TechTogether Miami 2022: My Experience Traveling From NY to Miami in Just Seconds
Stephanie made the career switch from healthcare to tech and needed an event to that would not only enhance her tech skills, but was tech-beginner-friendly.
Luckily, she found TechTogether Miami and attended the hackathon! Read below an in-depth article of Stephanie’s experience.
I’m Stephanie and I am so grateful to have found this event while searching through Eventbrite! I live in NYC and I am currently transitioning from a career in healthcare to a career in tech (specifically cybersecurity) and was looking forward to TechTogether Miami’s Career Fair.
I had a chance to meet and learn from current employees working at Capital One and Robinhood which was extremely exciting! They shed light on their journeys and were very candid about their experiences. The great thing about attending these virtual career fairs is that even if you don’t know which questions to ask, you can learn from other attendees who might be more experienced.
I usually have a difficult time asking direct/concise questions but there was an attendee who was just going for it. At that very moment I decided to not let fear and anxiety stop me from engaging with others.
*Disclaimer: Although my initial interest was sparked by the Career Fair, I ended up staying because of the wonderful workshops that were offered! I think I attended over 10 workshops throughout the weekend lol.*
I was amazed by all the tools available for coding, web development, app development, UI/UX design etc. I really enjoyed the Intro to Cybersecurity workshop taught by Ali Segovia. She specified some of the most pertinent attacks that hackers are using today, like social engineering and phishing. She walked us through setting up a phishing campaign and demonstrated how easy it is for hackers to deceive end users into providing their credentials. I felt so inspired by her presentation that I decided to simulate my own phishing campaign! I hope to continue working on other projects like these in the future.
The greatest aspect of TechTogether is that ALL presenters, mentors, and administrators made me feel welcomed and safe. They encouraged all participants to ask questions and connect on Discord and LinkedIn. They offered advice on interview prep, LinkedIn networking, and salary negotiations for FREE which is incredible!
Since graduating from my Cybersecurity Bootcamp, I have ventured on my job-hunting journey alone and attending this event instantly reminded me of the importance of community. This event also helped to validate that I am on the right track, and I just need to focus and persevere.
I left the hackathon feeling empowered, enriched, and fortunate. A big “thank you” to all the administrators who were so diligent and attentive; I am looking forward to future events!
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