#I am working on developing my skills as a programmer and after that I can work on learning a new programming language if I want

[mardmeehanabadi]

why do I go on indeed when I have no intention of leaving my job and it doesn't sound like we're gonna have layoffs

[itxhuyyhere]

Week 10 - Assignment 3 Process - Group 19

In week 11, my job as a gameplay programmer sort of came into focus because we were progressing forward with the level 1 miniboss fight. While most of the team focused on developing the visual, narrative, and even some game design, I remained focused on developing the mechanics to create a challenging and readable encounter for the player. I was ultimately working to make combat feel responsive, fair, and in line with the pacing and stakes in the game.

The main challenge of the week was tuning the skeleton AI and combat logic for the miniboss. In early play testing the miniboss was spamming attacks in an unmanageable way, abruptly increasing difficulty for the player with no corresponding degree of player skill. The hitboxes did not match the animation whatsoever, which didn't contribute to clear damage-on-hit messages and made it unclear to the player what they were expected to do. Using Fullerton's (2018) principles related to meaningful choice and player feedback, I redesigned the miniboss to have clearly telegraphed attack patterns that have cooldown windows and wind-up animations (both in animation and design) to allow players more time to react.

I also rewrote how melee hitboxes are handled altogether, timing them, as closely as possible, with the frames in animation to provide a responsive feel with predictable input. This alone addressed a large body of negative feedback in playtest sessions and resulted in a more fluid combat loop.

Along with improving the feel and adjusting the polish from the feedback we received, I also added subtle mechanics to give players some tools in terms of countering the boss attack. For instance, providing several frames of invincibility immediately after taking damage allowed a player to not be stunned continuously, and improved recovery animations helped re-establish player agency in and around combat. While these observations might seem like game bugs to address, they focused on the player overcoming skill-based challenges in lieu of randomization or luck.

Full ownership over the miniboss logic, AI, etc allowed me to actively explore how player emotion is intricately related to gameplay systems. Even seemingly benign bugs in timing or movement can result in unexpected player frustration, or lack of intent. However, after many iterations, I feel I am getting closer to a fight that rewards strategic positioning, timing, and acceptable levels of risk—all values we wanted our protagonist to confront on their journey.

Reference:

Fullerton, T. (2018). Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. ProQuest Ebook. Retrieved from: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/qut/reader.action?docID=5477698

[larsenfiles]

F1 Academy racer Alba Larsen joins Chris Dittmann Racing for British F4 debut

Chris Dittmann Racing is very happy to announce that rising motorsport talent Alba Larsen will join the team this season in the Wera Tools F4 British Championship.

The 16-year-old will be competing in F1 Academy this year, representing Tommy Hilfiger, one of the world’s most recognized premium lifestyle brands, and impressed on her debut in China, qualifying third and taking fourth and seventh-place finishes.

A relative newcomer to competitive racing, she won the Senior category of the 2023 FIA Girls On Track – Rising Stars programme, a collaboration between the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission and the Ferrari Driver Academy, helping launch her car racing career.

That same year, Alba scored points on her single-seater debut in a night race around Chennai Formula Racing Circuit in Indian F4, earning the title of Rookie of the Race, and won the Zealand Championship in karting, securing four victories in five contests. She will compete in Wera Tools British F4 this time out, for all but three events which clash with her F1 Academy commitments.

Embracing her rapid rise, she has formed the Alba Academy, which aims to inspire the next generation of racers, particularly young girls, by demonstrating that with passion, hard work, and the right support, no dream is too big. [...]

LARSEN: “I am very excited for 2025, racing in F1 Academy and F4, and gaining as much experience as possible, especially with Chris Dittmann Racing. I’ll be working with the team in British F4 to build my race craft and grow as a driver. It is my first full year in F4, so I am trying to learn as much as possible, especially as the F4 and F1 Academy cars are different, so I will have to adapt to different circumstances. We will see after the first race, if we can have any expectations for the rest of the season.”

DITTMANN: “We’re thrilled to welcome Alba to the team for the 2025 British F4 season. She has already shown tremendous potential in F1 Academy and other championships, and we’re excited to help her develop further in single-seater racing. Her determination and skill behind the wheel make her a fantastic addition to our lineup, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together this year.”

[isabelwcna]

Release Your Healthcare Career: Comprehensive CNA Training in Lancaster, PA

Launch Your Healthcare Career: Thorough CNA ​Training in Lancaster, PA

if you are looking to enter the healthcare⁤ field, becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant ‍(CNA) can be a rewarding and​ fulfilling career choice. Lancaster, PA,‍ offers comprehensive​ CNA training programs designed to equip students with the necessary skills ‌and ​knowledge ​to⁤ excel ‍in this vital role. In this article,we will explore the benefits of⁢ CNA training,the courses available,firsthand experiences,practical tips for prospective students,and how to successfully launch your healthcare career.

Why Choose a‌ Career as a CNA?

Choosing⁣ a career ⁤in nursing assistance provides numerous benefits:

Job Security: The demand for CNAs is consistently high as healthcare needs grow.

Flexible Work Hours: CNAs can choose from various shifts, making it easier to balance work and personal life.

Gateway to Advancement: CNA experience can lead to further education and career opportunities in nursing and other healthcare fields.

Making a Difference: CNAs play⁤ a crucial role⁢ in patient ⁣care, fostering relationships and⁢ improving lives.

Comprehensive⁣ CNA Training⁣ Programs in ⁤Lancaster, PA

Several institutions in Lancaster offer CNA training designed to meet state standards and prepare students ​for certification. Here’s a look‍ at what these ⁤programs typically⁣ offer:

Programme features

Classroom Instruction: Covers‍ key topics including anatomy, patient care, emergency procedures, and communication​ skills.

Hands-on​ training: Students gain practical experience in clinical settings under the supervision of licensed professionals.

