A career change as a new parent? It's possible!
Linda Columbus had over a decade of experience in arts administration when she took a parental leave. While taking care of her new daughter during the pandemic, Linda realized that her priorities around work were shifting, and that she needed to make a change!
We sat down to chat with Linda about her journey to becoming a web developer, how she did it as a new parent in only 7 months, and advice for those looking to do the same.
Why Linda Changed Careers with Juno
When do you first remember being interested in coding/becoming a web developer?
Linda: My interest in coding can be traced way back to the late 90’s when I was a tween, and making my own sites on GeoCities and Angelfire was a fun pastime. Those preteen urges to find new methods of self-expression coincided with a time when the Internet was becoming accessible to the everyday person.
I never seriously considered changing careers and becoming a web developer until I was on parental leave during the pandemic. I signed up for one of Juno’s free Coding 101 online workshops and it felt like a cliffhanger. I was excited, inspired, curious, and filled with questions on how things worked and why. It felt like the beginning of something special and important and I knew I had to dig deeper.
What was your job before Juno? Why did you decide to make a change?
Linda: Before Juno, I was an art gallery coordinator, with an 11-year career in arts administration. I loved my job! I worked within a small team, which meant everyday was different and it kept me on my toes.
When I became a mom, my priorities shifted. Working in the arts is demanding and my role necessitated working weekends and evenings for events. I paused and considered how the pandemic had changed expectations around work/life balance, flexibility, and remote work. Without a doubt, the pandemic has done a lot of damage, but one silver lining is that workplaces have had to adapt to a virtual environment.
With web development, I could keep a lot of what I loved in my arts career, with the added flexibility that could accommodate my new life as a mother.
I discovered there are a lot of parallels between my career in the arts and front-end development: translating a creative idea into something functional. With web development, I could keep a lot of what I loved in my arts career, with the added flexibility that could accommodate my new life as a mother and allow me to spend as much time as possible with my daughter during these tender, early years.
How did you start your journey into tech with Juno?
Linda: I heard about Juno through a friend who had a similar journey as me. She had a background in the arts and then decided to make the switch into tech with Juno. At the time, she had a young son and had to balance childcare with the commute. It wasn’t easy, but here she was, years later, a successful Senior Developer, who loved her career and found that it met her creative sensibilities and talents. She encouraged me to take the leap with Juno, and has been an invaluable mentor to me every step along the way.
I spoke with Juno’s Student Success Consultants, who helped design the right roadmap for me that took into consideration my childcare obligations and parental leave dates. Since I had a few months before my leave ended, I enrolled in the part-time evening sessions of the Web Development and JavaScript courses, and then applied to the full-time Web Development Bootcamp. From beginning to end, my time with Juno spanned three courses in seven months.
Why did you choose a Bootcamp over other learning options? Why did you choose Juno?
Linda: There are a lot of options out there! As I navigated this new, unknown tech territory, personally what I was looking for was people I could trust to teach me what is important and relevant to web development today. I felt that a Bootcamp would give me everything I needed to know, along with experience programming in pairs and groups, so I could start working as a web developer, fast.
Juno is a space for underrepresented individuals in tech to not only learn, but thrive.
I know a few Juno grads, and they only had the best things to say about the experience: I heard again and again how kind, supportive, and caring the Juno community is. It was also important to me that Juno is run by a woman who is authentic and intentional with her care for the students, teachers, and staff. Juno is a space for underrepresented individuals in tech to not only learn, but thrive. I knew Juno was a place where I wouldn’t just be a student number, but someone with individual interests, challenges, and needs.
Linda's Bootcamp Experience & Advice
What did you enjoy most during your time at Juno?
Linda: The lessons were fun, the projects were challenging but rewarding, the career coaching was introspective — but above all, the people are what set Juno apart. I wasn’t sure what to expect from an entirely virtual education, but the instructors and staff go to great lengths to make sure each student is heard, supported, and engaged. It’s very special what each cohort goes through together. And it was fun!
What was it like to change careers as a new parent? How did you balance it all?
Linda: Attending Bootcamp while juggling the demands of being a new parent was difficult. At the time, my daughter was about a year and half old and just started daycare. Since Bootcamp was full-time, I tried to carve out time to spend one-on-one with my daughter.
I woke up early so I could spend every possible minute with her before daycare. Then once the day wrapped, I would rush down to have dinner together and put her to bed. As soon as she was asleep, I was back on the computer, working on projects. They were long days, for sure, and my partner stepped up to take on all the domestic responsibilities, so that I could direct any spare moment of my day to coding.
I reminded myself that I was making this career change, ultimately, for her. That motivation was all I needed to keep going.
The hardest times during Bootcamp — when I heard my daughter gently calling for mummy outside my door, or when weekends meant I needed to focus on childcare while I felt torn to work on and debug my projects — I reminded myself that I was making this career change, ultimately, for her. That motivation was all I needed to keep going.
What’s some advice you’d give for new parents looking to do the same?
Linda: Solicit support from your community. I would give this advice to anyone entering Bootcamp, but doubly so if you’re a parent. Whether that’s your partner, a parent, or someone else — you’ll need that extra pair of hands to help with life outside of Bootcamp. Also, make sure there’s a way for you to really focus while you’re attending class. It would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, to give your full attention to class if your kid is around in the background. And Bootcamp will require your full attention!
What was your first job after graduation?
Linda: I just started my first job since graduation, as a Junior Front-End Developer at Performance Art, a specialist creative-data advertising agency. I was overjoyed when I received the offer, since I was hoping to find a role that would allow me to bridge my love of art and design with my new skills in tech. I’m most excited to work alongside other devs and expand my skill set, while contributing to projects that excite and inspire me!
Linda's Inspirations — and Inspiring Words for others!
Who and/or What inspires you in tech?
Linda: So many Juno grads inspire me in tech. I looked to them before, during, and after Bootcamp since they have made that same leap of faith, went through the same program, also made sacrifices, and are happy, fulfilled, and successful today. Two in particular I keep going back to as a source of inspiration are Carolyn McNeillie and my cohort-mate and job search buddy, Adrienne Lee!
I’m inspired to make even a small impact in diversifying the tech space so that my daughter can see that working in tech is a place where she could belong too.
I know the face of tech is slowly changing, and it’s becoming a place where people like me — a woman of mixed race, career-changer in her mid-30s, and a new mother — can see themselves reflected. Representation matters. I’m inspired to make even a small impact in diversifying the tech space so that my daughter can see that working in tech is a place where she could belong too.
Any other advice or closing thoughts?
Linda: It’s okay if you feel terrified, nervous, or overwhelmed as you face this huge change in your career, and more importantly, in your life. It is difficult and takes courage to stop, accept that you need a change, and forge a new path ahead. But you are not starting from scratch: you possess the skills you’ve gained in your previous career and lived experience. These count! In fact, this is exactly what employers will especially value in you.
Often we’re taught that we’re either “good” at something or we’re not. This isn’t true. We can become good at things, with resiliency and patience.
Bootcamp is an intense experience, and you will live and dream in code. But it goes by quickly, so try to have fun, laugh, and be curious! You will graduate with the right tools and skills to succeed in tech, with the Juno community behind you every step of the way to cheer you on!
Ready to break into tech like Linda?
Our Web Development Bootcamp will transform your career. Available in a Full-Time for those looking to change careers fast, and a Part-Time format for career changers with busy schedules: