Alumni Story: Carl Kishman, Jr Software Engineer at Veterans Solutions Consulting

Carl Kishman briefly pursued computer engineering in college, but the timing wasn’t quite right. He stepped away from tech to pursue other interests, but his passion for it never left.

Enrolling at Tech Elevator helped Carl reconnect with that passion and realize software engineering could be a fulfilling career. Now, in his new role as a Jr. Software Engineer at Veterans Solutions Consulting, he’s using the skills he gained from the bootcamp to thrive in a field that challenges and excites him. Read a Q&A with Carl below.

How did you become interested in coding?

I’ve always been tech-oriented in my hobbies, and I’m a more logical thinker. I’ve always been drawn to logic-based things, like puzzles, etc. Coding felt like a natural fit for me because of all that.

How did you come to realize software engineering was a possible career path? 

After I graduated from high school, I was in college for computer engineering, but I only did that for about a semester because I was young and had terrible study skills at the time. I knew I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t prepared to pursue something in the field right then. My interest fell away for a while after that until I signed up for the bootcamp, which felt like reigniting my desire to get into coding and find my passion again.

Congrats on your new role as a Jr. Software Engineer! What are you able to share about your new job?

I can’t share specifically what I’m working on because of signing an NDA, but I feel very prepared for this role. I’m using all the skills I learned at Tech Elevator. We use Java every day, SQL, and a little bit of JavaScript. Mostly I’m on the backend, but pretty much everything that I learned in the bootcamp, I’m using every day in my role.

What do you like about working as a professional engineer so far?

It’s very collaborative, and I get to work with a really great team. I’m learning new things and getting to try new things every day. I also love that I get to work from home four days a week, which is awesome.

How was the post-bootcamp search for you?

I consider myself lucky that I got a job within a month of graduating. During that time, I applied pretty much every day, and I tried to do at least two applications a day, because my goal was about 10 per week. I was really flexible with what I applied to. I was willing to relocate; I was willing to be in the office or work from home. I was able to find plenty of opportunities, be that on my own, on career websites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor, or through Tech Elevator’s job postings through my Pathway coach. My coach was a huge help, and I actually got this role through her.

Before this role, you had experience in sales and food service. What did you learn during those experiences that you’ve been able to carry over into your new tech career? 

The biggest things are the people skills. In sales and food service, in retail, etc, you’re talking to people all the time, and you’re relating to all sorts of different people. That’s a huge help in my new role as I’m forming relationships with people. I’m building up trust that leads to getting the help I need and helping others when they need it, and just in general, building a good team.

From my time in food service, specifically, I’m able to think on my feet and change gears quickly. Problems happen in tech, and bugs occur, and you need to be able to think fast, take things in stride, and figure things out on the fly.

Do you have any advice for someone considering a coding bootcamp? 

If it’s something you’re passionate about, I’d say do it. It’s a great experience. It’s a very challenging one, but if you don’t take the chance, how will you ever know it’s really for you? The challenge was there, and the friendships were there, and I think you can make it work if you have the passion. Tech Elevator was the perfect fit for me. It was a great experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get a job in the tech field.

Ready to make a career change? 

At Tech Elevator, we offer full-time and part-time coding bootcamps. You don’t need any tech or coding experience to get started. Explore more alumni stories to learn about graduates from a variety of backgrounds who find success in tech.