Chime Career Growth & Development

Give us a snapshot of what you do to stay on top of your engineering knowledge and skills.

Staying on top of my knowledge and skills has always been top of mind throughout my career. Early on, I spent many weekends frantically reading technical books to combat imposter syndrome. While imposter syndrome is a common experience for many in tech — especially women — this approach didn’t ease the feeling at all. Instead, I recommend leaning on others and being targeted in your approach.

Upon joining a company, I would begin my search for a mentor, especially in my first few years in the tech industry. In those sessions, we would tailor everything to match what I was looking to grow in — system design, scalability, design patterns, etc.

I realized that I learn best on the job. If I wanted to work toward a particular skill or focus, taking the initiative to ask for relevant opportunities often opened those doors for me.

The tech industry is constantly evolving and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Rather than chasing every new technology trend, I’ve learned to be more strategic. I try to keep my knowledge and skill-building relevant to my current work and future goals, which often means staying on top of what’s new in the languages and frameworks I use most.

What are your go-to resources for keeping your engineering skills sharp? 

Periodically, I read blog posts by both Thoughtbot and Test Double. I’m also a huge fan of Avdi Grimm and Kent C. Dodds because they both provide courses and materials on keeping your skills sharp and moving toward the next level. Sometimes, top experts in the industry provide workshops that you can attend, and I like to look into those when specific conferences make their announcements.

However, some of the best go-to resources are my peers. I have gleaned a lot of helpful materials and resources through them as well, so don’t forget to ask the people around you!

What does the learning culture look like at your company or on your engineering team? Fortunately, there are an abundance of learning opportunities here at Chime. I often feel like I’m dealing with the paradox of choice when it comes to the many guilds and meetings that I have access to. A lot of these opportunities are not just scoped to the realm of engineering but are geared toward a deeper understanding of our business and the people we serve — knowledge that’s both necessary and incredibly valuable in my role.

I’ve also been lucky to be a part of a team of individuals with varying degrees of experience and expertise, and I’ve really learned and grown a lot through pairing with each and every one of them and collaborating on various projects.

There have been many opportunities for growth here at Chime that are backed by a community that really fosters and encourages that and it’s made working here very rewarding.