"Algorizin has helped me with professional growth and improved my communication skill which played a vital role in connecting with employers. "

I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Texas Tech University. I initially began my U.S. journey at Dallas College where I received my Associate Degree from.

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I was always rather interested in Bioinformatics, however, the universities I was looking at were not offering this particular major. I finally found Texas State University which provided me with a great scholarship in the Computer Science department which felt like the closest thing to Bioinformatics.

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What were your biggest struggles in America? How did you overcome the challenge and what did you learn from it?

I realized my life in the U.S. meant working harder than a regular student. “My average was usually 15-16 credits every semester while maintaining regular life”. Alongside, having to work hard to manage the financial needs and plan ahead.

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One good thing that came out of the hard work was getting to accomplish those milestones. “I gave my best to work on my studies and that went well so that is a good thing. Meanwhile, it helped me to challenge myself and learn”. Getting through these accomplishments also helped me become more independent and mature.

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How did you learn about Algorizin?

During my senior year, it occurred to me that I would have to work on my portfolio and gain internship experience to land a job. This realization led me to connect with people on LinkedIn and form networks in order to ramp up my experience.

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That is when I came across a message on my LinkedIn from Mentor Ania Piasek, which was when I made the initial discovery on Algorizin.

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What are the values that Algorizin has added to your life?

Algorizin has helped me with professional growth from the perspective of landing a job; they have also improved my communication skills which is very important when connecting with employers.

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The support from mentors was also very commendable at all times. Despite the difference between offline university classes and online Algorizin classes, a notable mention would be keeping the camera turned on, which is great because it helps us remain active and connected throughout as we can see everyone.

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They have also helped me gain exposure to professional experiences on production-level projects and helped me network better by bringing guest speakers and mentors to connect with us. After my internship, I was in the job market for 2.5 to 3 months. The job hunt process can be long sometimes, so it takes time having to get through the challenges.

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There was a lot to learn and do each time differently. The community at Algorizin is also constructive in this entire learning process; whenever I needed help, someone would come to help me.

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Do you have any advice for the international students?

My advice to the international students would be to prepare early for the next part of their life. It would also be very wise to network with people and work on your communication skills. Finally, working on projects would also help you in your professional growth.

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These three things go hand-in-hand in landing a job. I have this job, and it is only the start, so my priority now is to find ways to give value to my company, but in the long term, I would like to get some programming and leadership experience.