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Stephanie Parra
Stephanie Parra

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Thoughts on job hunting, titles, and having a non-traditional background

I sought of one of my wise, knowledgeable, and (time-)generous friends to help me figure out where I stand in today's job market as a career transitioner.

I'm attempting to carve out a career as a web dev that intersects with my core values: inclusivity, supporting underrepresented startup founders with resources (so, possibly program/community manager or operations of some sort), and also advocating for and closing technical gaps for said underrepresented communities (like a developer advocate, maybe). I see where all of those things intersect and I'd love to integrate them a little more.

I, like so many people, am interested in many things, have a non-traditional tech background (food industry, entrepreneurship, dance instructor?) and I think it's super difficult to package that into a "title" when you're on the job hunt. I haven't job hunted in a while, so it's interesting to see the current tech hiring climate to understand where I fit in.

I'm one of those people that enjoys seeing the tangible impact of what I do. While it's important to "stay technical" as a developer, of course, I also thrive in environments where I'm working alongside my communities in various ways.

I'm understanding that I need to look more at whether I like the company, vibe with their mission, and tailor my resume to highlight my strengths enough to make sure they coincide with what the company needs right now.

Let's discuss: are you also a multifaceted, multitalented, multi-interested techie and what kind of role do you have now? What did you highlight about yourself that caught that company's attention?

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