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July 27, 2018
Career and Interview Tips
How to Keep Up with the Constantly-Changing Tech Industry
Partner Content
A version of this article previously appeared on Skillcrush, an online education program for creatives, thinkers, and makers that gives total tech newbies the tools to make major career changes.
Cameron Chapman, Skillcrush
Sometimes it seems like new technologies, techniques, and standards get released on an almost daily basis, making the tech industry dizzyingly fast.
For someone new to the industry, keeping up can feel puzzling—or nearly impossible. How do you stay on top of changes that happen all the time, especially ones that can directly impact the work you do and what your boss (or clients) expect?
I talked to web designers, developers, and other techies to find out what they do to keep up. The answers are more straightforward than you might expect.
Follow Influencers on Social Media
Almost everyone I spoke to said one of the best ways to stay on top of innovations in the industry is by following influencers on social media. Setting up custom lists (or following lists others create) on Twitter can take a lot of the legwork out of finding the news you need to keep up with.
Watching what influencers are doing in their spare time is a great way to know what might be coming next. "Things like 'Initial Coin Offerings' and AI seem like moonshots, but the smartest people I know work on those subjects in their free time. That makes me confident that some big businesses will emerge in these areas," says Philip Thomas, co-founder and engineer at Moonlight. Pay attention to what gets developers excited and you'll know where to look for the next big thing.
If you're looking for whom to follow on Twitter, try Skillcrush's Women in Tech list—our favorite influencers and experts.
Spend Time Reading Every Day
"Read. Read. Read." That's how Kate Chan, a full-stack marketer at BlueFox.io, stays up to date on changes in the industry. She sets aside time daily to read about tech, insuring she won't fall behind. James McCarthy, CEO and lead web developer at Boldtask, is specifically a fan of A List Apart for long-form articles that keep him up to date. We also love:
Staying in the Know Doesn't Mean Falling for Trends
Nathan Kontny, CEO of Highrise (a spin-off of the wildly popular Basecamp project management software), warns against the appeal of quick fads at the expense of staying grounded. "I think keeping up with changes is far overrated. We're better served by studying history and how companies that are decades old, if not older, have made customers happy. It's a fool's game to keep chasing fads and responding with knee-jerk reactions."
It's a fair point and one that's well evidenced. He uses Google Wave as one such example, touted as a revolutionary product that would change how we all work together. Instead, Wave was dead within three years due to lack of interest despite all the hype of its release.
The moral here: Focusing on user needs can allow you to create successful projects without falling for fads.
Skip the Four-Year Degree
As Erik Zuuring, a 10X programmer who dropped out of college, told Mashable, "One of the biggest issues with post-secondary education in the technology industry is its ability to keep a curriculum current and at the cusp of technology…Just in the web-sphere, trends and technology change on a monthly basis."
We see this proven over and over again at Skillcrush: You don't need a four-year degree to find success. What you learn in your first semester might be obsolete by graduation day. Learning in a faster-paced environment sets you up to actually start working in the tech industry in way less than a quarter of the time it would take to get a degree.
Want to get started in the tech industry right away? Check out the Ultimate Guide to Coding for Beginners for a step-by-step plan to launch your tech career.
August 12, 2020
Intuit
Building a Design Career: Insights on How to Stand Out and Step Up from Intuit's Caitlin Flint
This edition of our career spotlight series features Caitlin Flint, Group Design Manager at Intuit.
Caitlin's career began at the Advancement Project, a civil rights nonprofit focused on large-scale systemic change to remedy inequity. There, she had the opportunity to work on mapping software for California's first-ever open redistricting process, which ignited her passion for improving people's lives at scale. This made her a natural fit for a role on Intuit's design team, where she has worked for the past six years. Caitlin earned her B.A. in Design from the University of California in Davis, where she specialized in Visual Communications.
