Kaylee and Just a Coder Thing
Kaylee is a Software Engineer, who loves programming for how logical and yet creative it is at the same time! This reminds me of Ada Lovelace (the first programmer in history), who saw poetry in maths ❤️
Kaylee is passionate about diversity in tech and has started her blog as a way to help other women get into the tech industry. She shares a ton of value in every single post, so make sure you follow this amazing girl and role model!
Follow Kaylee on social media and learn about her story below!
About Kaylee
I am a software engineer working for a finance company in NYC. I started my blog Just a Coder Thing after I graduated from college to share my story and my experiences with other women looking to enter the industry. I was lucky enough to find mentors and role models while an undergrad in college but I know that other women are not always as fortunate. I think that making a career in tech can be really challenging due to the lack of female role models and I hope that sharing my story and things that I’ve learned will help others build their careers.
How did you get into tech?
Growing up, my two favorite subjects were creative writing and math — I loved the logic of math and the creativity of writing. It wasn’t until I was a senior in high school that I was lucky enough to opt-out of an extra year of Latin and enrolled in AP computer science that I stumbled across programming. I fell in love with programming immediately since I saw it as the perfect blend of what I loved about both math and writing. I went on to major in Computer Science in college and graduated in 3 years by accelerating my coursework. Studying computer science at university taught me a lot of things, not just about tech but also about resilience and what it feels like being one of 3 women in a class of 50. This is part of why I am so passionate about diversity in tech — I definitely struggled at first and it was really challenging to find a support system and role models when there were so few women.
What languages/technologies do you have the most experience in?
Java, Python, Git, Kotlin.
What are you currently learning/practising?
Still learning Kotlin and trying to learn more about Kubernetes and containerized deployments.
What are your favourite resources to learn/stay updated on tech?
The Women in Tech newsletter is a great one! I also read a LOT of Wired — I like that it introduces me to other topics that are intersection of technology with another industry, this keeps me learning new things!
What would people learn about by following you?
I would love if people learn career advice that they find helpful! Whether it is how to ace a technical interview or tips for starting a new job remotely, I’ve tried really hard to document and capture the advice I was lucky enough to acquire through mentorships and experience so that others can take advantage of the lessons I’ve learned.
What inspired you to start sharing your experiences on social media?
This was a tough decision for me because there’s a part of me that (still) wants to throw out my phone and unplug so that I’m fully present. But what drew me to social media is the reach that you can have — I was lucky enough to have role models in my life that mentored me but I know not everyone is that fortunate. My thought is that by sharing my experiences on social media others will be able to connect with my perspectives and point of view and hopefully either learn something or feel a little less alone in such a male-dominated industry.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can always PM me on Facebook or Instagram or you can email me directly at justacoderthing@gmail.com
Lightning round
iPhone or Android?
Android
Dogs or cats?
Dogs
What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?
Chocolate chip cookie dough
What’s the next place you want to travel to?
Anywhere tropical
How many hours of sleep do you need to get to feel like yourself?
9
What is your superpower?
Building things from scratch.
Alright, that ice cream flavour is the perfect choice and your superpower is just awesome! Keep on killing it, Kaylee!
Follow Kaylee here: