gonna give a little

background
background

about myself and my interest in coding
about myself and my interest in coding

and also
and also

how what i did to
how what i did to

land my first
land my first

job
job

so i graduated from the university of
so i graduated from the university of

oklahoma about four years ago with the
oklahoma about four years ago with the

political science degree and i didn't
political science degree and i didn't

really know what exactly to do with a
really know what exactly to do with a

political science degree i was confused
political science degree i was confused

and lost
and lost

and
and

so
so

i decided that
i decided that

i wanted to be a lawyer or
i wanted to be a lawyer or

be a makeup artist be other different
be a makeup artist be other different

things i had so many different hobbies
things i had so many different hobbies

that i wanted to do
that i wanted to do

and i contemplated thought about it and
and i contemplated thought about it and

i realized that those are the type of
i realized that those are the type of

jobs that i might not be interested in
jobs that i might not be interested in

the long run
the long run

and so i got into
and so i got into

coding when i landed my first job in the
coding when i landed my first job in the

marketing
marketing

field and i worked with html templates
field and i worked with html templates

in wysiwyg and a lot of the stuff that i
in wysiwyg and a lot of the stuff that i

did before was mainly just
did before was mainly just

coding uh the tables inside the wysiwyg
coding uh the tables inside the wysiwyg

very simple stuff
very simple stuff

and
and

i realized that i wanted to do more in
i realized that i wanted to do more in

life i didn't want to stay at my old job
life i didn't want to stay at my old job

because
because

you know i just feel like i would
you know i just feel like i would

plateau quickly
plateau quickly

so i looked around for different types
so i looked around for different types

of classes i looked into getting a
of classes i looked into getting a

computer science degree but i realized
computer science degree but i realized

that you don't really need a computer
that you don't really need a computer

science degree to do web development
science degree to do web development

and i really like web development
and i really like web development

because i like art and design so i feel
because i like art and design so i feel

like that would be something i'm good at
like that would be something i'm good at

so i looked around online for some
so i looked around online for some

classes
classes

and a lot of the classes were really
and a lot of the classes were really

expensive one class to learn javascript
expensive one class to learn javascript

was about two grand that i saw
was about two grand that i saw

and so i was like you know i feel like i
and so i was like you know i feel like i

could find something else you know maybe
could find something else you know maybe

try different routes some other classes
try different routes some other classes

that may be cheaper
that may be cheaper

and then i saw ok coders which is where
and then i saw ok coders which is where

i met carson he was one of my
i met carson he was one of my

instructors at ok coders and had helped
instructors at ok coders and had helped

me a lot throughout my journey so i just
me a lot throughout my journey so i just

want to say thank you carson very very
want to say thank you carson very very

much
much

but uh so i found ok coders and it's
but uh so i found ok coders and it's

basically a six month
basically a six month

module or six modules six months long
module or six modules six months long

bootcamp class every saturday
bootcamp class every saturday

and you learn everything about web
and you learn everything about web

development starting with beginning with
development starting with beginning with

html css
html css

you learn how to use your command line
you learn how to use your command line

you learn how to use your github where
you learn how to use your github where

you push all your files
you push all your files

and
and

into github and then also
into github and then also

javascript libraries which is really
javascript libraries which is really

really important if you're looking to be
really important if you're looking to be

a front-end developer
a front-end developer

so yeah
so yeah

i attended bootcamp for about six months
i attended bootcamp for about six months

and a lot of the work i had to code i
and a lot of the work i had to code i

have to practice coding every single day
have to practice coding every single day

and get better
and get better

the classes were only four hours long
the classes were only four hours long

every week and i knew
every week and i knew

that you have to put
that you have to put

extra work
extra work

into
into

um
um

you have to put in the extra work
you have to put in the extra work

outside of class
outside of class

so
so

you know i studied a lot i
you know i studied a lot i

read all my documentation that's
read all my documentation that's

probably the most important thing is
probably the most important thing is

reading your documentation starting out
reading your documentation starting out

and that's what i did i use all my
and that's what i did i use all my

online resources i practice on
online resources i practice on

codeacademy udemy
codeacademy udemy

lynda.com those are great if you want to
lynda.com those are great if you want to

get into coding those are great online
get into coding those are great online

resources to take and practice on
resources to take and practice on

i also asked a lot of help from people i
i also asked a lot of help from people i

joined teclahoma met a lot of the great
joined teclahoma met a lot of the great

developers in the community
developers in the community

and just getting advice from people or
and just getting advice from people or

people who have experience in this type
people who have experience in this type

of career really helped me
of career really helped me

love being a developer even more
love being a developer even more

the excitement of
the excitement of

you know seeing people creating
you know seeing people creating

so many cool
so many cool

uh things
uh things

it's just sorry i got nervous but
it's just sorry i got nervous but

creating a lot of cool things is just
creating a lot of cool things is just

amazing and and i think that's why we
amazing and and i think that's why we

all want to be developers is that we
all want to be developers is that we

want to create something and build
want to create something and build

something of our own
something of our own

and so um anyways i practice a lot and
and so um anyways i practice a lot and

then i was also looking for a job at the
then i was also looking for a job at the

same time knowing that i'm probably not
same time knowing that i'm probably not

qualified
qualified

but i gave it a shot anyways i just kept
but i gave it a shot anyways i just kept

trying and
trying and

i attended job fairs
i attended job fairs

and brushed up my resume
and brushed up my resume

i created a portfolio
i created a portfolio

i created a lot of side projects and
i created a lot of side projects and

pushed everything to my github to show
pushed everything to my github to show

that i put in a lot of work
that i put in a lot of work

even if i know my code wasn't that great
even if i know my code wasn't that great

i just
i just

pushed everything
pushed everything

into my github and then
into my github and then

finally got my first dev job
finally got my first dev job

at a marketing company who's willing to
at a marketing company who's willing to

take this opportunity
take this opportunity

opportunity on me even though they know
opportunity on me even though they know

that i'm probably i'm still really new
that i'm probably i'm still really new

and not
and not

fully qualified um i got the job and
fully qualified um i got the job and

i was really excited
i was really excited

got a little
got a little

content and about two weeks ago i
content and about two weeks ago i

actually almost lost my job
actually almost lost my job

because i wasn't practicing
because i wasn't practicing

enough outside of work and that's the
enough outside of work and that's the

most important things that i want to
most important things that i want to

tell you guys starting out as a
tell you guys starting out as a

developer if you have not much or no
developer if you have not much or no

prior program experience you have to
prior program experience you have to

practice even when you get the job you
practice even when you get the job you

have to practice outside work
have to practice outside work

and i just i got to continue i was too
and i just i got to continue i was too

happy and i relaxed and then
happy and i relaxed and then

you know i was in a very tough spot
you know i was in a very tough spot

where they said that i need to improve
where they said that i need to improve

or it just won't work out
or it just won't work out

and i was given two weeks to show
and i was given two weeks to show

improvement at my job
improvement at my job

and i did it
and i did it

and
and

it was
it was

very
very

it was a lot of work um i just whatever
it was a lot of work um i just whatever

i did at work i showed them and i had
i did at work i showed them and i had

better communication with my senior
better communication with my senior

developers that's also one important
developers that's also one important

thing that you guys have to know is
thing that you guys have to know is

communication with your fellow
communication with your fellow

developers
developers

that was one thing that i didn't do very
that was one thing that i didn't do very

well i i was the type of person that i
well i i was the type of person that i

wanted to learn everything my front-end
wanted to learn everything my front-end

skills weren't even that great and i
skills weren't even that great and i

wanted to learn to do php and sql and
wanted to learn to do php and sql and

all the backend
all the backend

and i took in work that i don't even
and i took in work that i don't even

know what i was coding they gave me php
know what i was coding they gave me php

and sql and i'm just sitting here trying
and sql and i'm just sitting here trying

