"What can you do with it later?" - I often heard this question during my studies of comparative studies, or more precisely, comparative literature and culture. Nobody, including me, would have thought that I would one day become a web developer.
Looking back, it seems almost surreal how my life has changed. I used to spend years in the bustling silence of the university library, sneaking quietly through aisles laden with books, looking for the right sources. My goal: a master's degree. My research revolved around phenomena of popular culture, philosophy and psychology. My subjects ranged from humans to zombies.
Graduation AND WHAT next?
After completing my Master's degree, I was faced with the challenge of finding a new destination. My academic education was designed to prepare me for a career in science, so I had to figure out where I would fit best in the private sector. This also explains why many humanities graduates can be found in a wide variety of industries.
I started in the fashion industry, moved to the food tech sector, worked in corporates and start-ups, in quality assurance and product management. But something was always missing - sometimes the necessary knowledge, sometimes the right challenges. I realized that I wanted to work in the background rather than in direct contact with customers, more with problem solving than with number crunching. At the end of 2022, I therefore decided to start retraining as a UX/UI designer and web developer.
A leap into the unknown: career changer from now on
After more than a year of further training and knowledge of the competitive job market, I started applying for jobs early. Although I had completed my courses, I was still at the beginning. I often lacked a programming language, a university degree in design or computer science or practical experience. Most job advertisements seemed interchangeable, almost generic.
The job advertisement from arocom was different. In terms of content, it hardly differed from the others, but it did not follow the usual templates and seemed less automated. Instead of a fruit basket, it offered humanity and a concrete place to learn and grow - with a focus on individual skills rather than certificates. Career changers were welcome. That was my keyword and I applied, was invited to a trial day, and the rest is history.
Ready, set, go. First steps at arocom
The start was challenging. Lots of new impressions and even more to learn. Not only did I have to fill in the gaps that arise in practice and are not covered in any course. I also had to learn that it's okay to learn slowly, not to know things straight away, as long as you stay curious, ask questions, listen and keep learning. In many areas, induction phases last between two weeks and three months, but in programming you never stop learning - that's exactly what attracted me to it.
At arocom, there was a lot of focus on training. I also found a small, friendly team that was willing to give me a chance for a fresh start in my career and to promote my individual skills. After five months, I can say that it was one of my best decisions.
Looking back on 5 months at arocom
The last few months have been turbulent and I am still at the beginning of my journey. Nevertheless, I have already achieved a lot. I have immersed myself in the Drupal universe, got to know Render Arrays and Twig and learned to appreciate the large community that Drupal brings with it. I was able to expand my practical knowledge in the frontend, and I also learned how to deal with setbacks. Yes, setbacks. By that I mainly mean dealing personally with a lack of knowledge and complex problems.
First and foremost, I have learned to let go of my perfectionism. I had to overcome the habit from previous jobs of performing right from the start and not making any mistakes. Perfection in web development is a distant goal. Claiming to be able to apply newly learned skills immediately is usually unrealistic - even for me. Mistakes are there to be learned from, a hackneyed saying, but so true.
My first conclusion
I have a great team that supports me, helps me, gives me space when I want to solve a problem myself and encourages me when I have doubts. No developer has fallen from the sky, or to put it in the words of a colleague: "We all started at one point." I'm looking forward to learning even more and eventually being able to program modules from scratch so that I can contribute to the Drupal community. Everyone has their own goal - this is mine.
