Telling your Career Story

As the LEARN Career Services Manager, my favorite part of my job is helping students articulate their stories. Each person comes to LEARN with a unique background & slew of professional experience. While many students think that their previous work in retail, event planning, truck driving, or (*insert any other occupation here*) doesn’t matter, the truth is that it definitely does! This is what ultimately makes you unique and gives you your “plus one”.

I first heard the term “plus one” from a professor of mine during college. She explained how we all would soon graduate with the same degree, but it was what we brought to the table, beyond that degree, that gave us our “plus one”. For LEARN academy students, it’s important to take time to think about your own personal “plus one”. You will learn web development over the course of a 4-month intensive program, but you’ve also had experiences prior to those 4 months. Don’t shy away from sharing those pieces of you and your past. These are the things that can give you an edge in the job market and add value to your tech perspective.

Another term you may hear often is the term “transferable skills“. These are skills that, simply enough, transfer over from one industry to another. Perhaps you were a travel agent before becoming a web developer, for example. Undoubtedly you learned a thing or two about being detail-oriented, structured, working with customers, and coordinating multiple moving parts. Keep these transferable skills in mind as you define how you tell your story & consider what you have to offer to the world of web development. I can guarantee that there is no one out there who has exactly what you bring to the table, and this is exactly why you are needed in this industry.