How a Hackathon Got Me My Dream Job

This exchange on Twitter caught our eye:

We caught up with Funmi to hear her side of the story, which she has written below. You can follow her journey here.

How it started

​I​ ​never​ ​really​ ​imagined​ ​I​ ​would​ ​be​ ​excited​ ​about​ ​banking​ ​until​ ​I​ ​came​ ​across Starling Bank.​

​I​ ​fell​ ​in​ ​love​ ​with​ ​their​ ​whole​ ​customer​ ​experience​ ​and​ ​this​ ​really​ ​got​ ​me interested​ ​in​ ​the​ ​company.​ ​

I​ ​really​ ​liked​ ​their​ ​approach​ ​towards​ ​building​ ​a​ ​bank. It reflects​ ​the​ ​innovation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​current​ ​times​ ​and​ ​also​ ​meets​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​people​ ​for building​ ​a​ ​healthier​ ​financial​ ​life.​ ​

What​ ​also​ ​appealed​ ​to​ ​me​ ​is​ ​their​ ​​Passport​ ​to Starling​ ​programme​​ ​which​ ​allows​ ​their employees​ ​to​ ​truly​ ​explore​ ​their passion​ ​and​ ​drive​ ​their​ ​careers.

Before Starling…

​I​ ​was​ ​working​ ​in​ ​Accounting​ ​and​ ​looking​ ​to eventually​ ​make​ ​a​ ​career-switch​ ​to​ ​Software​ ​Development. ​​I​​ was teaching myself to code.

I took a web development course was with Code ​​First Girls​​ ​and​ ​I​ ​had​ ​also​ ​already​ ​secured​ ​a​ ​place​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Makers​ ​course.

​​I ​​was ​​not ​​actively ​​looking​ ​for ​​a job at the time but I pursued​ ​my​ ​interests​ ​in​ ​coding​ ​and​ ​things​ ​really​ ​started​ ​falling​ ​into​ ​place​ ​for​ ​me.

​​I​ ​was​ ​really​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​attending​ ​Starling’s​ ​hackathon​ ​but​ ​I​ ​remember​ ​feeling​ ​like​ ​I did​ ​not​ ​have​ ​enough​ ​experience​ ​coding​ ​yet.​ ​

A lucky invitation

Fortunately​ ​a​ ​friend​ ​contacted​ ​me​ ​around the​ ​same​ ​time​ ​and​ ​said​ ​she​ ​had​ ​signed​ ​up​ ​for​ ​the​ ​same​ ​hackathon​ ​and​ ​she​ ​wanted to​ ​join​ ​her​ ​team — and​ ​of​ ​course​ ​I​ ​said​ ​yes!

​I​ ​was​ ​excited​ ​about​ ​the​ ​serendipity​ ​of​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​thing​ ​and​ ​it​ ​felt​ ​like​ ​I​ ​was​ ​in​ ​the​ ​right place​ ​at​ ​the​ ​right​ ​time.

After​ ​the​ ​hackathon,​ ​I​ ​told​ ​them​ ​about my​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​coding​ ​and​ ​that I was​ ​keen​ ​to​ ​learn more​ ​about​ ​the​ ​opportunities​ ​at​ ​Starling.​ ​

Through​ ​that​, ​I​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​out​ ​and they​ ​invited​ ​me​ ​for​ ​further​ ​discussions​ ​a​ ​few​ ​weeks​ ​after.​ ​

I​ ​was​ ​then​ ​invited​ ​back​ ​for an​ ​interview​ ​which​ ​involved​ ​a​ ​pair​ ​programming​ ​exercise​ ​and​ ​some​ ​logic​ ​exercises.

In​ ​the​ ​end​ ​they​ ​offered​ ​a​ ​job​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Software​ ​Engineer​ ​at​ ​the​ ​company.

Advice for other Makers

It’s​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​get​ ​overwhelmed​ ​whilst​ ​on​ ​the​ ​course​ ​at​ ​Makers​.​ A ​lot​ ​of​ ​students always​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​they’re​ ​not​ ​learning​ ​enough​ ​or​ ​afraid​ ​that​ ​they​ ​won’t​ ​be​ ​good​ ​enough for​ ​a​ ​job​ ​by​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​course.

