I did not always know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I actually had my mind set on joining the military in high school. If I did not go down the path I ultimately chose, I would be in a very different place in life.
My first major in college was bioinformatics – a new program at my university that I knew little about beyond the informational brochure. That major led me to my first Computer Science (CS) class and I was instantly hooked. Due to my wide array of interests, I changed my major a couple of times, but I always stuck with the CS classes. I have an analytical mindset, so programming was logical and straightforward to me.
On the other hand, I am also an empathic person and I feel like I can understand people’s circumstances and what they are going through. As a Software Engineer, I deal with a lot of different people on a day-to-day basis, but I am able to put myself in their shoes to understand their goals and how I can help. If I do not have the answer, I will get the answer – by finding someone who has it or doing the research myself. The majority of what we do as technologists is “Google” things. Nobody has all the answers.
Publicis Sapient has the resources, connections, and opportunities for me to explore different career paths. My team encourages me to be brave, which, to me, means putting yourself out there when you normally would not and being comfortable with who you are as an individual on a team. We speak out, correct each other, and push each other to deliver great work. As a result, our clients see the direct output of what can happen when you put diverse minds together.