PD Plan for Repeating Module 3

Repeating the module is an opportunity to not only solidify technical skills but also take advantage of extra time to work on your professional development and take concrete steps for your job search.

During your time in Mod 3 PD, we focused on building these core competencies:

• Utilize community for support in job search
• Continue utilizing mentor for job search support
• Apply strategies to personal job search

By the end of Module 3, we aim for students to achieve Level III readiness in Networking, Interviewing, Materials, and Job Search Strategies. While you repeat the module, this is an opportunity to continue this work and think about how you can push yourself to grow in these areas further.

Expectations for Repeating the Module

Sessions

You are not required to attend the rest of the professional development sessions you have attended previously. If you choose to attend any sessions, please plan to fully participate in activities, including breakout group discussions. Reminder of the weekly sessions:

• Week 1: [Resumes & Portfolios](
• Week 2: [Building Connection: Part II](
• Week 3: The Application Process

Please let Robyn Purvin (@robynp) know if you would like to participate in Job Shadow this module.

Homeroom Groups

You will be added to a new homeroom group with your new cohort. This is an opportunity to build new networking relationships, support each other with professional development and the job search, and connect with each other.

During homeroom group time, some of the discussion topics will pertain to the session for that week. Even though you do not have to attend the sessions, you should contribute your ideas and reflections to the group and use the space to solicit feedback and collaboration on what you’re working on.

Reminder on Homeroom Group expectations.

What You’ll Work On

For this module, you should create 2 SMART goals you want to work on and track your progress towards those goals. What should these goals look like?

1. Goal #1: Build a professional skill(s) that will contribute to your success at Turing.

Here are some examples:

• Organization & time management
• Communication
• Project & priority management
• Stress management
• Take on a leadership role within your cohort through organizing study groups, leading a review session for the class, assisting SLC reps in facilitating cohort retros, organizing a non-coding social activity, etc.

1. Goal #2: Build a professional skill(s) that will contribute to your professional development and further your job search.

Here are some examples:

• Networking:
  • Identify relevant contact(s) from companies with positions you want to pursue
  • Set up at least 1 phone call with a contact
  • Research company and contact to come up with relevant questions for coffee meetings or job shadows
• Interviewing:
  • Refine your professional story using this worksheet
  • Practice your professional story with your homeroom group, mentor, or another person in your support system
  • Write out stories using the STAR method to describe each of your projects, including the objective of the project, the successes, the challenges, and what you learned that will make you a stronger developer. Keep these in an “interview prep” document to continue to add to as you go through the program
  • Write out connections between skills/mindsets you have from previous career to a specific position/company you plan to interview with to describe why you are a good fit
• Materials:
  • Update your resume using these guidelines to highlight your technical skills, transferable skills, and career interests
  • Have your mentor review your resume
  • Create and update your Terminal portfolio at https://terminal.turing.edu/developers/sign_in and then request review to get it published
  • Write a cover letter tailored to a specific position at a specific company utilizing best practices for cover letter writing
  • Update your LinkedIn profile using these guidelines
  • Write a blog post about something you’re learning
• Job Search Strategies
  • Update your career roadmap
  • Search through resources here and pull out 2-3 to use in building your job search strategy
• Negotiations
  • Start on research into companies’ salary ranges to know what to expect in your job search.

Template for Defining & Tracking Your Goals

Use this template to help you define and track your goals by copying and pasting the questions below into a document.

• Specific (What do you want to accomplish? Who needs to be included? When do you want to do this? Why is this a goal?):

• Measurable (How can you measure progress and know if you’ve successfully met your goal?):

• Achievable (Do you have the skills required to achieve the goal? If not, can you obtain them? What is the motivation for this goal? Is the amount of effort required on par with what the goal will achieve?):

• Relevant (How does this goal connect to your larger career goals?):

• Timebound (When do you plan to achieve this goal by? Be specific and consider how realistic your expectations are):

Additional Support

Reminder that Ryan and Tracey are available for professional coaching. Please go to their Slack bios for sign-up links.