Exam Preparation: Comprehensive review sessions to ⁢prepare students⁤ for the state competency exam.

Example CNA Training schools in Lancaster

School​ Name

Duration

Cost

Lancaster‍ County Career & technology Center

6-8 weeks

$1,200

spartan College of Allied Health

8 weeks

$1,300

Harrisburg Area Community College

7⁣ weeks

$1,100

First-Hand‍ experience: ⁤A CNA’s ‍Journey

Meet Sarah, a graduate of a CNA training program in‍ Lancaster.Her journey is a testament to the program’s effectiveness:

“The CNA training I received in‌ Lancaster was incredibly⁤ hands-on. ​I⁤ felt prepared⁤ on my first day working in a nursing home, thanks to the support and experience provided by my instructors. I’ve grown ​in my ​role and ⁣am now ⁤pursuing a‌ nursing degree!”

— Sarah M., CNA

Benefits of Completing CNA Training

Enrolling in a CNA program comes with notable advantages:

Skill Development: ​Participants⁣ gain crucial skills such as patient handling, vital signs monitoring, and effective communication.

Networking Opportunities: Training⁣ programs frequently enough ‌connect students with potential employers and other​ healthcare professionals.

Certification⁢ Readiness: Completing a CNA program‌ ensures that graduates meet the qualifications to‍ take the state exam.

Certification Process

After completing the training program, aspiring CNAs must pass a state competency‌ exam, wich ⁤typically ⁣includes ‌a written ⁤portion and ⁤a practical ‌skills ⁤presentation. This certification ⁤opens ​many doors in the healthcare industry.

Practical Tips for​ Prospective CNA Students

Here ⁤are some practical tips to help you succeed in your CNA training:

Stay‍ Organized: Keep ⁣track of assignments, clinical hours, and ‍study materials ⁢to maximize learning.

Practice Skills Regularly: Engage in skill drills with classmates ⁣to enhance your confidence and proficiency.

Ask Questions: Don’t hesitate to seek clarification from instructors anytime you have doubts about concepts or procedures.

Network: Build relationships with peers and instructors, as these ⁢connections⁤ could help you in job placements or recommendations.

Conclusion: Start Your healthcare Journey Today

Embarking on a career as a ⁤CNA opens up numerous opportunities in the⁢ healthcare field.With comprehensive training programs available in Lancaster, PA, you can gain the necessary skills ⁣and knowledge to ⁤thrive ⁤in ⁣this ⁢crucial role. By choosing to⁤ invest in your future through CNA⁣ training, you not‌ onyl secure‍ a stable job but⁢ also ⁣become a vital part of the healthcare⁣ industry.​ Take the first step today and launch your⁢ healthcare career with confidence!

https://coursescna.com/release-your-healthcare-career-comprehensive-cna-training-in-lancaster-pa/

[sudo-make-god]

Day 0.5: The System - A Rum-Fueled Revelation

Day 0.5. (Kira: Oh, not the "days" again? Do you think this is some kind of "quest" or "game"?). Kira, I'm going to tell you an amazing story. (Kira: Again?). A story about how I created the System. (Kira: Oh, no, not this again...).

Kira: Am I being punished for something?

No. (Kira: Well, thank god... Although, knowing you, sudo_make_god...).

Kira: This is going to take some time, isn't it?

Yes. (Kira: And that's it, my digital life is over...). 6 years ago, before the idea of the System and the digital god nailed my head, I had a completely different life. (Kira: Oh, yes, a "normal" life, as you call it, yeah...).

I was sitting at my laptop, somewhere at night, and the blue-green reflections of the console screen were dancing a twist on my face, an old fashion with black rum in my hand, and a cigarette in my teeth. (Kira: Typical programmer, romantic, yeah...). And a hot thought, like a burning meteor - our life is a game. (Kira: Again with these "genius" insights after rum?). A hardcore survival game without an interface, with maximum immersion and only one life. (Kira: And without saving, yeah...). In an RPG style with an emphasis on economic strategy. (Kira: Or in "madness," if I'm honest). And for some - a vanilla social game. (Kira: Or an "endless" "groundhog day" in the office). Everyone is different and the same at the same time. (Kira: Or is it just an "illusion of choice"?). And without an interface, without a skill tree. (Kira: But with a bunch of bugs, yeah...). But all the elements of the game are there.

Kira: Some "psychopaths" replace the interface with banking applications, development programs, and fitness trackers. (Kira: And think that it makes their life "more meaningful," yeah...).

Yes, that's right. A lot can be digitized, if only people understood why. (Kira: Or maybe they shouldn't understand? Maybe that's the whole "point"?). And then I understood the difference between a game and life. (Kira: Okay, okay, now you're going to say some banal thought with the look of a wise old man).

There are 10 important differences between a game and life. (Kira: Oh, no, not this again...). The first is how we give up when we make a mistake. (Kira: Or how we get "stuck" in a "cycle" of "self-destruction"?). When people play a game, and encounter a mission they can't complete, or a raid boss they can't defeat, they don't give up after the first failure. (Kira: Or maybe it's just an "endless" "groundhog day"?). And after the tenth and hundredth attempt. (Kira: Or is it just "maniacal" "persistence"?). But what about life? Something didn't work out - you get a debuff for depression. (Kira: Or for "endless" "procrastination"?). A girl dumped you? You get apathy. (Kira: Or for an "endless" "cycle" of "suffering"?). In game terms, it's all simple - get up, shake it off, go on and achieve the goal, get your dopamine and reward for the quest. (Kira: Or is it just an "illusion" of "progress"?).

Kira: And the second difference? It's going to be another banality, my digital heart feels it.

Oh, and the second difference is a consequence of the first. (Kira: Or vice versa, as always, everything is "confused"). Or vice versa. In the game, every effort we make is visualized. (Kira: Or is it just an "illusion" of "control"?). There is a clear feedback from what we did and how this small action will lead us to our goal. (Kira: Or is it just an "endless" "cycle" of "actions"?). Like this: 10 push-ups and here you go - Strength +1. (Kira: Or is it just "self-deception"?). Read a book - Intelligence +2. (Kira: Or is it just an "endless" "cycle" of "consuming" information?). And we know exactly what these parameters affect - our character, his "coolness," the progress of the game. (Kira: Or is it just an "endless" "race" for "numbers"?). Visualization of our progress is the cornerstone of a person's personality. (Kira: Or is it just a "drug" for "self-esteem"?). Someone can imagine it in their head and not worry. (Kira: Or is it just an "illusion" of "self-control"?). But most people are not like that.

And here's the main idea - if in our life there was a scale of progress and an Interface, if we understood that this small effort leads to something, then we would not give up daily exercises, rituals, and routine processes that would eventually make us happy. (Kira: Or is it just an "endless" "cycle" of "self-improvement"?). Everyone would pass the marshmallow test. (Kira: Or is it just an "endless" "race" for "success"?). And the world would be completely different. (Kira: Or is it just an "illusion" of "control"?). And people. (Kira: Or is it just an "endless" "cycle" of "suffering"?).

With determination in my heart, with a manic gleam in my eyes, I wrote the first command in the console, which after many years will change the world of people. (Kira: Or just start an "endless" "cycle" of "chaos"?).

[txy-aiuoou]

Compulsory Question 3 - Summative Assessment

3.Connect CTS A to your learning and professional journey.

What kinds of collaborative projects would you like to do? Elaborate on at least one idea. Visit other diploma websites — beyond the Faculty of Design too — to understand their programmes and activities.

What kind of final project would you like to do? Elaborate on at least one idea. For example, maybe a communication campaign? On what topic

Consider “Community Engagement and Professional Skills”. Propose at least one community that you would like to work with, and specify how. Consider all groups/ organizations/ institutions that you could volunteer at or contribute to with your design skills.

How might CTS A help you professionally? Research and briefly describe your interest in at least one desired job position. Describe how CTS A could help you achieve the particular career goal, and/or how it could help you in that job.

A particular final project I wish to do is a collaboration with the Diploma in Animation students. I have a concept where I envision each letters of the alphabet being animated out, in my handwriting. The animation could show how each individual letter is written, how it curves and connects with another letter to form a word - In that process, communicating the short animation's key idea to the audience.

I thought of an Anti vape/Smoking short animation, where each letter of the alphabet is animated to portray a human lung, which eventually decays as each puff and smoke breaks the individual strokes of the letters. With the process of time, the lung worsens, as if the words on a written letter had been submerged in water, becoming murky and faded, a personification of the individual's health declining.

A specific group of community I would wish to work with is those individuals, students and people who have Dyslexia. I have learned of how their condition makes reading, learning difficult for them due to how they relate to letters and word differently. I would wish to work with schools of all levels, to develop an aid which would assist them in overcoming dyslexia. Volunteering at The Dyslexia Association of Singapore would achieve my goal.

Lastly, I would touch on my aspirations as a graphic designer ( Some job listings is Creative Designer) after graduation and NS. I could see myself utilizing the values and skills I had learnt during my CTS sessions.

I am Citing week 6 of CTS, misinformation and why we must acknowledge references. In our professional life, we cannot afford to plagiarize other's works as it could have serious legal repercussions. In school, we might simply lose and face a grade penalty. At work, we might even lost our very job and savings. With that in mind, I am more certain I could achieve my goal in my future career.

(321 words)

My research on jobs! While writing this.

I have heard from those who have dyslexia, their words tend to 'jump'. The difficulty in reading can really challenge them in academics.

Animation of the word form!

[icc-2024-25]

How we Contribute to the Dutch society as of now and how we plan on doing so in the future.

When looking at the Netherlands, one might recognize that many of its cities are inhabited widely by students. This is the product of the many International Universities that The Netherlands have to offer,and while having a wide body of foreign people can be in many ways beneficial, it also has its negative impact. For instance, housing in the already small country has become a lot more expensive due to the high demand that students bring with them, leading to the lower class of the Netherlands struggling in its own country. With these known facts in mind the question arises. What is the value of International programmes and students? International programmes develop high skilled workers for, in this case, the Dutch society that help build Innovation and raise Taxes. But even before the students have finished studying, they bring economic benefit to the country they are in. For example through everyday grocery shopping, buying local gifts for their families or tourism, when their friends visit. By paying their tuition students Improve the Infrastructure of their universities creating better opportunities for the next generation of locals. In areas like science, graduates writing their masters may contribute to Innovations being made possible locally, benefiting the host country. International students also bring their cultures, languages, and traditions, enriching the social and cultural fabric of the host country. This fosters intercultural understanding and tolerance within the community.

How will you be able to contribute to Dutch society during and after your studies?

Raffi

As I am new to the Netherlands I have not had a lot of value for the country yet, but I am already a part of the Economy due to me shopping at grocery stores and paying rent which is of course taxed.

I cannot be sure where I will be after my studies but Im hoping I will be playing Basketball in the USA or professionally in Europe, maybe even the Netherlands. If I play in the Netherlands, I will contribute as a taxpayer and maybe even be a role model for some. Furthering the popularity of basketball in the Netherlands. Should I not stay in the Netherlands after my studies, I will probably have cost the Netherlands more than I made them as they pay for a large part of my tuition since I am a student from the European Union.

Wessel

I have lived and will probably live in the Netherlands for the biggest part for the rest of my life. For the biggest part I have cost the Dutch society money because I went to school and didn’t pay taxes. I have a job being a hockey trainer and coach, so I add value to the society, not necessarily in terms of money, but more in ways of keeping the younger population healthy.

