Kacey Willis | Manager Creator Tech Support
I was living in New York as an actor and I had some really big goals for myself for 2020.
Suddenly the pandemic hit and it was all gone. It was just really shocking.
I went through a couple of months of grieving the life that I had envisioned for myself and then was like, “I’m done. I’m ready to try something new.”
Coding and technology was always something I was interested in, but it felt like such a boys game and everything online just looked so industrial and hard and not exciting to learn. My brain already hurt before I had done anything!
When I found the Skillcrush website I was like, “Oh, it’s all pink! I’m doing it!” And it was honestly the best decision I ever made.
The courses were broken down into smaller sections so if I only had an hour or even 30 minutes I could do a couple of sections and then they’re checked off, I know that I’ve completed them and I can go away and come back next time.
I finished the developer track and was starting to look for jobs on my own. It was just really dejecting because you look at an entry level job and then they list all these things that they want you to be able to do. I felt like, “I can’t do that! I’m not qualified!” So I’m just not going to apply to anything.
Luckily, the Get Hired program had just been launched and I was invited to participate. The first thing I learned in the Get Hired track is that:
- All job listings are a employer wishlists
- I am qualified!
And I should apply to those positions…but there’s a smarter way to do it and the Get Hired Track shows you how.
The Get Hired approach is 180 degrees from traditional job hunting so it seems a little scary at first. But then you realize, “Oh, this actually works.” Once you find that it’s working you want to keep doing it.
There were still the ups and downs of job searching, but the Get Hired track made it so much less stressful. I felt prepared in how to go about finding a job listing. I felt prepared in how I even apply for the job.
Before my first interview, I was so nervous, but there was so much clear documentation and practice interviews that were offered within the Get Hired track that by the time I actually went into my first interview, I was like, “I got this. I know exactly what I’m going to say, I know exactly who I am, I have answers to all these kinds of questions.”
I had mentally said that I wanted to make “X” amount of money. What they offered me was so much more—like three, four times more a year than I was making beforehand. I was like, “What? WHAT!?!” I couldn’t believe it.
The job I have now is as a publishing tech support specialist with Cafe Media and AdThrive. My company does advertisements on blogging sites., like when you are looking up a recipe and there’s an ad that pops up.
My job is to go in on the front end and fix issues with the ads. I look at a client’s website to see what’s going on and then I go into our backend servers and alter what we are targeting on their page.
It requires a whole bunch of front-end skills, CSS, and even writing my own JavaScript code. I send it over to the client to say, “Add this to your site. I’ve already checked it. I’ve written it myself. It’s working, and it’s going to fix all your problems.” So it’s really rewarding. And I get to work from home in my PJs.
I’ve only been in this job for less than six months and I’m already training the next person. As I was training them, I realized, “Oh my gosh, I have learned so much!” I didn’t need to be an expert from day one. You’re not supposed to be and the job is going to teach you.
From January 2020 to now, November 2021, my life has completely changed! I have a new apartment, I have a new job. I have a new everything. I’m already planning fun trips I’m going to do in the new year.
Just having the freedom that having a job in tech has given me, I didn’t realize how much I needed it. But, there were definitely times when it was really hard And I just had to close my computer and walk away.
My advice to other students is
- Don’t give up!
Keep going because it’s going to be hard, but also realize this might be the first time you are looking at something, but next time it comes around, it’s going to feel more familiar.
2. Once you’ve completed the web designer track or the web developer track, you are ready to look for a job..
You are! You’re actually qualified so don’t think that you need to be an expert from day one. You’re not supposed to be and the job is going to teach you. Just do it! You’re going to realize how much more qualified you are than you thought.
Update: After 9 months Kacey was promoted to manager of her department. She bought a car, moved to Georgia, and is looking to buy her first home.
She has also started her own TikTok and Instagram channels where she uses her background in theater and comedy to inspire others to break into tech. Check her out at @KaceyCreative