<p>At Intuit, she leads design work for TurboTax Live, a product that connects tax experts to millions of customers who need tax filing assistance throughout the year. She leads a team of diverse craft experts who specialize in everything from research, interaction and service design, to artfully curated assets (visuals, motion, voice, and tone) that bring the product to life. As part of Intuit's design leadership team, her top priority is solving customer problems and creating an environment where her world-class team can do the best work of their lives.</p><p>We sat down with Caitlin to discuss what the day-to-day life of a Design Manager looks like, what advice she regularly gives early-stage designers, and what she looks for in applicants' portfolios when she's hiring for Intuit (which she is—so take notes!).</p><p><strong>Before we dive in, can you tell us a little bit about yourself outside of work?</strong></p><p>I live in San Diego, where I was born and raised, and where my husband and I are lucky enough to enjoy the beach and sunshine on a regular basis. I love backpacking and rock climbing, but when I'm unable to get away, anything outdoors (like attempting to keep the plants in my garden alive) will do.</p><p><strong>Let's talk about your role as a design manager at Intuit. What sorts of things do you do on a daily basis?</strong></p><p>I lead the amazing design team behind our <a href="https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/live/?cid=dis_ptfc_click_us_active-fy20_cn_text_blog_intuit-talent&iis=dis&iisn=ptfc" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">TurboTax Live</a> assisted tax offerings. Every day the team connects customers to our virtual <a href="https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-expert-network/?cid=dis_ptfc_click_us_active-fy20_cn_text_blog_intuit-talent&iis=dis&iisn=ptfc" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">Tax Expert Network</a> to help solve their most pressing financial problems. This requires curating a cohesive end-to-end experience across our consumer tax portfolio to make sure the new features we deliver work together seamlessly for access to experts wherever and whenever our customers need it. I provide creative leadership to ensure research, interaction, visual, and content design all work together to deliver on a common strategy. </p><p>A critical part of my role is driving innovation through what we call <a href="http://www.intuitlabs.com/design-for-delight?cid=dis_ptfc_click_us_active-fy20_cn_text_blog_intuit-talent&iis=dis&iisn=ptfc" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">Design for Delight (D4D)</a> and Customer Driven Innovation (CDI) processes. This involves developing deep empathy to understand customer problems, going broad to narrow with potential ideas, then conducting rapid iteration to arrive at the best possible solution. At Intuit, everyone is customer-obsessed, but our design team goes the extra mile to ensure we bring empathy and qualitative behavioral insights to the table when we're discussing how our products are performing and how we can better serve customers. Human-centered practices are ingrained in our craft.</p><p><strong>What do you think is the most challenging aspect of being a design leader? The most rewarding?</strong></p><p>Being part of an insanely talented team is incredibly humbling. My goal as a designer has always been to have a positive impact in the lives of the customers I serve—leading a team exponentially increases that potential for impact. It's most rewarding when you can see how every individual's efforts amplify the collective results of our team. Great research insights lead to crisp, focused interactions, which are then bolstered by beautiful content, motion, and a visual language that supports ease of use, confidence and delight for our customers.</p><p>That said, this is also the most challenging part—creating an environment optimized for collaboration, with a common vision and shared pace, so the individual parts come together like a symphony. Without that, even with great individuals, the output is just noise.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU1NDE5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDg2Nzc3M30.c_EYfnv1p72YO2SRZo0T-5HOXeHarwt5Yy0BJjvLKt4/img.jpg?width=980" id="c8aa3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="97ba7db00e56e6a8dbb7dbaa95662c3f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Caitlin collaborating with members of her Design team</small></p><p><strong>You joined Intuit as a designer six years ago. What drew you to the role and the company?</strong><br/></p><p>I was drawn to the triple threat of an inspiring vision, an established yet evolving design culture, and a clear path for individual career growth. The financial decisions individuals make on a daily basis are numerous, complex, and carry emotional implications with real consequences. Eliminating that burden, by providing better tools for financial freedom, inspires and challenges me daily.</p><p>And being at a company that actively invests in great design makes me confident we can make an impact. It also means that, as I grow and learn, I can keep taking on new challenges. There are designers at every level, all the way up to Intuit's C Suite, that I can learn from. It's inspiring and really amazing to be free of a looming ceiling over what's possible.</p><p><strong>How have the people and culture at Intuit supported your growth into a management role?