Doubts and Fears Getting in the Way of Your Future Career? TripleTen Students Share Ways to Fight Them

Quality education can be a key to a rewarding career and a better life. But sometimes fear and doubt get in the way of our learning. Luckily, most worries only exist in our heads, so pinning them down can resolve our doubts.

Some TripleTen students had their share of frustration prior to enrolling in our bootcamps and embarking on an exciting journey in tech. Having been there and done that, they later spoke about their experience. If you, too, are nervous about pursuing tech, their stories and advice can help combat your fears.

Read on to learn about our students' most common fears before enrolling in TripleTen and how they beat them or even used them to their advantage.

Imposter Syndrome

The notorious imposter syndrome is the bane of modern-day specialists. It makes us doubt our skills and talents despite our achievements.

Writing a list of your accomplishments often helps you see that you have done a lot and earned your place. But sometimes all you need is timely encouragement from someone you know.

Xia Cui_{TripleTen Grad Xia Cui on Becoming a Data Analyst} had her eye on a career in data analytics but wasn’t quite sure she could pull it off. She was beset by doubts despite already working with data in her position as a humanities and social sciences researcher at a university in Australia.

I used to think data analytics had nothing to do with me. Turns out, I was doing it in other forms without even realizing it. Xia Cui, TripleTen grad

And then a piece of friendly advice helped Xia realize she was underestimating herself. “A friend said, ‘You have good logic and you're very good at mathematics. Why don't you try it?’ His encouragement helped me see that I could do it.”

The same worked for Yuliya Khilko_{From Chemical Engineering to Motherhood to Tech : Yuliya Khilko’s TripleTen Story}, a mother with degrees in biotech and chemical engineering. She entertained the idea of software engineering but was haunted by what turned out to be baseless fears — until she was given advice that quenched her doubts.

“There was this party at my husband’s office, and we were talking to his colleague who used to be a musician. He said he went to a coding bootcamp and became a front-end developer. I thought: what am I afraid of? I should try it as well.

He showed me that you don’t necessarily have to complete four years of college to get into IT and become a good professional. Yuliya Khilko, TripleTen grad

Fear of Not Having Enough Time or Money

Many people think that learning new skills is way too expensive and time-consuming and opt not to study. It’s true that good education comes with a price tag and requires dedication. But if you choose wisely, it’s an investment that will definitely pay off.

With TripleTen, you’re most likely to see a full return on your investment in just a couple of months. As many as 87% of our students find a job in tech within 180 days of graduation. And with a median starting salary of $75,100 a year for the software engineers we train, it pays off quickly.

Rita Sandomirskaya_{Interview with a superhero: meet TripleTen grad Margarita “Rita” Sandomirskaya}, being a mom, doubted she would be able to both work and study before signing up for our Data Analytics bootcamp.

“Basically, I had to choose between my dull, but stable job and a several-month-long program with an unpredictable load and outcome,” Rita said.

The combined support of her husband, TripleTen’s convenient curriculum, and Rita’s persistence ended up being a winning formula. “It wasn’t easy, and it really depends on the age and temperament of your child and how well you organize your time, but TripleTen's course was flexible enough for me to make it work.”

Then, Andrei Batomunkuev_{TripleTen Grad Andrei Batomunkuev Talks Getting into Data Science and Outmatching Tony Stark} wasn’t certain whether he could afford a second education. He enrolled in TripleTen’s Data Science program while still studying in college. At first, he seemed to be always short of time, but he turned his super tight schedule into an advantage, as it helped him master time management.

“I needed to solve this problem somehow, so I started using Google Calendar and blocking off time for my college projects and TripleTen. It helped me graduate,” Andrei said.

Fear of Change

Trying to reboot your career and change your life are key reasons to join a bootcamp. But the unknown can be frightening — who knows what awaits you if you dare to dream and step out of your comfort zone?

TripleTen students have proven again and again that studying to land a job in tech is totally worth it. So it's not a leap of faith when you sign up for a coding bootcamp, but a well-trodden path.

Many have already walked it to launch a career they now enjoy.

Although she has a Ph.D. degree in political science, Marina Kingsbury_{An Alternative to Academia: Dr. Marina Kingsbury Seeks Refuge in Data Science} thought that learning data science would be more than she could handle. “I’m in my 40s, and I'm transitioning to a completely different field, and it's terrifying. I hope that I can be a role model for somebody who's in the same boat.”