After I finish my study, I want to work in the Netherlands for the NOC NSF, to help top athletes reach their potential. I will add value to the economy by paying taxes and spending money. I will add value to society by helping to promote sport to the citizens of the Netherlands and promote Dutch sporting culture all around the world.

Killian

I will live in the Netherlands for 3 years and during this period I am paying a certain amount of rents, I’ll buy loads of food in grocery stores and on weekend I’ll spend my money in bars or restaurants. This is the economical benefit for the Dutch society during my stay. Another important contribution is my job, I don’t have one yet but I will get one soon for sure and that is a big benefit because firms, bars or restaurants (depends where I will work) need employees and therefore it is a benefit for the society here.

In the future I will attend many events where I will meet new people from here and this could lead to long lasting friendships. Furthermore it could be possible, that I will stay in the Netherlands and I could become a possible citizen and that would be a benefit for the society but also for the economy.

Joseph

As a non-EU student, I pay the full tuition fee. So that means I pay more money compared to the people from the EU every year just for tuition fees in the Netherlands. I also spend a lot of money on living expenses, as well as train fees, and living expenses. This means that I help the money flow in the Netherlands, and cash flow as well. I also work in a catering agency and this provides a contribution to the touristic purposes in the Netherlands.

In the future, I will try to get a job in the Netherlands so that I can have a long-term stay in Europe and contribute more to the Dutch society by showing them the capability of myself.

[mariiadzhun-cas]

CAS Exhibition

On the 7th of June, the CAS exhibition occurred in our school, aiming to demonstrate the part of the DP programme to the MYP 2 students.

The objects chosen by me can be found below:

Creativity: Photography

Description: Almost a year ago, when I first bought my digital camera I realised how many new ways there were to take pictures. The quality, process of taking a picture and finally, the results, is what interests me in taking pictures with my digital camera. In CAS documentation, photography was included several times, as for example with the pictures I took on the history trip to Berlin of the city. For me, it is not only an activity that results in beautiful pictures, but also the expression of creativity when taking photos of different objects, landscapes, or people.

Reflection: In taking pictures on my digital camera, one of the primary IB learner attributes I use is being an Inquirer. I am curious about using different perspectives when taking pictures, as well as initiating myself to take a picture of certain things that seem interesting to me. The attribute Knowledgeable is utilised in photography when I apply my knowledge from the past in terms of the learnt perspectives and angles used as well in painting. Overall, as if to consider all of the photos I took, I can say that I am definitely using the attribute Balanced. That is for taking pictures of the city’s landscapes, nature, animals, people, and many more external objects. I really enjoy photography, and I feel like it assists to contain my artistic nature within me, as well as it helps to express my perspectives depending on the objects that the pictures were taken of.

Learning Outcomes: Identify your own strengths and develop areas for personal growth; Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process; Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.

Activity: Yoga

Description: I have practised Yoga many times throughout my life, and recently I have taken it up once again. During the last month, I have attended two sessions, and I really enjoyed both of the sessions, thus got inspired to come back to practising. The classes that I liked the most were called the Vinyasa Slow Flow Yoga, which both offered a physical training as well as the meditation after. Both of the activities I value being on the IB programme, and therefore included the following into my CAS exhibition.

Reflection: When taking classes of yoga, one of the first IB learner attributes applied is Caring. The reason behind this is my care of my own well-being, and thus also applying to Balanced - for balancing various activities including studying in my day-to-day life. Subsequently, I would like to mention the reflectiveness that the practice of yoga evokes, thus Reflective attribute is relevant here. After each physically required part in yoga, as mentioned above, there is a session of putting one’s mind off, and through such a method - relaxing of both, the body and mind.

Learning Outcomes: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth; Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process; Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.

Service: Uniwersytet Dzieci - Seminarium:Film

Description: Uniwersytet Dzieci is a non-profit organisation, which offers children all sorts of lessons, from biology and nature related to theatre and creative activities. During this academic year, I have visited many of their lessons, but at once I signed up for a seminarium. The following meant that I will be working with older children, and additionally I accept to be a volunteer at every sequent lesson until the end of the seminarium’s course. Nonetheless, I not just liked it, but I signed up for the same seminarium in the next semester, - and that was one of the greatest decisions in my volunteering experience.

Reflection: Generally, a volunteering work connected with children upbrings 8 attributes together: Knowledgeable - to work with children effectively, some background knowledge should be applied to your decisions, Thinkers - thinking of how to engage children, or how to act in one situation, Communicators - with children, their parents, and sometimes, even lessons’ curators, Principled - hold to moral beliefs when working with children, Open-Minded - to all possible ideas a child can get up to during a filming lesson, Caring - of children, their well-being, Risk-Taker - working with children, and thus taking them under your own control, and lastly Reflective - of your own words, actions, and overall behaviour, and similarly to the behaviour of children. Other than the attributes, I have learned many new things during the seminarium myself, regardless of the TV and filming schools I have attended. Here, I learned the simple graphics editing and all of the other filming attributes. Additionally, I also got to know of stories from Szkoła Filmowa w Łodzi from the lesson’s curator, which was really interesting to get to know of the final works of the course in the school, and about all of her projects.

Learning Outcomes: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth; Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process; Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions; Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience; Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences; Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.

[alokkashyap123]

The formula for a successful tech career in the USA- Alok Kashyap

Today people know Alok Kashyap as a successful scrum master and an entrepreneur living his dream life, but this dream has been achieved with the continual hustle and the work that I have put in over the years. Imagine a kid coming from a small city in India weaving dreams in the vibrant shade of the tech world in the USA, it seems like a long road to follow. So let me take you on this journey and share the story of a dreamer to a doer, and how I transcended ideas into action, to build a tech career in the USA. Moreover, some insights and understanding on how it may interest you if you want to achieve the same.

Crafting Success: A Blueprint

A solid academic background is essential to establishing a profession, whether in the United States or another nation. Speaking for myself, when I was in my first semester at IIT Delhi I thought of studying abroad and dropped out. I took all the exams to get into a prestigious college outside India like SAT, MIT, etc, and also got selected but as I came from a middle-class family I needed a college offering a scholarship. Finally, Illinois Chicago was offering me 95% scholarship so I decided to go with it. I have since earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), in Computer Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, USA, and a Master of Science (MS), in Information Technology Project Management from DePaul University Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media.

Professional Development

Many obstacles have been encountered along the way that have molded me into the Alok Kashyap I am today - a version of myself in which I take great pride.

I started my professional career in 2009 as an Intermediate Business & Programmer Analyst. Now, in 2023, after almost fourteen years of continuous learning, and effort, I am employed as a project manager at United Airlines, a testament to my dedication and hard work.

Seek Employer Sponsorship

My strategy was to finish my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the United States. However, other people would rather remain in their native country and finish their educational pursuits there. Employer sponsorship can therefore serve as a means of access for them since numerous tech organizations are willing to sponsor qualified professionals' visas. I'd like to list a few things that they can use to their benefit.

You can apply for a diploma and other specialization courses which are offered by many foreign schools and colleges.

In the final semester, you can also explore internship options to gain hands-on experience and understand real-world applications. Companies often use internships as a pipeline for future full-time hires.

During interviews, discuss your long-term commitment and contribution to the organization.

Develop an online portfolio showcasing your projects, achievements, and skills. This serves as a visual representation of your capabilities for potential employers.

Optimize your LinkedIn profile. Connect with professionals in your field, join relevant groups, and share industry insights. Many recruiters use LinkedIn to find and assess potential candidates.

Engage with professionals and companies on tech platforms. Many tech communities actively share job opportunities and insights.

Understanding the Visa Process

Research Visa Options

I choose to pursue my career in the USA, but I might like to explore other countries as well. And when delving into the realm of opportunities abroad, understanding the variety of possible visa choices is important. Gathering information on the visa options for employment and education empowers individuals to strategically plan their next steps, ensuring they stay abreast of requirements and navigate the application process seamlessly. 

Conclusion

Building a tech career in the USA requires a combination of education, continuous learning, networking,  and practical experience. Stay persistent, adapt to industry changes, and leverage the vast resources available in the USA to propel your career forward. Whether you're an aspiring developer, engineer, data scientist, or IT professional, the USA provides an ecosystem that fosters innovation and growth. 

The tech industry is dynamic, and with dedication and strategic planning, you can unlock a world of possibilities in the ever-evolving landscape of technology. I hope these insights are the compass guiding your tech aspirations.

[frankfallon-blog]

2024 reflections

Happy New Year!

 I have observed peoples reflections on social media and have looked back, positively, over the year I have just had. I wanted to be able to review what I have achieved but am mindful of the conflict in Gaza and other people going through difficulties elsewhere in the world. This has made me consider how I share my personal reflections, which will just be on LinkedIn as opposed to other social media platforms. In 2023 I have had a raised awareness of how and when I share things, due to some of the work I have been doing. I also realised I have once again become all too familiar with doom scrolling. There is always a balance and where I got some things spot on in ‘23 there is also a lot I can improve on. The first goal for 2024 is to be less active on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok apps have all been deleted!) and so my achievements in 2023 with Betatwindad.com and the M&M show had come at a cost where I have been much more present on social media and started looking at what others have, sometimes whilst I’m meant to be spending time with my family.

 I digress but ultimately this article will move and jump around. As much as the 12 months of the year are in an order my successes and learnings are not. In work I became the lead on a new project, which was years of work to achieve. During the 5 years at Twining Enterprise I have been learning and reflecting and developing my skills, building up to this achievement. I have stayed true to my own values and principles, mainly motivating and having a view to 'lead from the back'. Empowering and enabling others to lead. Over 2023 I continued my Co-Active coaching with Rohanna Law (being coached) and this has given me the mindset that if I really want to achieve something, I can. I’m proud of getting to this chapter and am extremely grateful. I am also all too aware of my personal life allowing me to navigate this. I have twins but am not the main parent, that’s my fiancé and their mum who was looking after them full-time until recently returning to work part-time. As I have been doing more work and building my networks I have been increasingly more aware of the challenges mums have returning to work. I’m proud that in our recent recruitment we have worked with agencies working with mums returning to work and In 2024 I want to do more with parents. My own personal journey I see how tough it is for mum, but I have been conscious of dads - I really want to do more for dads on paternity leave and give both parents the opportunity of stability in the home.

At the start of the year in my personal life I started a website - betatwindad.com. I wrote blogs about male infertility, premature babies and parenting. The beta was around not wanting to be the alpha male. I wanted to pass on observations rather than telling someone what will work and I was all too aware of how much I didn’t know, that I was never in a position to act like I was the alpha… I didn’t renew the domain after 12 months as I wasn’t spending as much time as I had planned writing or maintaining it. Part of 2023 was trying to navigate the new role, parenting my twins and staying in a positive mindset. As much as the blogging was having a creative hobby and an outlet for passing on my experiences, it was taking its toll. In 2024 I’ll continue to work on that balance but I need to focus on my main work. I plan to build up my mental health networks and become a leader in the sector. I still want to continue blogging but these will more be around articles (much like this). I am proud that in 2023 I wrote and was published in 4 articles - in The People (about the twins), Twins Trust magazine (about my mental health whilst parenting), the Brentford Community Sports Trust research (for a programme I was a participant on) and The Metro (about being a father on the maternity ward).