</strong> </p><p>I started at Intuit as an individual contributor, and from day one I would hear people say, "We want to provide the resources for people to do the best work of their lives." In my experience, this has been spot on. It's one of the many reasons Intuit has been recognized on <a href="https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1000127" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">Fortune's Great Places to Work </a>list year after year. </p><p>The culture is such that I've had many great mentors and coaches—formal and informal—over the years. Taking courses and attending conferences is the norm, as is having the opportunity to learn from external guest speakers and internal experts on a weekly basis. Before I became a manager, I was supported and encouraged to enroll in leadership courses (where I mostly gained data and a vocabulary to support what I saw modeled around me by design leaders every day). Once I became a leader, opportunities for continued learning, such as unconscious bias training, have also been the norm.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU1NDIwNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODI1MzU1MH0.HdDAZiKPTKLhfZWiHgH_JYEG6XDxs3C4m_7Y2I7Gm8w/img.jpg?width=980" id="b097d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="431e835fd31e49ed73087c57acde6d59" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">The Design team celebrating Halloween</small></p><p><strong>Now that you are a manager, what's one lesson you try to impart to more junior designers? And one way you try to set them up for success?</strong><br/></p><p>I'm really grateful to have had great mentors to help me learn that it's important to do less, better. This is as critical for delivering great products as it is to career growth. I'd equate the early career phase to the "go broad" part of our design process—rapidly iterating, trying new things, seeing what works, and savoring the surprises. Eventually, though, you hit the narrowing phase. At that point, there's a lot of power in choosing a few areas where you really want to excel. That way you can focus your efforts and put your native genius to work, rather than be so-so at everything.</p><p>As the go-broad phase of your career winds down, don't be afraid to ask for help from peers and leaders if you need help narrowing and deciding where to focus for the next phase of your journey. Always give yourself permission to try new things, but know where your core strengths lie. </p><p><strong>Let's shift gears and chat a bit about getting started in design and landing an entry-level role. When you're evaluating candidates, what sorts of things do you look for in a portfolio? What are your assessment criteria?</strong></p><p>Your portfolio is a tool to showcase how you think—not just what you delivered. This means I'm on the lookout for candidates who use engaging case studies that tell the story of a project.</p><p>What problems are your customers facing? What's the ideal outcome for them? How will you measure success? I'm interested in how a candidate sets the stage with a clear from/to journey. Then, I look for how you put the design process and methods to work to identify an effective solution to the problem. Last, I'll assess the execution of the solution—how you use interactive elements and visual elements like color and type to make using the product simple and intuitive. A talented designer may be stronger in some areas than others, but they'll understand how the pieces fit together and how to bring their audience along on the journey. </p><p><strong>What would you recommend someone do when they're just starting to build their portfolio? Are there specific types of work they should ensure they include?</strong></p><p>Overall, it's best to tailor the work in your portfolio to the types of roles you'd like to take on. If the body of work in your portfolio demonstrates your skill as an illustrator but you're hoping to land a role as a product designer, you might want to re-evaluate the projects you've included. The exception would be if there are transferable skills you want to highlight. For example, maybe you did a ton of customer research and trend audits to inform the style of the illustrations you'd use for an app, and that ignited your passion for product design. A project like that demonstrates skills applicable to product design and tells the story of your career journey. Including it would demonstrate breadth of knowledge and an ability to learn and adapt.</p><p>If you don't have a ton of work to show yet, don't worry. The best designers I've worked with have an entrepreneurial spirit and don't mind being scrappy. Even without formal experience, you can put your creative problem-solving skills to work just about anywhere and document the process and outcome for your portfolio. For example, seek out pro bono or nonprofit work, where you can make an impact in the communities you care about and add the work to your portfolio. Or, do a<a href="https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"> heuristic evaluation</a> and guerilla user tests on a product that solves a critical need for you, but is painful to use—then provide your recommendations to improve the experience and prototype a new approach. </p><p><strong>What's one thing you've seen recently in a portfolio that pleasantly surprised you?</strong></p><p>Recently, a designer I interviewed (and hired) showed solutions they explored that included augmented reality (AR) & chatbot. It was great to see them consider current tech trends in their go-broad explorations. Even better, they showed how they backed away from these solutions because they didn't adequately address the customer need. In this case, the AR approach required two hands on the phone, which took away the hand that was needed to complete the task in real life.</p><p>This demonstrated their knowledge of trends, while shining a spotlight on their customer-centric rationale. It also showcased a love for the problem (rather than a specific solution). Plus, I personally got to learn something new in their portfolio review, which is always great. </p><p><strong>What's the number one thing you love to see in a portfolio?