My​ ​main​ ​advice​ ​to​ ​other​ ​job-seekers​ ​is​:

1. Don’t​ ​be​ ​afraid​ ​about​ ​putting yourself​ ​out​ ​there​ ​and​ ​to​ ​really​ ​aim​ ​for​ ​whatever​ ​company​ ​that​ ​interests​ ​you.​ ​It’s​ ​not always​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​believe​ ​in​ ​yourself​ ​but​ ​the​ ​truth​ ​is​ that ​going​ ​through​ ​Makers​ ​really​ ​gives you​ ​the​ ​skills​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​work​ ​as​ ​a​ ​developer​. ​Given​ ​the​ ​right​ ​environment​ ​to grow​ ​your​ ​skills​, ​it​ ​becomes​ ​so​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​pick​ ​up new​ ​languages and frameworks​ ​because Makers​ ​has​ ​given​ ​you​ ​that​ ​solid​ ​foundation​ ​of​ ​learning​ ​how​ ​to​ ​learn.
2. Be patient with yourself.
3. Be kind to yourself.
4. Surround​ ​yourself​ ​with supportive​ ​people​.​ ​
5. Don’t​ ​be​ ​afraid​ ​to​ ​say yes​ ​to​ ​new​ ​opportunities.

It​ ​can​ ​be​ ​quite​ ​daunting​ ​being​ ​a​ ​tech​ ​newbie​. Getting​ ​familiar​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Tech community​ ​here​ ​in​ ​London​ ​by​ ​attending​ ​meetups and events,​ ​speaking​ ​to​ ​other​ ​people about​ ​my​ ​interests​ ​and​ ​putting​ ​myself​ ​out​ ​there​ ​really​ ​helped​ ​me​ ​along​ ​the​ ​way​ ​and​ ​I would​ ​highly​ ​recommend​ ​doing​ ​the​ ​same.

Reflections on Makers

At​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​my​ ​career​ ​change​ ​journey​ ​I​ ​really​ ​had​ ​no​ ​idea​ ​that​ ​I​ ​would​ ​be where​ ​I​ ​am​ ​now.​ ​​ ​I​ ​have​ ​no​ ​regrets​ ​about​ ​pursuing​ ​my​ ​dream​ ​to​ ​become​ ​a​ ​software developer​ ​and​ ​choosing​ ​to​ ​go​ ​through​ ​Makers​ ​so​ ​I​ ​wouldn’t​ ​really​ ​do​ ​anything differently.​ ​I​ ​now​ ​get​ ​to​ ​wake​ ​up​ ​to​ ​a​ ​great​ ​job​ ​doing​ ​what​ ​I​ ​love​ ​everyday.

The​ ​whole​ ​Makers​ ​experience​ ​was​ ​amazing​ ​and​ ​completely​ ​life​ ​changing.​ ​It​ ​has been​ ​the​ ​best​ ​form​ ​of​ ​education​ ​I​ ​have​ ​ever​ ​been​ ​through.​ ​I​ ​also​ ​got​ ​make​ ​to​ ​great friends​ ​along​ ​the​ ​way.

I​ ​would​ ​say​ ​a​ ​life​ ​lesson​ ​from​ ​my​ ​experience​ ​at​ ​Makers​ ​is​ ​knowing​ ​that​ ​I’m​ ​able​ ​to challenge​ ​myself​ ​and​ ​it’s​ ​possible​ ​for​ ​me​ ​achieve​ ​whatever​ ​I​ ​set​ ​my​ ​mind​ ​to.​ ​The emotional​ ​intelligence​ ​curriculum​ ​at​ ​Makers​ ​also​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​a​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​self​ ​awareness that​ ​I​ ​never​ ​really​ ​had​ ​before​ ​the​ ​course.

About Starling Bank

For those who haven’t heard of it, Starling Bank is one to watch. A fast-growing digital-only bank that describes itself as ‘a tech business with a banking licence’. Their vision is to give everyone in the world the opportunity to enjoy a healthy financial life.

We spoke to Hessie Coleman, Head of People Operations, about Funmi:

“People join Starling Bank because they’re excited about the product, which is making a difference to peoples’ lives. Also, as we’re a smaller team with a flexible flat structure, it means everyone can contribute and take responsibility straight away — they truly grow and develop with us.

We met Funmi at a Starling Bank Hackathon, prior to her Makers journey. Her enthusiasm for what we are doing and for learning and taking on new skills and experiences impressed us, and we kept in touch with her from then on.

We have all been really impressed with our Makers grads’ abilities and attitudes to learning; the focus on good feedback, always wanting to find out how things work and the speed at which they pick up new skills and slot straight into any team they go into is fantastic.”

To apply for the next Makers Academy cohort, check out our website.

Starling Bank will be on the panel at our next Employer Breakfast on November 2nd 2017.