A New Beginning in the Tech Industry
In April of 2016, I was given what I consider to be the opportunity of a lifetime. At the time, I was working as a chef and had been in the restaurant industry for 10 years. I knew that cooking food wasn’t a long term career choice for me. Not because working in a kitchen is a bad job to have, but because I knew that I was putting my energy into a profession that didn’t excite me. I didn’t feel like I had anything to offer anymore.
With my wife and two little boys at home to support, I was looking into what a career change could look like for someone like me, who didn’t hold a college degree. I was digging into web development books and training programs and had found something that really resonated with me. Creativity drives me and in the world of web design and development, creativity is thriving.
Through a mutual friend, I met with John Weiss (Co-Founder & CEO of Human Design) over coffee to learn more about the industry and ask some questions about where to get started. That conversation led to an opportunity to interview for a position at Human Design as a Creative Producer. I didn’t know what a Creative Producer was, but I was anxious to find out more. I swallowed my fears and doubts and accepted the opportunity. Over the next two weeks I interviewed a few more times with Human Design, and in the end, they offered me the job. I was excited but I knew the hard work of learning a new industry lay ahead.
As a Creative Producer at Human Design (more on this to come), I was tasked with leading design and development teams through projects with our clients and managing client relationships. It was a whole new world of daily rhythms of work to adjust to. Everyday is different in this job, and for me that is a welcome change.
I consider myself a rookie in the tech industry. Nine months in, I still have a lot to learn. My desire to move into web development in the future is still as strong as ever. One of the things I love about this industry is that it’s filled with folks who, like me, sought a career change and worked hard and took a chance to make it happen. I guess the overall message I want to present is, don’t be afraid to face the unknown and try something new, even if you fail. Always be looking to learn and to grow as a human being. As long as there is breath in your lungs, there is an opportunity to take hold of something great and pursue what drives you.