</strong></p><p>The real world is messy, and designers weather the storm by savoring unexpected surprises along the journey. I love when candidates are transparent about what went wrong, what they learned, and how they recovered. It shows grit and creativity, the ability to persevere when real challenges arise. It also shows depth—if they didn't uncover challenges along the way, I'd question how well they tested the solution. What weak spots are we going to uncover later, when it's too late to address them properly? Embrace the messiness of it all!</p><p><strong>And one thing that really bugs you?</strong></p><p>A portfolio that only shows screenshots of the products a candidate has worked on, without any context or insight on the process, is a real letdown. It also bugs me when the success of the work isn't evaluated from a customer perspective. It's great that your client was happy—but I want to know what benefit the end user received from the product.</p><p><strong>Last, but not least, what piece of advice would you give to someone who wants to apply for a design role at Intuit? </strong></p><p>Take time to learn what Intuit does—explore our products and get a sense of where they fit into our customers' lives. Second, learn about who we are. Our values (how we work) are as critical as what we deliver. We have an amazing, customer-centric culture at Intuit, especially in design. Beyond that, we care that our employees also love working here. Consider how you will add to that culture—the diverse point of view you'll bring to the table, and how you'll live out our values within a team. </p><p><em>To learn more about Intuit's open roles in their design teams and beyond, check out their PowerToFly profile</em><a href="https://powertofly.com/companies/intuit-inc" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"> <em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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August 11, 2020
DigitalOcean
Applying & Interviewing at Digital Ocean — Recruiter Netta Bob Shares Her Tips
Netta Bob, Recruiter at DigitalOcean, shares a few tips to keep in mind when applying to DigitalOcean.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at DigitalOcean's culture and values, and learn how you can make your application stand out!
To learn more about DigitalOcean and their open roles, click here.
June 25, 2020
For Employers
How Leaders Can Support Their Black Employees
A five-step framework for addressing systematic racism at work
The world has changed in the past few weeks.
We're watching corporations and organizations across the world come out in support of Black lives in droves. Many of those organizations are doing so for the first time in their history.
<p>But supporting Black people goes beyond sharing a mission statement or putting out a press release. It requires dedicated, ongoing work and resources.</p><p>As leaders in the Diversity and Inclusion space, PowerToFly has been getting questions from business leaders on what else they can do. How can they make Black employees feel supported at work? What kind of analysis should they be doing on their own processes and policies to root out systematic racism they may be perpetuating? And how can they keep these conversations about race and racism going even after the media coverage has died down? </p><p>A few weeks ago, in my role as PowerToFly's Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion, I held a chat-and-learn two weeks ago focused on how individuals could be better allies to their Black colleagues and friends. (You can watch a recording of our conversation <a href="https://powertofly.com/career/live-chats/276535-being-an-ally-to-black-colleagues-and-peers" target="_blank">here</a> and read my summary of takeaways <a href="https://powertofly.com/career/webinars/277594-how-leaders-can-support-their-black-employees" target="_blank">here</a>.) Two weeks ago, I held another webinar, this time focused specifically on what leaders—whether CEOs, executives, HR managers, or frontline team leads—can do to support their Black employees. You can<a href="https://powertofly.com/career/webinars/277594-how-leaders-can-support-their-black-employees" target="_blank"> watch a replay</a> or read on for my summary of key points and advice on the subject. </p><p>A reminder: none of what's going on right now is a Black problem. This is an American problem and even a global problem. Black people cannot end systematic racism or white supremacy, and we need white Americans and other allies to work together to end it. We need everyone in the boat with us, rowing together, if we're to see any real change. I know that fighting for that change isn't always comfortable or easy, but it's vital that we do it. It's especially important that all of you leaders, who have seats at the table to change policy and be actively anti-racist in your organizations, do it. </p><p>Thank you for joining the fight.</p><h2>A five-step framework for addressing systematic racism at work</h2><p>Most of us were taught not to discuss race, politics, or religion at work. But times are different now, and ignoring how race and racism impact work is the wrong thing to do. It's vital to address racism in the workplace not just for your employees, but also for the general public, who are noticing which companies are speaking up for what's right and which companies aren't. It'll be increasingly important in the future for leaders to commit to this change as workers and consumers alike seek to align themselves with organizations that share their values. </p><p>To aid you as you start doing that work, here are five steps you can take to start addressing racism at the workplace.</p><h3>1. Get comfortable with having candid conversations about race.</h3><p>There's no such thing as being colorblind. Saying so is problematic. We can't address the things that need to be fixed if we don't see color. Start by acknowledging that there are certain groups of people who are treated differently or haven't had the same opportunities. Start by accepting that you don't have all (or even any) of the answers, but that you're committed to working towards them.</p><h3>2. Do regular, mandatory training on inclusivity, sensitivity, and other race-related topics.</h3><p>Most workplaces have certain courses that are required, at least for managers and leaders, like sexual harassment courses or compliance training. If you want to make it clear that race is important and that racism won't be tolerated at your workplace, you need to invest in mandatory inclusivity training.</p><p>It has to be more than just a check-the-box activity. Your approach can't be, "Oh, everybody took unconscious bias training, we're good to go."</p><p>Just like anything else in your business that you really care about, you'll need to devote money and time to actively dismantling systematic oppression. That looks like monthly or quarterly workshops, having a speaker series where you invite SMEs to take on diversity topics, and investing in a D&I leader or in a resource group and partnering with them to regularly train and educate your workforce.</p><h3>3. Address systemic issues in how you hire, pay, and promote employees.</h3><p>A Black Lives Matter press statement is necessary but not sufficient when it comes to addressing racism at your company. It's a great first step, but if you don't start addressing and making changes beyond the company values section of your website, it's all for naught.</p><p>Start by looking at your salaries. Is there equity in what you're paying Black employees compared to white employees? Don't assume that there is without taking the time to analyze the situation.</p><p>Do the same for employee promotion rates. Who is moving up into bigger management jobs—and who isn't?</p><p>Look at project allocation, too. Are the same people getting the same chances to appear and present in front of executives? Are your Black employees getting opportunities to work on stretch projects?</p><p>Once you understand where the inequities are in your business, address them. These issues have deep-rooted causes and won't go away overnight. You'll need to come up with an action plan and start working against it.</p><h3>4. Review your employee referral program.</h3><p>While employee referral programs can be great, they are often not the best way to attract diverse candidates. If you have a mostly male white workforce, then your employee referrals are going to reflect that. The majority of companies don't have diverse workforces, which warrants a closer look at how these programs are implemented.</p><p>Consider running specialized referral programs through employee resource groups for underrepresented minorities. If you have a Black or Latinx group, for instance, work with your HR or Recruiting teams to source referrals from those pools.</p><h3>5. Create executive sponsorship opportunities for Black employees.</h3><p>Sponsors can make or break a career path. They can fast-track someone to a leadership role, create opportunities, and give an employee cover to try something new. But if Black employees haven't had a chance to get in front of executives—if they aren't playing golf with them, going out to dinners and lunches with them, or working with them on high-priority projects—they won't get those benefits. Add an explicit diversity focus to current sponsorship initiatives, and if none exist, create them in partnership with ERGs.</p><h3>Tips and guidance to inform your approach</h3><p>In implementing the above five steps, you may find yourself feeling unsure or uncomfortable. That's natural, especially if discussing race is something you haven't done before. Remember that to do this work well, you need to be willing to listen and to learn. Below, I've provided answers to some community-sourced questions on how exactly to do that.</p><p><strong>How can I navigate a conversation with Black employees in a way that makes them feel supported?</strong></p><p>As business and HR leaders, you might be wired to be very solution-oriented and to want to fix things for your employees. But you can't immediately fix racism or fix an employee's experience with it at work.</p><p>When talking about race with employees, do not make it about you. If an employee is talking to you about what they're feeling or going through, you can say things like, "I'm so sorry you're going through that" or "I hate that you're feeling that way" or "I care about you." Do not say "I know what you're going through" if you don't. Do not apologize on behalf of the white race or in any other way make it about what you're feeling, whether that's guilt or frustration or anything else. Just listen.</p><p><strong>How can I—or should I—check on Black employees without disrupting their privacy?</strong></p><p>Keep in mind that Black people have been taught to assimilate and blend in as much as possible, especially at work. Being called out at work specifically for being Black is not going to be a comfortable thing for many people. Do not zero in on the one Black person on your team in a meeting, for instance, and ask them how they're doing with everything that's going on.</p><p>If you are going to do a check-in, do it in a one-on-one setting. Give your employee an opportunity to give you cues. Are they bringing up what's happening in the news? Are they sharing that they went to a protest? If not, maybe they don't want to talk about it.</p><p>If you decide to check in anyway, don't direct the conversation. Tell them that you're there to help if they want to talk and that you want to know how they're feeling. But if they don't want to engage, let it go. Remember, this is not about you and what you think you need to do to be a good or inclusive leader. This is about your Black employees and what they are feeling.