Marina found inspiration in someone who’d taken a similar career turn before. She got in touch with the person in charge of hiring at a global data company. “He was kind enough to come back to me in a personal email and say, ‘Hey, I'm gonna say I was in the same boat as you were. I'm also a political scientist and refugee from academia.’”

Just like Marina, Ryan Elmachtoub_{Building a data science skill set with an engineering background} didn’t know if pursuing a new education and a new career was a safe decision. He was doubtful about going into data science after working as a mechanical engineer. “At first — I would say the first couple of weeks — I kept having these thoughts, like maybe I'm not cut out for this. I was trying, and it just wasn’t clicking.”

But he managed to overcome his initial hesitation. “Throughout the curriculum, the TripleTen team was great. We had weekly Zoom meetings. They were encouraging us and saying that it's normal to feel that way. It was what I needed to hear at the moment, and it helped me keep a positive mindset.

Keep adapting and learning. It's never too late. It's just a matter of time. Persistence is the key. Ryan Elmachtoub, TripleTen grad

Yet another Data Science course graduate, Makenzie Wells_{How TripleTen Grad Makenzie Wells Plans to Bring Her DS Experience Full Circle}, also advised against letting the fear of the unknown put you off.

“Having a growth mindset is really the primary thing that you need in order to make any sort of conversion. And being ready for the unknown — you're not going to know a whole lot at the beginning, but there are so many resources,” she said.

Fear of Failure

The fear of underachieving and nervousness about what others might think can be so discouraging that some would rather do nothing at all. But you never know if you don’t try. You may just as well succeed with your first attempt.

And then again, everybody makes mistakes and everybody learns at their own pace. So don’t compare yourself with others. Just keep your eyes on the prize — that is, your new skills and your new career — and keep moving towards your goal.

Like many other students, Luke Schmidt_{Forging His Own Path to Tech: Luke Schmidt’s TripleTen Story} had his ups and downs while mastering software engineering. But at TripleTen, you never walk alone. "If something is really not clicking for some reason, which everyone is going to experience, it can be tough to dig yourself out of that hole. A suggestion I have for prospective students is to ask for help. Set up an interview with a tutor, request a one-on-one, or ask a senior student. TripleTen is very social and community-tailored,” Luke said.

Looking for a job and being turned down can also be frustrating. Many job-seekers apply for dozens of positions before getting an offer. Jackie Lu_{TripleTen Student and First-Generation College Grad Jackie Lu Lands a Job at Tesla} said he applied for more than 300 before getting hired by Tesla!

What kept him going? His perseverance as well as TripleTen's career track, where students review each other’s resumes and provide moral support. “It’s good not to feel alone, and to have a group of people you can come back to that share the same kind of struggles and celebrations that you have,” Jackie said.

Fear of Not Getting Quick Results

While updating and upgrading your knowledge and skills is the right way to further your career, it’s not a magic wand that conjures up new jobs and promotions. At TripleTen, the graduate employment rate is quite high. Again – 87% of our graduates get hired within six months. But you need to be persistent and keep trying hard to make it happen.

For Pinwei Wu_{A New Country, A New Career, A New Calling: Pinwei Wu’s TripleTen Story}, joining TripleTen’s career acceleration track proved to be the solution. She had all the right skills to become a software engineer after completing our bootcamp. But she still struggled to find a job, as everybody seemed to be looking for someone more experienced.

However, after a TripleTen mentor helped Pinwei put together a sterling resume and trained her to sail through interviews, things began to look up.

“It’s nice that I had someone to push me. I didn’t take job seeking very seriously before. I applied to 2-3 jobs a week because I researched carefully if my abilities matched the requirements, but my coach pushed me to apply to 3-5 jobs a day.”

After that, it only took Pinwei a month and a single interview to land a job, courtesy of her confidence and her portfolio. “It’s what TripleTen does best — they help you build a portfolio so you can show anybody that you really know how to do it".

The job I’m working in right now had only one interview, and all they did was go through my portfolio. Pinwei Wu, TripleTen grad

It's normal to have fears and doubts, but don't let them get in the way of your education and career. TripleTen's team and community have your back. Don’t be shy to ask for help when you need it; chances are, the results will be better than you expected.