The 3 Questions that I am Constantly Asked About My Job

1. Did you study IT/Maths/Computer Science?

Not at all. My degree is in Classics (Latin and Ancient Greek) so there are parallels in terms of skill set (logic, problem solving, ultimately, it’s still a language!). At school I primarily studied Arts subjects. I think it is a myth that IT is solely mathsy — I have found it to be a very creative outlet and so far have got by without knowing much about Maths or Science.

I am passionate that anyone can learn to code. Coding is mainly communication. Literally communicating with a computer. If you can communicate clearly in your mother tongue then you can learn how to communicate with a computer. It’s true coding takes an element of logic — the more you can break down your communication, the easier it is for the computer can understand what you are asking it to do.

In truth I spend most of my work day Googling how to do something as you can’t expect to know everything, particularly when the industry is growing and changing at such a rate. If you can Google then you can code!

It’s also super easy to teach yourself to code. There are so many free resources available online. I particularly love the open source element of tech — everyone is so willing to help and share their knowledge. That is ideal for coding newbies or indeed anyone eager to learn more.

2. Have you always worked in IT/technology/software development?

No. In fact I have had many jobs, none of which would be your traditional stepping stone into Software Development! I worked in events management, then in hotel recruitment. I ran a start-up where I was teaching myself to code to improve the profitability of our company by having to outsource less of our tech needs. I got the job because it was a Sales and Marketing role, and I ended up leaving for a coding bootcamp. You never know where life might lead you!

I love the opportunities that working in tech creates. For example, when I was applying for jobs I could pretty much choose the industry that I wanted to apply to regardless of previous experience within that industry. This is so exciting to me! All I need to prove is that I can code and then I might find myself coding the website for my favourite shop, or magazine, or else even something I have never even considered. On the back of that, it also means that the teams that I get to work within have people with all kinds of experiences and knowledge from their own varied careers.

3. Isn’t that a nerdy/male/boring career?

People are often surprised when I say that I am an Engineer. I think the assumption is that it won’t be the kind of role women will be interested in — I think the belief is it is very numerate and not too creative. This is absolutely not the case. All my projects take creative problem-solving and you have to be able to empathise with your end user. Tech could really do with a rebrand — it’s a creative, world-changing subject! Currently I think it can be viewed as quite dry and very numerate. Men can really support this mission by promoting tech to women that might not have considered it before. Currently there aren’t enough women in tech to inspire other women so men need to take this mantle.

In conclusion:

1. Anyone can learn to code. It’s very accessible to teach yourself. It’s also not the labyrinth that people might have thought.

2. Coding relies on a whole host of skills at least some of which you probably already have. It’s not the maths/science/technical skillset that you might have thought.

3. Coding is just as much for girls as it is for boys, nerds, supermodels, rockstars and any other person in the universe. The necessary skillset is wide and there are numerous angles that can attract just about anyone to coding.