</p><p><strong>How can I address colleagues who have implied or explicitly stated that they are not allies?</strong></p><p>Be conscious of your energy. There are policies to create at work. There are protests to attend in your neighborhood. There are kids to raise and jobs to do. Investing time in someone who does not care or opposes who you are or what you believe in is not good for you, so minimize those debates and focus on what you can change.</p><p>That being said, don't change your message to make people comfortable. Now is a time to take a stance. If your colleagues aren't willing to do that, it might be time to leave them behind. </p><p><strong>How can a primarily white team or organization support the Black community right now, especially if financial levers like expanding hiring aren't available?</strong></p><p>It's important to move towards creating a more equitable workplace and culture even if you don't have a Black employee on your team. It's the right thing to do. Remember that allyship is essential, and that white allies can have huge influence within organizations and communities. So start with the five steps above. If you have a budget beyond that, invest it in additional D&I training. Provide resources for doing anti-racist work in-house. Dedicate time every week in your team meeting to talk on topics relevant to the Black Lives Matter movement, whether that's defining what being an ally is, learning about systemic oppression, or brainstorming ways to get involved in your local community.</p><p><strong>How can I use levers to make sure my internal and external recruiting is as diverse as possible without being discriminatory?</strong></p><p>First of all, there's nothing discriminatory about asking for a diverse slate of candidates, whether you're asking an external recruiter or an internal team. You're not promising anyone a job based on their identity; you just want to make an effort to see a range of candidates. Hiring diversely doesn't happen by chance. You don't post a job and then just see a flood of resumes that perfectly represent all races and identities. That's called the "post and pray" approach and it's destined to fail.</p><p>If you're hiring internally, start by going to employee groups and encouraging group members to apply. Ask if they have anyone they'd recommend for the position. Make an effort to ensure that people know about open opportunities and what you're looking for.</p><p>If you have a recruiter or sourcer working with you, tell them that you want to look at a diverse pool of candidates.</p><h3>Going forward</h3><p>These are tough subjects to tackle and doing so will require sustained focus and resources. Thank you for doing this work. If there's anything we at PowerToFly can do to help as you continue down the path towards becoming an actively anti-racist organization, please feel free to reach out to me and my team at answers@powertofly.com!</p>
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August 10, 2020
Adobe Systems Incorporated
How to Use Your Voice to Find Career Success: Advice from Adobe’s Markeia Brox-Chester
There is only one Markeia Brox-Chester at Adobe.
<p>So when Markeia was added to the invite for a meeting with thought leaders in her organization, the imposter syndrome that briefly made her wonder, "was this on purpose?" was quickly silenced.</p><p>"If someone adds me to an invite, it's not a mistake," says Markeia, reflecting on her initial reaction and the confidence that came after it. "I had to come to terms with that and to say okay, I have something to offer that they want to hear."</p><p>Markeia is a Business Operations Program Manager at Adobe, where she works with different departments to drive process improvements across the company. "My ultimate job description would be to look across the organization from a cross-functional perspective and look at the strategy, how we're measuring our success, and ultimately how we're driving towards our business goals," says Markeia.</p><p>Even though she's now very comfortable speaking up in big meetings, that wasn't always the case. "I'm an African American young woman, the youngest on my team," says Markeia. "There's always that feeling of 'How did I get here?' and I have to remember that I was invited to the table to have a seat, so I took one and I ensured that I kept it."</p><p>We talked with Markeia about how she's kept that seat by learning to use her voice, as well as how she encourages other people—especially those from minority backgrounds—to do the same.</p><h3>Be unafraid to seek growth</h3><p>Looking at Markeia's title and suite of responsibilities, you might not assume she's only four years out of undergrad. The 2016 University of San Diego grad first joined Adobe as an HR generalist, a role that saw her digging deep into different parts of employee relations at the digital media leader. "From that role, I determined that I like to drive projects and kind of see things more end to end," says Markeia.</p><p>She began to network within Adobe to see what other opportunities existed. She found a business ops role that interested her and applied, and credits her project management skills as what led to her offer. As she grew into the program manager role within that team, she says she honed her executive presence, strategic thinking, and time management skills.</p><p>Markeia has never shied away from an opportunity to learn something or to grow, even when those opportunities initially seem overwhelming or scary. "I'm very confident, but when you step into that new role, you're going to have that first day feeling of 'should I be here?'" she says. But she's learned to ride out that initial feeling: "Just be confident in your own ability to get yourself to the same place that you got yourself in previous positions," she advises.