I haven’t posted anything on my website recently because I’ve been busy refreshing my coding skills. That’s what I would like to talk about in today’s post, and the upcoming posts on my website. Don’t worry: I’m not done discussing data center life or giving technicians tips about interviewing. That will continue, but in the future. Right now my focus is on coding and that’s what I want to discuss.
Refreshing My Coding Skills: Why?
Why am I currently refreshing my coding skills? Short story: To get a new job.
Long story is this: My manager told me I had to find a mentor at work so I looked for a mentor in the Technical Writing space at Google. I’m interested in that role because I spending time writing documentation on my team. After some searching I found a mentor who is one of the primary Technical Writers for Project IDX. We had a meeting and I learned my abilities was better suited for the Developer Relations Engineering role (formerly the Developer Advocate role). I did my research about the role, became quite interested in it, told my mentor, and she said she knows some Developers Relations Engineers and will ask them if I can work with them.
While I won’t know if I can work with that that engineer or their team until mid-April, I’m still excited for my future. Thus, I need to prepare, which is why I’m refreshing my coding skills.
Refreshing My Coding Skills: How?
So how am I refreshing my coding skills? Short story: freeCodeCamp.
Long store is this: I signed up for freeCodeCamp back in 2016 when I wanted to teach myself how to code. Yes, I’ve had a dream of becoming a coder or a developer for a long, long time now. Although I haven’t used the website since 2017, I always kept up with it. Thus, I knew the website had more courses and tutorials than when I initially sign up. Even their YouTube channel is extensive! (And i highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how to code.)
Right now I’m going through the Responsive Web Design cirriculum, and I learned so much! Yes, this isn’t exactly coding, but it was the first recommended by the site to take so I took it.
Looking at what’s next after I finish up the current cirrciulum is JavaScript. While I do know the basics of JavaScript, refreshing those skills isn’t a focus now. Nothing against the language, it’s just I rather spend my time refreshing my Python skills. I taught myself Python with an Udemy course back in 2017 and 2018 and continue to use it today in my web apps.
Google has a Python 101 course that I probably will take. The company provides many free training programs and classes to their employees. Yet, there’s a Python course on freeCodeCamp.
Choices, choices.
I’ll keep everyone posted.
3/16/24 Update
Well, I didn’t expect to have an update this soon, but I do! After doing some research about the next role I want to move into at Google, I need to learn Java. Google uses Java in many of their products and tools. I tried to learn that language years and years ago, but I couldn’t get it. Thinking about it now, I didn’t try hard enough and gave up too soon.
I paused using freeCodeCamp because I need to refocus my attention on learning Java, which I started today. I’m using a Google-recommended course on LinkedIn Learning.
I’ll continue to keep everyone posted with future updates.