Transitioning from the Healthcare Industry

Im Kyle Liang and I pivoted from a career in the healthcare industry to a role as a Software Engineering Intern at Jobber. In between leaving the healthcare industry and starting the internship, I completed a 3-month Web Development Bootcamp Program. This article outlines my transition from research in healthcare to software at Jobber. I started out working with digital health research and operations, helping support technology-enabled digital health programs and small-to-medium sized enterprises to bring their digital health technologies to the market. While working with these technologies, I grew interested in the technical details. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to transition to a career in software development and took the opportunity to do a web development bootcamp with Lighthouse Labs Inc.

Web Development Bootcamp

Prior to the bootcamp, I had never done any software development which made diving into an intensive bootcamp program with no prior experience terrifying. The program was 12 weeks of full time coding, during which we learned popular languages and frameworks like JavaScript and React. Along with those fundamentals technical skills, the bootcamp instructors mentored us in building working software, career management, and technical interview training. Even with all of that preparation, by the end of the bootcamp, I still doubted myself. With only 3 months of coding experience, how could I compete against someone with a 4 year degree in computer science?

Job Hunting

Even before the bootcamp ended, I began hunting for jobs. I applied to countless companies and was often rejected for my lack of experience. I eventually came across a posting that welcomed bootcamp students: Jobbers Software Engineer Internship Program. Jobbers wonderful Talent Acquisition team took me through the full interview process of a phone call, technical assessment, interview, and offer to join the internship program. I never felt lost or unsure of what to expect from Jobbers interview process, which was the best Ive experienced in any industry.

Software Engineer Internship Program at Jobber

Jobber welcomed us with an excellent onboarding process and software engineer training. However, I still experienced Imposter Syndrome. I felt like I didnt have enough experience or knowledge and was nervous to take on any challenging work at the beginning of the internship. Despite my initial concerns, my incredible team supported and mentored me to make sure I gained the confidence that I needed.

Since my internship started, I have worked with 2 scrum teams and have contributed to Jobbers communications system, its online application, and its new mobile application. My favourite part of the internship so far has been helping people in small businesses succeed while growing as a software engineer. At Jobber, there are always ways to contribute to the product, and endless support, mentorship, and learning opportunities to foster your development throughout the internship.

One of the most impactful pieces of advice that Ive received during my internship was to not be afraid to raise your hand and volunteer for work, even if you are uncertain about whether it is too difficult. At Jobber, your team is there to help you navigate through any challenges and provide guidance when needed. A supportive environment like this has provided me with the confidence to take on new challenges and get the most out of my internship.

I am grateful to contribute to Jobbers product and to help small businesses succeed. You are truly able to feel like you are making an impact for the small businesses using Jobber. Even though we may not get to interact with the service providers directly, their feedback lets us know that our hard work is having an impact. I sincerely appreciate Jobber for providing this incredible experience and for giving people like me who have minimal software experience an opportunity.

Conclusion

I had a lot of doubt and uncertainty quitting my job in the healthcare industry to pursue a career in software. I was lucky enough to have the support I needed at every step of the transition, from before I quit my job, to during the bootcamp and my job hunt, to when I first started working at Jobber, and even now. Despite my initial concerns, making the jump to software development is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

About Jobber

Our awesome Jobber technology teams span across Payments, Infrastructure, AI/ML, Business Workflows & Communications. We work on cutting edge & modern tech stacks using React, React Native, Ruby on Rails, & GraphQL.

If you want to be a part of a collaborative work culture, help small home service businesses scale and create a positive impact on our communities, then visit our careers site to learn more!