Recently, Code Fellows students and alumni were invited to Google’s Seattle campus to hear from engineers and recruiters who are active in Google’s and Seattle’s greater tech community.
Alumni walked away with an added sense of connection to the tech industry after talking with engineers from one of the most high-profile companies in the field. Code 401: JavaScript alumni Nikko Pisciotti said, “It’s crucial to create a sense of connection and rapport with leaders in the industry in order to be one.”
The panelists—a mix of seasoned engineers and interns—shared their insights on what it’s like to be a Google engineer, how their training and experience in the industry led to them to Google, what the interview process was like, and what it’s like to be a minority in the tech industry today.
Jeremiah Walters, another recent Full-Stack JavaScript graduate, shared that he was reminded to continue to blaze his own trail, and that real change comes in organizations—and the entire tech industry—from the top down.
One of the biggest takeaways for several alumni in attendance was the need to fight off imposter syndrome, something everyone—from engineers at Google to career-switchers in a code school—struggles with.
“Everyone struggles with imposter syndrome or feeling like they don’t fully understand what they are doing all the time. It’s normal, even for someone who works at a large company like Google,” remarked alumni Allie Grampa. Tatiana Weaver, a 2016 Python graduate and Software Developer at buildpulse, agreed, saying the most impactful advice from the Google engineers and recruiters was to fight the imposter syndrome and don’t be afraid to voice your opinion.
A huge thank you once again to the team at Google for hosting our students and sharing insight and encouragement to fellow developers!
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