emily brooks

When I decided to switch careers, I was seeking a path that would provide endless potential for challenge, growth and opportunity. Becoming a front end developer has certainly lived up to these expectations!

I love that coding is both fun and challenging at the same time. Figuring out something new feels like doing a crossword puzzle, so in that way it's fun. (Yes, I think crossword puzzles are fun!) Other times it can be difficult; learning a new concept or simply finding a single typo that stopped my code from working as expected. Once the hurdle is overcome, however, it's incredibly satisfying and rewarding. Those moments build my confidence, propel me forward and prepare me for the next challenge.

Basically, my two main jobs in the food industry were catering and recipe development. First, I started out working in the catering department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which was an incredible place to work and plan events. I learned how to organize and orchestrate multi-faceted projects, work in a fast-paced environment, meet deadlines, and write menus. Most importantly, I learned about client service of the highest standard. Eventually, as the Catering Director, I learned how to lead a team of people, plan and meet budgets, and evolve systems and procedures.

Next, I went to work for a start-up cooking website as the "Executive Culinary Director" - basically, I oversaw all content used in the site. I wrote and tested recipes, curated all content from outside contributors, handled food photography, blogging, and social media, and represented the brand in PR and marketing opportunities.

While these were two totally different jobs, both were equally amazing professional and life experiences.

Both require foundational knowledge. You have to understand certain techniques, tools and procedures in order to build a website or prepare a plate of food. Once you have a foundational knowledge, however, creativity is boundless. If you can imagine it, you can create it.

I enrolled in the Break Into Tech course at Skillcrush, which is a self-paced on-line learning program. I opted for this so I could continue to work full-time while studying on my own time. The program was affordable, but also structured so I would have a clear learning path to follow. I was especially drawn to the fact that real people would be available to help me along the way, instructors as well as a Slack community of other students. If you are curious to know more, feel free to message me in the form below. I'd be happy to share more about my coding journey with you!