to figure it out when i realized that
to figure it out when i realized that

sometimes you have to say no when you're
sometimes you have to say no when you're

not ready for something you have to say
not ready for something you have to say

no
no

and so i was honest to them and said hey
and so i was honest to them and said hey

i'm i'm not ready for this yet
i'm i'm not ready for this yet

and i need to practice on my front-end
and i need to practice on my front-end

skills and that's what i did
skills and that's what i did

so
so

when you get your new job when you get
when you get your new job when you get

your developer job make sure you are
your developer job make sure you are

fluent with all your languages before
fluent with all your languages before

jumping into something else
jumping into something else

for me i just
for me i just

i just wanted to learn everything i
i just wanted to learn everything i

couldn't say no because
couldn't say no because

i was scared to say no i wanted
i was scared to say no i wanted

i wanted to learn everything and be good
i wanted to learn everything and be good

at everything and sometimes you know
at everything and sometimes you know

it's you have to take it one step at a
it's you have to take it one step at a

time i thought being a developer means
time i thought being a developer means

you have to know you know react you have
you have to know you know react you have

to know angular even though at my job we
to know angular even though at my job we

use jquery like i wanted to learn react
use jquery like i wanted to learn react

and angular i want to do all these
and angular i want to do all these

things but i know i have to take it one
things but i know i have to take it one

step at a time and that's the important
step at a time and that's the important

thing
thing

another thing is besides that
another thing is besides that

is getting feedback from your senior
is getting feedback from your senior

devs and
devs and

you know just your fellow developers
you know just your fellow developers

that you're working with especially when
that you're working with especially when

you're new getting feedback is great
you're new getting feedback is great

knowing your work process like how
knowing your work process like how

you're doing always ask them like how am
you're doing always ask them like how am

i doing do you think i'm doing okay
i doing do you think i'm doing okay

because i know everyone has their own
because i know everyone has their own

different techniques
different techniques

so it's best to just have a good
so it's best to just have a good

communication and getting feedback
communication and getting feedback

from your peers
from your peers

and another one is never stop practicing
and another one is never stop practicing

always keep learning i'm still in the
always keep learning i'm still in the

learning process right now i mean a
learning process right now i mean a

couple weeks ago i
couple weeks ago i

was here trying to debug a bootstrap
was here trying to debug a bootstrap

carousel and i felt embarrassed
carousel and i felt embarrassed

debugging a bootstrap carousel because
debugging a bootstrap carousel because

i'm like well this is so simple like why
i'm like well this is so simple like why

can't i get it but i learned that it's
can't i get it but i learned that it's

still a learning process for me i'm
still a learning process for me i'm

still i'm still learning i'm still
still i'm still learning i'm still

continuing to grow and sometimes it's
continuing to grow and sometimes it's

okay to ask for help even something so
okay to ask for help even something so

simple like bootstrap carousel or
simple like bootstrap carousel or

learning how to use bootstrap it's
learning how to use bootstrap it's

never embarrassing to ask questions
never embarrassing to ask questions

because you actually learn from asking
because you actually learn from asking

questions just don't ask the same
questions just don't ask the same

questions over and over ask and absorb
questions over and over ask and absorb

that's the most important thing
that's the most important thing

but yeah and then another thing is oh
but yeah and then another thing is oh

yeah this is probably important too but
yeah this is probably important too but

try to use the same ides as your fellow
try to use the same ides as your fellow

developers i know we all have
developers i know we all have

you know a preference that we use like i
you know a preference that we use like i

like visual studio code um that's just
like visual studio code um that's just

my preference but i know like at my job
my preference but i know like at my job

and stuff we use php storm or like adam
and stuff we use php storm or like adam

and stuff like that i just think it's
and stuff like that i just think it's

you don't you don't have to do it but i
you don't you don't have to do it but i

think it helps with the workflow and the
think it helps with the workflow and the

