by Uchechi | May 1, 2015 | Blog
YesWeCode chat 19: How to step up your #tech/#startup game
Sunday, May 3rd, 2015
6pmPST/8pmCT/9pmET
While it’s encouraging to see more conversations about tech inclusion and the emergence of more diverse startups, coding classes and hiring of a diverse tech employees at major companies like Google and Facebook, there’s also seems to be a missing piece: a focus on how to step up your tech game and present yourself as an expert in your field both on and offline.
Does tech need to diversify? Yes! Do we (each and every one of us) also need to be on top of our game so we can make the most of the opportunities when they come our way. Absolutely!
So the question is, what are you doing to step up your game? Is your LinkedIn profile on point? Do you have spelling mistakes riddling your blog posts and making them unbearable to read? Are you a designer whose portfolio doesn’t speak great design? Are you offering “high quality professional services” with a site that says “free website builder” in the footer?
The web is powerful because it’s our face to the world. Millions of users around the world can find you because of your url, your domain expertise, your blog. How you present yourself matters.
Join the #yeswecode chat this Sun 5/3 at 8pmCT.
Here are some questions to think about:
- If you were being considered for a job in #tech right now, would your online presence help or hurt you? How?
- If there was one area you could most improve, what would it be? Social? Resume?
- What are some ways one can avoid looking “amateur hour”?
- How do you judge if your public presentation meets certain standards?
- How do you find out what those standards even are?
Hope to see you there!
by Uchechi | Feb 28, 2015 | Blog
#YesWeCode chat #15: Finding Mentorship and Accountability in Tech Entrepreneurship
Sunday March 1st, 2015
6pmPST/8pmCT/9pmEST
Connect with me @uchechi_writes on Twitter
Over the past few months, I’ve talked to a lot of entrepreneurs who are passionate about their ideas and ready to make them happen. Whether they’re just learning to code and taking online design courses, or they’ve got the code skills but are new to business, the biggest challenge many face is staying accountable and motivated even when things get really difficult.
So, how do you stay accountable to your work and your tech goals?
During this chat, we’ll talk about finding mentorship and accountability partners, and how that can help you go from great idea to a great action plan.
I’ve had accountability partners in the past, and what I appreciated most was that they were also trying to stay accountable in their own work, and they could see things from my perspective and help me understand what I was trying to achieve. Hopefully, I did the same for them.
Some questions to think about:
- When things get difficult in your tech/entrepreneurial work, who do you turn to for advice?
- Do you have mentors/advisors/accountability partners? How has that helped you achieve your goals?
- Are you serving as mentor for someone else? What has that process been like?
- What advice would you give to someone looking for mentorship?
And more! Join us!
by Uchechi | Jan 23, 2015 | Blog
#YesWeCode Chat #13
Sunday January 25th, 2014
*9pmCT
During this chat we’ll discuss how to go building a great tech product to figuring out what’s next. Maybe you’re next step is to start building a company or to find out if your idea brings value to your users via user testing. Either way, the goal of this chat is to help you find answers
Building a tech startup is about more than the great product you’ve created. Maybe you’ve created a new social network or photo sharing app. What’s next? From best practices to how to get noticed online, #YesWeCode chat #13 is about getting you to the next level through information, education and conversation.
- During this chat, we’ll discuss the following questions:
- After building your tech product, what’s the best way to get it out there to customers?
- What best practices are important to help you go from great idea to a startup company?
- What are some baseline things you should know (funding v. bootstrapping, accelerators, choice of technology, etc) when creating a startup?
- How can you/your startup look and be legit?
And more!
Join us on Sunday 12/28/14 at 8pmCT.
For more info on how to participate, check out the chat guidelines.
Thanks and see you soon!
Uchechi
* Change of time: The chat is usually at 8pm CT, but has been changed to 9pm CT for this one chat.
by Uchechi | Dec 28, 2014 | Blog
During this chat we’ll discuss how to go from being a code/tech newbie to landing a job or taking things to the next level.
So, you learned to code but maybe you don’t know what comes next. Becoming a web developer is about the tools you use, the connections you make, the clients you engage with and building a supportive community.
During this chat, we’ll discuss the following questions:
- After learning to code, what’s the best way to get a job in tech?
- How can I go from a newbie in tech to a junior or senior level person?
- What’s my online presence got to do with finding a tech related job?
- Are there smarter (and faster) ways to go from being a newbie to a junior or senior developer?
- What are some great online tools I should be using?
And more!
Join us on Sunday 12/28/14 at 8pmCT.
For more info on how to participate, check out the chat guidelines.
Thanks and see you soon!
Uchechi
by Uchechi | Nov 14, 2014 | Blog
Hope you can join the next #yeswecode chat this Sunday (11/16/14) at 8pmCT. We’ll be discussing fear, it’s impact on our work and how we can move forward anyway.
The fear of being wrong can affect your success
This week, I was in the Bay Area for the WedTech conference, and while there I visited a long time friend of mine. We sat in a great Oakland coffee shop, sipped lattes and spoke about our hopes, our work, the lives of two very creative women.
Towards the end of our conversation, she mentioned that she’s often afraid of being wrong, and how that gets in the way of her success. I immediately thought about how at some point in all our lives, we all deal with insecurity. But, what happens when it stops us from becoming successful.
Imposter Syndrome is a real issue
At some point in our lives, the fear of being “found out” aka Impostor Syndrome, is a real issue. I want to bring this conversation to the tech space because I believe all of us are capable of being more than just good. We’re actually capable of being great, and doing so has nothing to do As we talk about tech diversity, it’s important to remember that we all show up with some insecurity. Are you worried that you’re not good enough, smart enough, savvy enough, capable enough? How does this worry affect your work?
#Yeswecode chat #9 questions to think about:
- How does the fear of being “wrong” get in the way of your success?
- If you could let it go, what would that look like?
- What are some unique ways you deal with/work through feelings of Imposter Syndrome?
- Once you get that dream job in tech, what’s your plan on how to make the most of it in the face of your fears?
Why is this conversation important?
I hope you can join the conversation. Before joining the chat please review the guidelines, which will answer some questions and help you know how to best participate. It’s important to the tech inclusion dialogue, especially because I really do believe that while access to tech skills is an important piece of tech diversity, there’s also a need to address the internal challenges that get in the way of our success.
