I want to share the story of my journey to Freya Systems and the bumps in the road that got me to where I am. From starting as a marketing professional to running my own business, and then getting out of coding boot camp, I am happy to say it has been a fulfilling experience.
Early Beginnings and a Sudden Shift
I was originally a marketing major while working as a restaurant manager to pay for college. I moved up North to New Jersey after college to take a job as a restaurant manager that was going to lead to me being a chief marketing officer for an expanding restaurant chain. Shortly after my move, the 2008 recession hit, and after a few more restaurant management jobs, I decided I needed a change.
I decided to learn to become a massage therapist and opened a business in Philadelphia, PA with a few locations providing massages to the public. I was happy as I got to combine my marketing skills for my own business with the ability to help others feel better. Around 2016, I was in a car accident that required shoulder surgery. Because of my injuries, massage was no longer a viable full-time endeavor. I was looking for my next career path forward in life.
Diving into Coding and Software Development
A chance encounter led to me going to a web development boot camp. After coding with new programs. I was obsessed and couldn’t get enough. Copiously reading books and making side projects for fun, I knew I had found my calling.
Fortunately, I was able to find a job shortly after the boot camp with a local company that did document management solutions for government and industry. I was getting to use my coding skills to solve business process challenges I had studied back in my undergrad days.
I was working on projects to help different DOD branches operate more efficiently. I helped to ensure pharmaceutical drug safety globally. I even was able to work with a government branch that ensured accessibility for all. Between the various projects, coding, and learning new skills like SQL, I was ecstatic. It felt like getting paid to solve puzzles. The company felt like a family.
However, there was a strategic change in direction with my department that would have led to me using a lot less of my coding abilities. I knew it was time to move on and it would be a challenge to find a company with the same small family feeling while doing big work and getting to use my coding again.
The Jump to Working at Freya Systems – My Thoughts
I was lucky to encounter Freya. Once I learned a bit about the company, I knew it was the right fit. What stood out to me the most was the value the company’s culture put on education and continuous learning.
One challenge in tech is trying to stay up on technology while working your regular project hours. This usually requires a lot of self-studies. To have this baked into a company’s culture is great. We are provided a week each year to keep up. I originally interviewed for the role of full-stack Java developer. I had not yet worked in Java and hadn’t used one of the front-end frameworks that Freya uses. Having seen my ability to pick up new skills, and my prior experience, they took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to earn my spot. I made a fully functional application with a Java back-end and Angular front-end with a Postgres database. I was proud of what I had produced and was ecstatic at being in growth mode again.
Officially Joining the Freya Team
An offer was made to me on my birthday and I officially joined the company almost 3 weeks later. Since then, I have been actively developing in Java and growing my skills. I am surrounded by a team that is supportive and ready to jump in to help when I have questions. From the fact that we have a culture committee to the commitment to personal development, I have found my new home.
