Finding yourself in tech Series: Frontend Development with Phebian Chukwurah

For our first ever blog post, we got Phebian Chukwurah, a Senior Frontend Developer at Okra, where she has been developing amazing views for eight months.
Before Okra, she has worked as a frontend developer at Kudi, Softcom, Seamfix, and a host of other places.

She shares her experience from starting, skills needed, resources, and even what she would change in today’s world. Watch out for how she describes her role as a superpower. Let’s get into it!

Question 1: How did you get into technology?

I had an early exposure to technology. Thankfully my dad made sure we (my siblings and I) had exposure. We had computers and internet access at home, so I was very interested in playing with computers. And then, I ended up studying Information and Communication Engineering, which exposed me some more. However, I got into software development when I worked on my final year project, which was online diagnostic software where you input your symptoms and a list of possible illnesses you might be experiencing. It also shows you pharmacies around. Pregnancy was almost always an option, lol. It was cool, I guess, back then, and it was something I was proud of. I did not get to pick a project topic; my supervisor assigned it, so I was quite overwhelmed, wondering how I would do it. I was not excited about the software aspect, but I knew how to make HTML and CSS websites. My sister was also studying software engineering, so I wanted to be like her; my older brother studied computer science, so we all have a thing for computers and tech right now.

Question 2: What sparked the interest in frontend development?

As a person, I love makeup. I love making things look pretty. Growing up, I was pretty artistic, and I was the best fine-arts student in SS3. I used to draw, and I don’t know what happened that I don’t draw anymore. I love expressing myself, and I think it feels like I am doing that with frontend. I love it when I can precisely achieve the User Interface as the designer has designed it; it gives me so much satisfaction. I love being techy; it makes me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to do. When I started, I used to be so unsure of myself, very doubtful. I think I still am, but it’s something that you grow to shut the voice up as you keep doing things you didn’t know you could do five years ago — just knowing how powerful I can be when I learn and putting in the effort and seeing the results. I love the improvement in experience, even in how you write your code. I love that about development and being a developer.

Question 3: What skills do you advise to start with and improve on along the way?

I started with HTML and CSS; it started with building just a simple website. Just really understanding how to operate HTML, CSS and Javascript would be fun for you throughout your career. I did not learn in a structured manner; I feel like I just jumped around. I started with react, then picked up Angular, and messed things up. I did not have the journey like everyone would tell you “oh, you need to do this.” That’s one of the things I learned on my own, and I spent the first two years of my career bridging that gap trying to understand HTML, CSS, why we need to build performance applications. Before jumping into the frameworks, it’s about really having a good knowledge and foundation in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. With this, you can build a whole career. The next is to pick a framework and stick to it. Gain useful knowledge and understanding of it and its comparison with other frameworks and keep learning. With this, you can adapt to other frameworks with resources available and your ability to learn.

One other thing I think will make you a better developer is testing and good documentation. There are many great tools, and having a basic knowledge of them will help you grow and learn better from your colleagues.

You must have; ability to take feedback well because people would try to break your spirit and work on feedback given when growing. Other things you would pick up along the way. Keep building and start getting a good idea of things you need to learn.

Question 4: What top resources have helped you as a frontend developer?

The first and most crucial resource is PEOPLE. I learned majorly everything I know from people. I am intelligent; I am going to say that. However, I am very slow when it comes to learning and when someone can spare five minutes to tell me how they are thinking about something, I learn faster. The holding hand method of learning helped to start. I had good friends, and I always reached out to them, and they ever made themselves available to me and showed me how to do things. Sometimes you read and watch videos, and you’re following it and so proud, but after you ask yourself if you know what you just learned because you don’t understand. Hence the need for mentors and people.

Initially, I was a big big fan of Frontend Masters, though now I get bored in-between the videos, I recommend it. Now I also really love using egghead.io. Although these resources are not free, I go online and look for free books and check their reviews. I would keep trying out books, so I don’t get bored. This is relative and might be different for you.

