My career started in Hospitality and I ended up as a Software Engineer
I studied international relations at the University of California Davis and intend to be a lawyer. After studying and traveling abroad, my part-time job in college ignited a fire in me for the hospitality industry, specifically business operations. The highlight of my hospitality career was meeting and chatting with celebrities at this Five Diamond resort and surviving multiple wedding seasons. I wanted to expand my business operation skill set and worked in different positions to gain more well-rounded experiences. I was an account manager, sales agent, contracts administrator, and operations specialist. I was initially hired at Procore to help with their business operations, but after I saw what the engineers did, I decided I wanted to become a Software Engineer. After much studying, a Bootcamp coding certification, networking, shadowing, and mentorship, I was able to interview and was hired as a Software Engineer at Procore.
I am a Backend Software Engineer focused on enhancing our core-app
I have worked as a Software Engineer at Procore for three years. I have been on two different backend teams. The first focused on enabling engineers to work more efficiently by building tools that make it easier to create new features or decouple existing ones through micro-services. The second and current team I am on has been focused on streamlining Procore’s development process and enhancing the security and reliability of our products.
Working on impactful projects with awesome teammates
It was very refreshing when I joined Procore to work with teammates who cared and took as much pride in their work as I did. It has made working at Procore such a wonderful place to learn and grow. The support and encouragement from my manager and teammates make a difference in scaling up my skillset. Also, connecting and meeting others across the organizations through Employee Resource Groups and events has encouraged and motivated me to empower others through knowledge sharing and helping others succeed. I have also made some great friendships, which is always a nice benefit.
Keep growing and don’t let past rejection determine your future
It took me four different application attempts to Procore before I received my first position here. Since I previously had experience in Customer service, I thought I was a sure fit for a Customer Success position. Thankfully, the rejection made me look around to see what skills I could grow more and eventually receive my job as a Product and Technology operations specialist here. This job inspired and solidified my curiosity to pursue a career as a Software Engineer. Becoming a Software Engineer here was also challenging and filled with rejections. Still, my persistence and continued growth in my skills eventually landed me my dream job!
I changed careers from Business Operations to Software Engineering
My career in Customer Service and Business Operations lasted for over 14 years. I was unsure if I could switch careers after investing so much time into another. At the time, I didn't know anyone who had gone from a non-technical career into one, especially mid-career. There was no career pathing or advice on how to accomplish this career change, and I was met with doubters and discouragements, cautioning me that it might be "too hard" to do. Being a woman in a male-dominated industry also made it very intimidating to even try breaking into it. I was determined to try and knew that attending a school for a coding and web development certification would get me going in the right direction. Receiving my certification, networking, constantly learning, being open to feedback, putting myself out there, and perseverance were what finally got me the job. Throughout this career change journey, I learned much about myself and feel passionate about passing along my knowledge by mentoring those interested in a similar path.