process when you use the same ide as
process when you use the same ide as

your fellow peers
your fellow peers

that usually helps a lot
that usually helps a lot

and then another tip is
and then another tip is

when you get your first project it's
when you get your first project it's

always good to whiteboard it out draw a
always good to whiteboard it out draw a

map of how you're going to build your
map of how you're going to build your

website you know have an idea before you
website you know have an idea before you

actually start coding
actually start coding

that was my mistake too is i didn't
that was my mistake too is i didn't

really have an idea
really have an idea

and so i kind of just start coding
and so i kind of just start coding

random things when you have to wipe word
random things when you have to wipe word

it out you have to talk to your boss
it out you have to talk to your boss

don't try to take initiative with
don't try to take initiative with

anything
anything

not well don't try to take initiative
not well don't try to take initiative

with everything
with everything

beside and not letting your fellow
beside and not letting your fellow

developers know always always try to
developers know always always try to

wipe board it out
wipe board it out

and then another thing is um biddle law
and then another thing is um biddle law

side projects
side projects

if you have anything you're interested
if you have anything you're interested

in building do it after work hours you
in building do it after work hours you

know take the weekend off don't go out
know take the weekend off don't go out

with your friends like if you have to
with your friends like if you have to

improve you have to just start
improve you have to just start

practicing more and more build something
practicing more and more build something

cool like i want to eventually build an
cool like i want to eventually build an

app but i don't know what happened yet
app but i don't know what happened yet

but
but

um another thing is don't be afraid to
um another thing is don't be afraid to

try new things um code something
try new things um code something

different don't code the same thing over
different don't code the same thing over

and over
and over

right now since i'm still pretty new i
right now since i'm still pretty new i

am practicing on building my jquery maps
am practicing on building my jquery maps

i built a couple maps before
i built a couple maps before

and
and

but i'm still practicing i'm
but i'm still practicing i'm

not that great with the map i'm learning
not that great with the map i'm learning

how to style maps with javascript so
how to style maps with javascript so

build something new try something new at
build something new try something new at

least every single week and you'll get
least every single week and you'll get

better and just learn that way
better and just learn that way

let's see what else
let's see what else

okay but yeah it's um so that's
okay but yeah it's um so that's

all i really have with the tips and
all i really have with the tips and

advice
advice

and my story is just really practicing
and my story is just really practicing

using your online resources
using your online resources

talk to your peers
talk to your peers

also have good communication with your
also have good communication with your

boss
boss

when finding a job push yourself out
when finding a job push yourself out

there join organizations that's what i
there join organizations that's what i

did you know i joined teclahoma i joined
did you know i joined teclahoma i joined

free code camp i talked with my
free code camp i talked with my

instructors that's the most important
instructors that's the most important

thing it's just communicating with
thing it's just communicating with

fellow developers
fellow developers

that could give you really good advice
that could give you really good advice

and also
and also

don't take criticism
don't take criticism

as an insult always take criticism as
as an insult always take criticism as

something you can prove and learn from
something you can prove and learn from

and that's
and that's

the most important thing is um
the most important thing is um

and then
and then

yeah getting
yeah getting

feedback positive side projects
feedback positive side projects

draw a map
draw a map

yeah that's
yeah that's

really all that i have i know it's kind
really all that i have i know it's kind

of short but if anyone has any questions
of short but if anyone has any questions

or yeah
or yeah

well my interview was actually very
well my interview was actually very

short
short

i didn't really take a test or anything
i didn't really take a test or anything

i know some companies require you to
i know some companies require you to

take a test i actually
take a test i actually

took a test a couple weeks before that
took a test a couple weeks before that

with an hr recruiter when i was trying
with an hr recruiter when i was trying

to find a job
to find a job

just testing my javascript
just testing my javascript

and i did alright on that but they
and i did alright on that but they

didn't hire me on
didn't hire me on

another company
another company

saw that i was very motivated to learn
saw that i was very motivated to learn

and try new things and also they liked
and try new things and also they liked

the fact that at my previous job i wore
the fact that at my previous job i wore

many hats like i did all the digital
many hats like i did all the digital

content at my job and
content at my job and

i was lucky enough because the company i
i was lucky enough because the company i