</p><p>For people seeking opportunities to advance in their own organizations, Markeia encourages them to just ask for what they need. "I personally have always had the philosophy of 'You don't know what you don't know unless you ask,'" she says, "And I have gotten pretty far with that. The reality is that if you don't ask, it's an automatic 'no.' If you do ask, it's a 50/50 chance of a 'yes.' I like the odds of going from a 100% no to a 50% yes."</p><p>She also recommends that people reach out directly to coworkers with job titles that sound interesting and ask about their own career paths, as well as have frank conversations with their managers about ways in which they're looking to grow and roles they'd want to grow into.</p><h3>Invest in your community both within work and beyond</h3><p>Markeia is from Oakland, California, and despite its proximity to all of the big tech companies in the Bay Area, she says working for those companies seems farther out of reach for the community, even though they are just across the water. </p><p>"When I look at myself as someone who came out of Oakland, my first thought is, 'I'm not special. I'm not any different. So what opportunities was I provided that are not being provided back to [others]? What was I taught or what knowledge did I get that really helped me get to this place that [other people from Oakland] might not be hearing about in their households or in their schools?'" asks Markeia. "And as someone who has made it into the tech world, what responsibility do I have to share that back?"</p><p>That's a rhetorical question, one that Markeia's already answered for herself: she has a big responsibility.</p><p>"I've always been very passionate about the community around me. I'm a product of my community. I will always want to see how I can give back to the community," she says.</p><p>Markeia pursues that responsibility both at work and beyond. Through Adobe, she takes advantage of volunteer opportunities to do community service with different Bay Area organizations, and she serves as the Black Employee Network (BEN) Site Lead for Adobe's San Francisco office.</p><p>"A lot of the various events BEN drives are meant to appeal to a community that may not have necessarily thought they had a place in tech," says Markeia. "Whether that's youth or individuals from nontraditional backgrounds, we're ultimately opening the doors of Adobe and bringing them into a conversation of possibility."</p><p>Markeia notes that she's especially passionate about encouraging young people to pursue a career in tech, and works to do so at Adobe by partnering with organizations in the Bay Area to present to students, bring them on site, participate in panel discussions, and serve as an example of what is possible. "It's about providing opportunities for these very talented individuals who may not have a connection somewhere to get their foot in the door of tech," says Markeia.</p><p>Within Adobe, Markeia says that BEN (Black Employee Network) works to create a community for Black employees. "It's about having a safe space to come and chat, to have friendships, to turn friends at work into family at work, and to have opportunities to share ideas, questions, and advice," she says. "We're moving with a common goal of revolutionizing the idea of Blacks in tech."</p><p>Outside of Adobe, Markeia recently joined the advisory board of a charter school, and is excited about the opportunity to positively impact that organization, too.</p><p>While she highly encourages others to get involved in initiatives that speak to their passions, Markeia has some advice on how to do that without burning out.</p><p>"I have some difficulty with not over-committing myself. I think we've all been there when you're passionate about something. You have a tendency to want to give your all," she says. "But you need to prioritize yourself as well—your well-being and mental health. Everybody needs to have moments to recharge and reconnect."</p><p>To help do that, she starts off small when she takes on new roles or gets involved with new organizations. "Instead of jumping into a leadership position because that might be the shiny, fun object, start by dipping your foot into the organization first and ensuring that it's a good fit," she advises.</p><h3>Be hungry to learn</h3><p>We talked to Markeia during the pandemic, where even though she's stuck inside and working from home, she's still actively pursuing her career growth goals. She's signed up for a data analytics bootcamp course and is loving the challenge.</p><p>"I thought, what's a better time than now, when we can't do anything, to sign up for something that's going to help me grow or move into a different position?" she asks.</p><p>(Our answer to that rhetorical question: there probably is no better time, Markeia, though we've definitely been using that time to watch extra Netflix instead of brushing up on our analytics chops. You've got the better idea, though!)</p><p>Markeia's course is reimbursed by Adobe's learning fund for employees, and Adobe's focus on learning is just one of the many reasons that Markeia enjoys her role there. "Adobe is doing so many things to equip employees to find their voice, see where their voice fits in the organization, and decide where they want their voice to be heard," she says. "They're giving employees resources to grow into whatever that is and get them there."</p><p><em>If you're interested in joining Markeia at Adobe, check out their open roles</em><a href="https://powertofly.com/companies/adobe-systems" target="_blank"> <em>here</em></a><em>!</em></p>
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August 06, 2020
National Security Agency (NSA)
Developing as a Technical Leader, a Coach, and a Continual Learner: The NSA's Amy A. on Her Long Career
What do running a half-marathon training program, being an executive coach, and leading a team at the National Security Agency (NSA) have in common?