One common resource I feel everyone can relate to is StackOverflow. It is my go-to for anything, and it’s essential to know how to search. Whatever problem you are facing, someone else has faced it.

The critical resource for me is people, and I am not shy about reaching out to them on social media platforms with my questions. Nigerians are always really receptive and willing to help when they can.

Question 5: Who are some of your mentors?

Okay, the first person I would mention is Kati Frantz because she set my mind beyond being able to code and focus on other essential things. Another person who is very instrumental to my growth is Arinze Nnaji, who held my hand and demystified some fundamental things, and I’m grateful. I look up to Ire Aderinokun, who is impressive and has become an important face for frontend development women in Nigeria. Another person is Omolara Adejuwon, my manager at Kudi, her feedback helped me grow, and she is doing so well, which gives me a lot of confidence. She was the Head of Mobile developers at Kudi at a time and the only female. She’s amazing. Someone I also have to mention is Oluwadamilola Babalola, whose approach to everything with perfection helped me. My need to want to write clean and optimized code came from Dami.

Incredibly, I have had amazing mentors who have owned my growth and made my development their priority, and I am grateful for that. It also makes me think that when you go higher in your career, don’t forget to give back to other people because that’s the only way there will be more of us.

Question 6: How would you describe the presence of women in the frontend field?

Women are representing and well represented! There are more female frontend developers at Okra, good at what they do on the excellent team. They also have friends who are also great developers in other companies; the network amazes me.

In 2019, I attended a conference, and someone asked what I do, and I mentioned I was a frontend developer. The person acted like it was still strange for girls to be developers, and that’s wrong.

I have worked with great female developers at Softcom, at Kudi, and my CTO and CEO at Okra are ladies, and most of my teammates are female developers, so I feel we are well represented.

I am looking forward to more female representation because I know they can do it. Women should not be scared, and even the first Computer Scientists were women, which should encourage you! Women always bring that energy that shows they have earned their place here and that extra, and I think it’s essential.

Question 7: What advice would you give to a girl who wants to start in frontend web development?

My advice is to start already, stop wanting to. Just start! I always tell my friends that they can do it and it’s not hard. Start with a simple website, something personal to you. Build something for your church, for your wedding, a website that would make you happy. Let it look ugly, so you can take the next step of making it look fine. The important thing is to start! Life is so short because you are never sure that you would get to do a lot so do what you can! If God has given you any potential, you need to use it. If you will take out one hour to build a website, do it and do your best. Reach out to people. That’s one thing I didn’t know how to do starting, I didn’t want to famz, and it really won’t help you. Learn to approach people, even strangers, and ask for tips and help. If you have put in the effort to build the website, then you can put in the effort to make the site fine and make it public. Just start! Take a step; nothing is too hard. If I can do it, anybody can do it.

Question 8: What are the top soft skills you think anyone getting into tech should have?

Communication, I have highlighted this all through. Proper communication is knowing how to ask for help, committing to a task, and know how long it would take you. Grow your emotional intelligence, whether you’re in tech or not. It enables you to explain things better and manage people’s emotions.

Honesty is very crucial, be accountable because people are relying on you, and deliverables are also relying on you. This is key when dealing with Product Managers.

When you commit to a task, actually do it and do it well. Also, know it is more than code because your code can cause someone’s money not to transfer when trying to get Brazilian hair for a wedding. This shows that people rely on the code you write, and you need to be very confident about it. Putting yourself in other people’s shoes would help you go a long way.

Question 9: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

Well, I can’t answer this question. Every answer has a side effect.

Some would be;

• Putting an end to the need for money
• Making sure no one dies
• Taking away pain

But they all have side effects, so I’d leave it this way.

Question 10: Describe your job in one word

I’m a god.

I am doing god-sh*t right here. Creating these fantastic views with just HTML, CSS, that’s a superpower. Writing all those codes and getting amazing designs. I don’t know about you, but I’m a superhero oo.

Phebian granted this interview on such short notice, and we got these fantastic gems to help kickstart our tech/frontend career. We are lucky.

We look forward to seeing more girls in the front😉.

The TSC Team.