work for really needed someone
work for really needed someone

and so i got the job as a web developer
and so i got the job as a web developer

yeah
yeah

and that's
and that's

i just told them my experience and
i just told them my experience and

everything gave him my portfolio
everything gave him my portfolio

and then yeah
and then yeah

from there
from there

the most useful thing that i did was
the most useful thing that i did was

mainly
mainly

reading my documentation
reading my documentation

in the beginning
in the beginning

i can't i can't say this enough but
i can't i can't say this enough but

reading your documentation is so so
reading your documentation is so so

important that's what i spent my time
important that's what i spent my time

doing
doing

outside of work now is just reading
outside of work now is just reading

through everything carefully and even
through everything carefully and even

though i was in boot camp class i missed
though i was in boot camp class i missed

like the little things here and there
like the little things here and there

because i was trying to
because i was trying to

code out my portfolio but even when i
code out my portfolio but even when i

coded out it still wasn't it wasn't good
coded out it still wasn't it wasn't good

i did a lot of
i did a lot of

what i did
what i did

was i would always inspect right click
was i would always inspect right click

inspect in my console and then just go
inspect in my console and then just go

in there in a debug but when you
in there in a debug but when you

actually read your documentation clearly
actually read your documentation clearly

and thoroughly it really helps you to
and thoroughly it really helps you to

understand
understand

what you're doing a lot more so i can
what you're doing a lot more so i can

just code it out now fluently rather
just code it out now fluently rather

than having to inspect all the time
than having to inspect all the time

and so i did that and then
and so i did that and then

just practice a lot online outside of
just practice a lot online outside of

work
work

that was probably the most useful things
that was probably the most useful things

that i did as a developer
that i did as a developer

yes
yes

well it's like so like on bootstrap
well it's like so like on bootstrap

saying
saying

you know it gives you all the elements
you know it gives you all the elements

and stuff so they have um your columns
and stuff so they have um your columns

how to build bootstrap columns um how to
how to build bootstrap columns um how to

do responsive media queries and stuff
do responsive media queries and stuff

like that when you really read it
like that when you really read it

through it helps you understand how to
through it helps you understand how to

build
build

your columns on your web page when i
your columns on your web page when i

started out i didn't know that
started out i didn't know that

in every div container there are 12
in every div container there are 12

columns
columns

and
and

reading that part made me understand
reading that part made me understand

that now instead of having to inspect my
that now instead of having to inspect my

element every time i know that if i were
element every time i know that if i were

to build two comps it's just
to build two comps it's just

automatically column md6 column md6
automatically column md6 column md6

and so forth so it's like reading your
and so forth so it's like reading your

documentation really helps you
documentation really helps you

understand that and also
understand that and also

once you get your html css and
once you get your html css and

those skills down it'll help you
those skills down it'll help you

understand javascript more because
understand javascript more because

you'll learn how to use dom elements and
you'll learn how to use dom elements and

that's the key thing
that's the key thing

so yeah really read your documentation
so yeah really read your documentation

man
man

anybody else
anybody else

yeah well now eight months
yeah well now eight months

because i've been in my job for about
because i've been in my job for about

three and a half months now
three and a half months now

but i got actually got my first job at
but i got actually got my first job at

my last module
my last module

coders bootcamp class so
coders bootcamp class so

yeah
yeah

yes
yes

you just have to show
you just have to show

oh
oh

i'm sorry sorry can you say it
i'm sorry sorry can you say it

oh okay
oh okay

sorry
sorry

okay so he said that when you're a new
okay so he said that when you're a new

developer what does your company expect
developer what does your company expect

out of you when you first started versus
out of you when you first started versus

three months in
three months in

so when you first started they want you
so when you first started they want you

to get to get familiar with their
to get to get familiar with their

process of working
process of working

and also how they you know just really
and also how they you know just really

focus on their software um i'm not sure
focus on their software um i'm not sure

how other jobs are but i know my company
how other jobs are but i know my company