<p>They're all things that Amy A., a senior technical leader at the NSA, likes to spend her time doing, supported by the core set of abilities she's honed through her decades of leadership.</p><p>Coaching is about enabling people to solve problems and helping them come up with the right plan for their individual situation. That's something Amy's learned in her work at the NSA: "I work with really smart people who have a lot of ideas and by default are problem solvers," says Amy. "[We have to] allow [ourselves] the space to come up with ideas, work through the idea, and not dive into problem-solving mode too early."</p><h3>Developing her own career path</h3><p>Amy's career began in college, where she was a computer science cooperative education student at Central Michigan University.</p><p>As she earned her degree, she learned how to design and develop databases. That turned into studying signal processing and eventually network analysis. "[This was] just as the Internet was evolving from being local to becoming a global powerhouse with connectivity around the world," remembers Amy.</p><p>That turned into professional work with the NSA, where she's worked her way up to be a technical senior executive. Her current slate of work includes leading multiple teams to update telework playbooks.</p><p>While she's thankful for people who have helped her along the way, Amy believes in the power of the individual above all. "We each own our own professional development path. I have had many mentors and coaches who have guided me or helped me navigate when I was lost. But in the end, I picked the roads I wanted to travel, and my mentors and coaches helped me grow."</p><h3>Representing for underrepresented groups in tech</h3><p>As a Black woman in tech, Amy has often been in the minority. When she was studying computer science in the 1980s, she says she was often the only woman in the classroom. "But I loved programming and I loved software design, so I stuck with it," she says.</p><p>She notes that she's seen lots of bias at work, though most of it unconscious, and that her colleagues have always been open to her feedback about it.</p><p>"In the early part of my career, there weren't a lot of women in my technical area, but there were many women at the Agency," says Amy, who notes that women's representation has grown sizably since she started. "We have a ways to go, but we have a real focus on understanding diversity and inclusion and on working towards a better tomorrow."</p><p>To help speed along that better tomorrow, Amy has played big roles in the NSA's employee resource group (ERG) for women as well as the ERG focused on the Black community. She's been senior sponsor for both groups for ten years. "I love working with the ERGs because they allow me to learn more about the issues, challenges, and accomplishments that these groups are encountering at work," says Amy.</p><h3>Continuous learning at the NSA</h3><p>Amy has taken advantage of the career development support offered by the NSA, from being part of the Agency's Co-Op program for students early on to traveling throughout her career to enrolling in the Agency's Senior Technical Development Program (STDP) more recently. She highlights the "diversity of roles [and the] diversity of organizations" that the NSA has exposed her to that have helped her develop over time.</p><p>Amy continues to value self-improvement and to set goals for herself. She's not one to shy away from opportunities to learn and is considering starting a PhD after she retires from the NSA.</p><p>"Every day is a learning experience. There is a lot of formal support for you to grow in your profession, but it is the informal experiences that I really value," says Amy of her time with the Agency.</p><p><em>If you're interested in the development opportunities and collaborative problem solving Amy has shared here, check out the National Security Agency's open roles</em><a href="https://powertofly.com/companies/national-security-agency-nsa" target="_blank"> <em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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