Let’s start by talking about your educational background!
I have a degree from the University of Liverpool in computer science. I have not attended any bootcamps but I do have the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification.
What’s made the biggest impact on my tech career is choosing to work on side projects (which have become popular on GitHub!). I realized my degree does not matter nearly as much as my GitHub projects do. I highly suggest others think about projects first and degrees second.
What would you like to learn more about?
I’d love to learn more about building solutions for business problems. Right now I code and write solutions for bugs but actually adding business impact is where I find the challenge.
Related: Site Reliability Engineer Career Path
What led you to pursue a career in tech?
I had no other choice! I wanted a job where I could earn money and tech was the right fit. Maybe I could crochet or skateboard but tech is far more viable for me than skating!
How has your skill set evolved over the course of your career?
I originally started off with a small skill set of Python and Bash. Eventually, I learned more about pen testing. Then I started doing AWS certifications to land my first job. I moved into infrastructure and then security. I currently use a mix of both!
Related: Code Your Career: Staying Competitive in the Developer Job Market (VIDEO)
I have not really decided on what I want to specialize in yet. My ideal specialty is being able to make things quickly. I currently work in infrastructure but at a security company, I’m mostly doing IAM projects.
Is your new role different from previous ones?
It’s in a different industry but roughly has the same tech stack. I did IAM work before, which used SCIM/ OIDC protocols and I currently work with these a lot.
What are some of the things you’re most excited about in your new role?
I’m super excited about innovating and making our team more efficient. Currently, there’s a mishmash of things and we’re not too focused on a specific process to streamline our work.
What was your job search experience like before you joined Hired?
It was actually very hard. I applied to 90+ companies and had 27 interviews, most of which were not an ideal match. Hired was super good for my job search! Companies applied to me. Plus, I knew the salary before having to struggle in an interview to find out how much they’d offer.
What’s your best advice for job seekers registered on the Hired platform?
Generalise the roles you’re looking for. Instead of DevOps, I wrote software engineer, which means a larger pool of companies can see you. Also, reply to employers quickly! Being responsive is really important on Hired. It will show companies how much you care.
What would you tell someone who’s curious about Hired?
Just try it. There’s no harm. It takes maybe an hour to sign up and you get to see the platform. You might also just find a job!
Any general advice you’d like to give other tech professionals?
Take a break. It’s not life or death. You’ll survive and it’ll all be okay! Just breathe. If you lose your job, you’ll find another one and life will go on. Be sure to look on the bright side.
Related: Recently Laid Off? A Jobseeker’s Guide to Bounce Back Better Than Ever
Congrats on the job, Autumn! Interested in landing a great role in the UK like Autumn did? Complete your free profile on Hired today!
About Cisco
Cisco hardware, software, and service offerings are used to create the Internet solutions that make networks possible. Founded in 1984, Cisco has 5,001+ employees and is headquartered in San Jose.
Tech Stack
Python, Spark, Javascript, React, AWS, Kubernetes, Java, Go, Docker, Microservices, Kafka, iOS, Android, Kotlin, Kibana, Datadog, Terraform
Benefits
Health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, 401k plan/matching, tuition reimbursement, paid time off, stock options, employee discount programs, job training, and more.
Source: Talent Acquisition - hired.com