we use a software where we import all
we use a software where we import all

our code codes in and the software was
our code codes in and the software was

built by our
built by our

lead senior developer
lead senior developer

and so that's the main thing is when you
and so that's the main thing is when you

first started out is learning how to use
first started out is learning how to use

the software where to place your header
the software where to place your header

code where to place the footer where do
code where to place the footer where do

you place your link tags and everything
you place your link tags and everything

in that where do you place your
in that where do you place your

javascript that's the most important
javascript that's the most important

thing and then further down the line
thing and then further down the line

progress is
progress is

you know they expect to see progress
you know they expect to see progress

from you you know stop
from you you know stop

putting in-line styles in your html
putting in-line styles in your html

start using css morse start writing
start using css morse start writing

multiple css to make the codes short and
multiple css to make the codes short and

clean
clean

and so from it's just really
and so from it's just really

building more and more experience seeing
building more and more experience seeing

um not more experience i'm sorry uh just
um not more experience i'm sorry uh just

seeing progress
seeing progress

yeah
yeah

yes
yes

uh someone from twitch said what
uh someone from twitch said what

frameworks in javascript you would like
frameworks in javascript you would like

to use um so i'm really into react um i
to use um so i'm really into react um i

want to get to learn react more
want to get to learn react more

that's something i want to eventually do
that's something i want to eventually do

but hopefully react in angular something
but hopefully react in angular something

i'm interested
i'm interested

once i get my jquery down
once i get my jquery down

yeah
yeah

thanks
thanks

anybody else
anybody else

oh okay yes
oh okay yes

he said what skill set did i learn from
he said what skill set did i learn from

star space 40
star space 40

teclahoma star space 46 is the
teclahoma star space 46 is the

organization that i could apply to my
organization that i could apply to my

job um honestly it's how to start out
job um honestly it's how to start out

and find a job like how to connect i got
and find a job like how to connect i got

a lot of advice from kimberly too she's
a lot of advice from kimberly too she's

great she's great
great she's great

i got a lot of advice from her on how to
i got a lot of advice from her on how to

build my resume she gave me a lot of
build my resume she gave me a lot of

tips and then another person i like to
tips and then another person i like to

mention is carmen she's helped me a lot
mention is carmen she's helped me a lot

too
too

and building my resume always link your
and building my resume always link your

github you know your portfolio on top of
github you know your portfolio on top of

your resume so that people can see that
your resume so that people can see that

the first thing that was something i did
the first thing that was something i did

that on my resume but i linked my
that on my resume but i linked my

portfolio in the back and you don't want
portfolio in the back and you don't want

to do that smart to do in the front so
to do that smart to do in the front so

that everybody could see
that everybody could see

um and a lot is just like you know help
um and a lot is just like you know help

like debug learning how to use my
like debug learning how to use my

console that's what i learned
console that's what i learned

and yeah
and yeah

anybody else
anybody else

yes
yes

uh
uh

currently i am building my friend's
currently i am building my friend's

wedding website right now
wedding website right now

it's good i like it
it's good i like it

it's not the best but i like it and
it's not the best but i like it and

that and then i coded out a tic-tac-toe
that and then i coded out a tic-tac-toe

game
game

yeah nothing too advanced but
yeah nothing too advanced but

hey i'll get there you know you'll get
hey i'll get there you know you'll get

there i don't know if you're new but
there i don't know if you're new but

anyway
anyway

anybody else
anybody else

no okay
no okay

well thank you so much everyone thank
well thank you so much everyone thank

you kimberly and teklahoma and everybody
you kimberly and teklahoma and everybody

um having me here today
um having me here today

i hope i could shed some light
i hope i could shed some light

in
in

anybody that who wants to be a developer
anybody that who wants to be a developer

make sure to practice
make sure to practice

practice a lot
practice a lot

read your documentation
read your documentation

yeah
yeah

okay
okay