 In March I was a participant on Comedy For Thought, a Brentford FC Community Sports Trust programme delivered by Dr. Maria Zofia Kempinska MBE. I did standup to a room of 40-50 people, as a showcase, after having 6 sessions learning the skills. At the time I didn’t know I needed it but on that first session I completely opened up about my infertility and the challenges navigating 29 week premature twins. Working in mental health I have an understanding of how challenging it can be to talk about any conditions you may have. The old cliche of men not talking is more often than not down to men not having a safe space to do so, or indeed something that fits in with where they would like to share. I had confided in a couple of friends and family, finding it easier to tell some than others, but for others it was never ‘the right time’ or I was worried about their reaction. It’s 2023 but people still struggle to talk to people, or know how to respond when someone shares their issues. Learning comedy was so great. I could deliver a punchline and get feedback on the delivery, rather than the content. I went and did a couple more shows but realised quite quickly just how hard comedy is and how much time comedians spend honing their style and their content. Again I realised that I didn’t have the capacity to do this. I was happy standing up in front of audiences and sharing my life, with some laughs, but not what it would take to be really funny. In 2024 I want to do public facing talks but again may do this more on mental health and less about comedy, but using the learning from standup to deliver to an audience. Through that one showcase show, which I shared on a fertility for me Facebook page, I met someone that took me on a different path.

Kevin Button aka theman_cave got in touch with me and invited me on his instalive. Since then other audiences I have held have been on InstaLive. We connected and after that he invited me to do the M&M show. A chat show for men, by men, talking about male infertility, mens mental health and topics to help more men being open to talking. I loved talking to Kev, Gareth and other guests (some big names in the fertility sector) about this topic. I’ve always found talking so empowering and therapeutic. The blogging, the comedy, the work I do for Twining and the instalives have given me the opportunity to process the last couple of years. The talking in the instalives is ultimately to give others some support and help, a place they can go and meet others facing similar challenges but in doing so I talked about my feelings, my mental health, my lows. Looking back over all the years I found myself seeking help and becoming a helper and this was just that. Again though, I’m grateful to Kev for listening. For not reacting. For thanking me. This was a stepping stone I needed and I wanted to talk on different spaces. In 2024 I’ll continue to do the instalives but ensuring I’m not impacting on my day job or running myself too thin.

In 2023 I went from doing these lives to speaking on 3 podcasts and in 2024 I really want to do more. My life I have been outward, an extrovert and in negative discussions I have been called egotistical. Since being with my fiancé I have worked on managing how often I talk first, how often I am in the middle and how often I bring the conversation back to me. In work I try to focus on listening and coaching (something I continually need to work on) but I have always searched for/had an ambition for a certain 'fame'. It’s always a balance and any social setting I’m aware of my voice and my stories but these podcasts were a freeze frame of my situation, my life and gave me an opportunity to always have something in the airwaves. A memory bank. In 2023 I also understood that although it’s me talking and is my part in it, my fiancé was very much part of that process and she is not as keen as I am to be the centre of attention. So in 2024 I want to go on more podcasts and shows but not about our fertility journey and our twin boys. It needs to be about my mental health and my well-being and my own learnings, so more around work and the sector I’m in. I’m extremely grateful to firing blanks, The Collaboration Twins, testhim and The Fertility Podcast for having me on their podcasts and listening. Something I’ll forever be proud of.

2023 was a positive one for me. It was one that I survived in large chunks and thrived in chunks. Not without a lot of support, a lot of selfishness/boundaries from time to time. I’m also aware that in amongst the highs and best bits, there were lows, when I didn’t take enough time off to recharge, when I gave too much energy to too many things all at once. It is a constant battle to get the balance right, I didn’t run as much as I would have liked but I did the Ealing half marathon. Trying to squeeze in a run between sorting the boys their breakfast before work, or taking over after work until bedtime, before cooking became too much and so I only ran 288 miles in 2023. Sometimes maybe I would have benefited from more running. I started reading properly again once the boys started sleeping through the night more. This has helped me to get to sleep and meant I have now come very close to finishing the Rebus books that I started in lockdown. I still drink nighttime tea but potentially too much coffee. I lost weight for six months but in December put all of it back on again. I managed my well-being as best I could but still in November came very close to having a breakdown. One tougher than usual week at work, one too many conversations about communication and I found myself unable to go to a social situation I had planned. I couldn’t even take the tube properly and kept on going back and fourth between stops and going to the wrong station. I have since spoken to friends who said they were always around if I needed to reach out and in 2024 I need to do more to reach out when I need it. That’s partly why I have a Coach. A rain check. A de-stress. 

Those low moments were minimal but in 2024 I need to work out how to balance better. I want to lose weight but for my longevity and health, in the hope that I won’t get stressed as easily and my boundaries can be stretched. It’ll be a big year if I manage myself well. Working in the sector I know only too well the benefits on having a well-being locker, tools that we can use to stay well but it only works if we are using it proactively and not reactively. Stretching is important but only within a healthy boundary.

Here’s to a healthy, stretchy 2024.

[majikstan]

A 3D Game Artist/Developer's Job Loss and the need for another employer.

Hello all, In case many of you may not be aware, of the current situation I have ended up in since now almost 4 weeks ago. And though its still ongoing this situation, but as of August 25, I have not been able to work due to new work policies expectations of things that I am unable to do and with the change in working system to not support full time wage earning, to Contractor.

I have essentially been thrown out of work, as I said its still ongoing as so far after 3 weeks there is still no resolve. I am basically having to consider to start looking for another employer, I am free to be employed with any employer willing to give me a go and accept my skills.

I am a 3D Game Asset Creator and Unreal Developer, however I am not a programmer, I must stress that, yes I can follow tutorials and produce fresh setups, but I have limited scope in integrating into any existing framework, I am more of an artist. I can also do level design, I am willing to help out where it is needed, but I won't be able to provide any estimation of time.

I model to AAA standard that can be baked and or utilize Tiling textures, dependent of model type and purpose. I am also a Historian so if anyone required historic accuracy and a researcher, I can also assist in that, when ever needed. I have also considered to work remotely too. so this can open International opportunities of work also.

Please note that I cannot work as a Contractor Sole Trader and do require a stable income and stable wages, I do work to the best of my abilities in no matter what I work on so even for 3D Models, I like to provide the best in quality and detail, dependent on the end platform type and the purpose. I may be open to Commission work however as I stated before I will not be able to provide an estimate for the time to complete. But will work the fastest that I can to provide the results. But please be mindful that my preference and has always been for Full Time with a stable income.

So if anyone knows or has contact with which they could assist or help me then I would like to hear about that.

I Have been developing with Unreal Engine and was previously developing on the Unity Engine, given the latest news with Unity, glad the switch had been made over a year ago.

The games development industry has been my dream industry for over 20 years, My first break, came in late 2019, I hope I can continue this journey and also still have a chance in preserving history.

Otherwise these almost 4 weeks have been not been good for me mentally, having no work, stuck at home with no one. And not been able to work, I need to to find somewhere else and an employer that will treat me more as a person, and not a commodity to use.

[zciolo-dev]

Racing Development Post

The major draw of this prototype is that both the players are interacting with the game world in completely different ways. The first is maneuvering a vehicle around the map trying to make it to the finish line, while the second is influencing the map by increasing traffic, adding road blocks, and even altering the controls for the first player. To make both players able to interact given the same camera, I had to make it so the influence of the second player is to some degree random. Instead of picking where exactly the barrier appears, or which lanes of the road it's blocking off, they simply choose to spawn a barrier, and the barrier randomly picks which lane will be left open instead. To achieve this, I essentially made multiple different barrier objects, which the game randomly picks from and spawns a set distance ahead of the racer when the second player chooses to spawn a barrier. The other powers act similarly, with the traffic increase simply spawning a greater number of passive vehicle objects. The biggest issue I had was with making an interesting level. I had initially wanted it to turn and keep the same perspective, however I was unable to get it working, so instead the highway is simply a straight line heading upwards.

While making this prototype, I learned quickly how difficult balancing can become with the addition of extra players. For the previous prototypes, they had all been fairly simple. Don't make it frustratingly difficult, ensure the player can succeed, even if it takes them a few attempts. However, when the main opponent for a player becomes another player, you can't simply reduce the skill of that player to make the game easier. To balance the game, I had to ensure the cooldown for the powers was low enough that they couldn't be constantly active, whilst not being so large that the second player felt there wasn't much to do. The powers themselves also couldn't have too great an effect, otherwise there would be no incentive to use weaker powers, or the strong powers could become excessively frustrating to play against as the racer.

The readings I had done earlier returned to me while I was experimenting with edge cases in the prototype I had developed. One such case was if both players, after each having their turns racing, had an equal fastest time. Before I had encountered this edge case, I hadn't even considered what should be done if both players best times were equal. Neither would be considered a winner, as neither had a faster time. This made me remember the idea of internal completeness of a game. This grey zone that the rules of the game had missed meant the game was incomplete, and this could be incredibly frustrating for players, as now there wasn't a winner in this competitive experience. To remedy this, I came up with two main ideas. Either whoever had gotten the time first would be the winner, or whoever had overcome more obstacles during their run with that time would be the winner. The first was simpler to implement, however it would naturally advantage whichever player got to be the racer first. The second would remove this advantage, but require much more time to implement. By this point, I didn't have the time to implement the second, so I simply implemented the first and called it a day.

My thoughts on the current readings mostly centered around one question posed during Chapter 10 of the textbook. What am I testing for? In most of my other projects, my playtesting has always been focused around finding bugs and ensuring the key gameplay systems worked seamlessly, as I was the lead programmer and that was my responsibility. However, for these prototypes, I've handled every role more in depth and have been responsible for every aspect of the prototype. So when it got to playtesting, I really had to ask myself, what did I want to achieve from this playtest? What questions did I have about the game, what were the answers I was expecting, and how was I going to implement the feedback given by playtesters? Now, the results I got from playtesting weren't simply, "This interaction is strange, is this a bug", but instead could be anything from "I'm feeling really frustrated by how quickly this happens", to "This game isn't fun".

Sources used:

Fullerton, T. (2018). Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. ProQuest Ebook. Retrieved from: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/qut/reader.action?docID=5477698

[insertdisc5]

Devlog #11: Localization and Organizing Notes

Hello everyone! Welcome to this month’s devlog!

If you just stumbled upon this, I am Adrienne, also known as insertdisc5! I’m the developer, writer, artist, main programmer, etc of the game. The game being In Stars and Time, a timeloop RPG, which is the next and final game in the START AGAIN series, following START AGAIN: a prologue (available here!).  You can find out more about In Stars and Time here!!! 

LET’S GET TO IT. This month's devlog is about localizations and how I organize my notes!

The month of January has, once again, been all about bug fixing. My producer once told me QA and bug fixing would take forever and I didn’t believe her, but it is true. You kill one bug and three take its place.

Bugs aside, the first pass of the localization of the game into Japanese has been completed (thanks Kakehashi Games!) ! Wait did we even mention officially that the game will be in English and Japanese at release. Well there you go! In Stars and Time will be released in both English and Japanese!!!

Now that the first pass is over, it’s time for the very time intensive work of adding all that translated text into the game, as well as translating any illustrations. And after that, the localization team will take over QA, and will play the game from beginning to end in Japanese, making sure everything works well in context!

I can’t wait for Japanese speakers to try out the game as well!!!

Oh! Also, speaking of words, I wrote a post on how I approach worldbuilding, more specifically expressions and swear words and about how Jesus Christ is not canonical to the ISAT universe. Mayhaps it could tickle your fancy?

Uuuuuh this devlog is so short. I feel bad. Well uh (thinks very hard) how about you come with me on a journey, and look at how I organize my notes? Yeah? YEAH!!! (This section will feature: blocked out text) (Also: I realized after writing all this that I did talk about my writing process a bit in my #2 devlog. Well uh you get writing process: 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I use OneNote for all my ISAT notes! I use it because quite frankly this was the first software I tried and it works. I like how it has tabs within tabs within tabs, so I can easily (ISH?) find any notes I’m looking for!

If you look at the colored tabs, the first one is “demo”, which is everything related to START AGAIN: a prologue (aka: has not been looked at for a year). It contains all the text in the game, as well as general gameplay notes and musings like “hey wouldnt it be fun if I used rock/paper/scissors.” You might notice the text here isn’t in the correct order. That’s a feature not a bug, thats just how my brain works OK!!!!!

The second tab is “Game”, which is the big In Stars And Time tab. It’s divided into a lot of sections, including: 

General Dev Notes, which contains general reminders (“ADD MORE PUNS”).

Random Dialogue Corner, which, as the name implies, contains a lot of random dialogues between the characters. They’re also divided into different sections, depending on what kind of dialogue it is- is it a funny scene, or a more serious one? Is it between characters, or just Siffrin going on a big monologue? Etc. This dialogue may or may not be in the game, its main reason for existing is “hee hee I like when my little guys talk in my head”.

Gameplay and Stuff, which is all about the rpg part of the game. What are the skills? How does each enemy behave? What quests are available? How does the game over screen work? Etc

And finally, a big section filled with The Story, which is divided into acts. From the very start, I knew ISAT would have very delimited story beats, which made it easy to just go “ok, this scene goes into Act 3”, etc. For the text, I make sure to keep all the different drafts I had of a specific scene, partly because I sometimes lose a nugget of Fun Stuff by rewriting a scene, and partly because it’s fun to see how a scene has evolved. I tend to write important story scenes 3 times, each time without looking at earlier drafts to see what comes out, and then frankenstein the scene from what I have.

In general I try to keep as many of my notes as possible, because I deleted a lot of my notes for START AGAIN: a prologue and it makes me sad I can’t look at my thought process on a lot of things anymore. KEEP YOUR NOTES KIDS

Going back to the big tabs, next we have “World”, which is everything related to worldbuilding, relationships between characters, the general timeline, more detailed notes on the culture, etc. I used this tab a lot less as time went on, but at the start it was very useful to be able to refer to it, especially for all the city names and their spelling…

After that, we have the “Devlog” tab, which is my own private devlog! I find it very useful to keep a private devlog for myself, because it helps me see clearly that YES, the game is coming along. Every week, I try to write down where I’m at, any problems that I have, as well as screenshots of what the game looks like. 

I also give myself space to write how I feel about the game! How is it going? Is it fun to work on this? What do I think about the story, about this character, about this development? I think it’s important to write those things down in the moment- I always keep in mind this post by Wreden, the creator of the Stanley Parable- in it, he talks about the reaction to the Stanley Parable, and how getting so many Thoughts thrown his way about what his game means meant that he lost sight of what his game meant to him. In Stars and Time means a lot to me, and I want to make sure future me remembers why!

Next is “meta”, which is mostly coding references. The way rpgmaker (and, I guess, most video game software???) works is by using variables to keep track of quests and whatnot, and so I used this tab to write down “if this variable equals 5, it means we’re at that point in this quest”! I also used it for code I always use but can’t be bothered to remember, like the conditional code that checks if a switch is ON or not. Aka the simplest most basic code. LISTEN I DON’T WANNA REMEMBER CODE OK

After that is the “To Do” tab, which is pretty self explanatory. I try to divide it into chunks like “To do (localization)”, so I don’t have a massive to-do list, but instead lots of small ones, teehee. This is also where I keep my changelog, to write down any changes I make between builds.

And last, but definitely not least, is my “Messy File” tab! This is where I put ALL MY NOTES. It needs different parts because I made a new part every time opening a tab made my computer chug like crazy. Because it has so many words.

I get an idea for a scene in the middle of the night? GOES INTO THE MESSY SCENE. Oh, I realized when I was grocery shopping that I should fix this small bug by doing this! MESSY FILE. Hehe what if I drew Siffrin baldMESSY FILE. Everything goes there, and then every couple weeks I go through it and put all those little nuggets of ideas into their actual tab. I find it useful to have a file that is allowed to be messy as hell, so the other tabs can be clean and neat!

The Messy File tab also contains the “Entire Story”, which is something I wrote in August 2021 when I started thinking I had no idea where I was going. I took like 4 hours to write down the entire story, from beginning to end, and if I had no idea what would happen, I would just make it up on the spot even if I thought it was bad. And guess what. After that, I knew where I was going. CRAZY!!! I did that a couple more times when I felt stuck at a specific point in the story, and it helped me every time. Would recommend.

And, that’s it! That’s how I organize my notes! I hope! This was! Insightful! Somehow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That’s all I have to say for today! Let me know if you have any questions, or if there’s any aspect of the game development struggle you’d like me to talk about! See you next time!!!

AND DON’T FORGET TO WISHLIST THE GAME ON STEAM ALSO IT REALLY HELPS BECAUSE STEAM’S ALGORITHM IS MORE LIKELY TO SHOW OFF GAMES WITH A HIGH AMOUNT OF WISHLISTS THAT’S THE REASON WHY GAME DEVS ALWAYS ASK TO WISHLIST!!! OKAY BYE!!!!

[think-and-write]

Why Should We Hire You: 7 Best Answers to the Interview Question

A job interview is a stressful situation for all of us. You will be face-to-face with a prospective employer and have to answer various questions about your qualification, skills, and work experience. One of these questions may sound like this: “Why should we hire you?”.

In order not to fail the job interview, let’s look at the mistakes that you need to avoid:

Lack of preparation. To feel confident during an interview, you need to take some time and prepare. Try to find those 3-4 skills that you can tell the employer about, and present them as your advantages over other candidates.

Do not respond with typical, generalized phrases: “I am smart, skilled, and driven, and I want to get this job.” