Self-proclaimed recovering Twitter junkie, and newly-minted Ruby/JavaScript/Rails student, Jesse James was eager to learn how to program before he came to Epicodus. After working on the support side of software at Marketo as the Team Lead for the Portland office’s Premier Support Team, Jesse knew it was time to flip the equation. “I have always been eager to not only utilize my analytical skills but also my creative skills in tackling new problems and creating new software. I’ve dabbled in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript over the last few years, but nothing I’d consider beyond a beginner level, which had always bugged me,” he said.
Making Adjustments
Now a full-time student, Jesse is tackling coding head on and adjusting to pair programming. “I’d have to say, the most surprising thing about code school so far has been interacting with other students from varying backgrounds. At my last position we selected for a certain personality and skill set for our employees, so while there was some variance in personality, everyone was more or less on the same page when it came to work style. Having to be able to adapt, sometimes on a daily basis, to changing personalities and work styles has been very eye opening and rewarding on a personal and professional level. I look forward to taking these new interactions and applying them in the workplace alongside my previous experience in dealing with people."
Advice for Future Students
Jesse’s best piece of advice for someone considering going to code school? “Be open to new experiences/personalities as well as be willing to throw away things or habits you may have learned and start with a clean slate. In my own experiences thus far, and those of my fellow students whom I’m spoken with, the singular constant source of problems or difficulty has always been preconceived notions of how things ‘should’ work or how people ‘should’ act. Being open to different ways of doing things and letting someone else ‘take the reins’ are paramount to making the most of the experience."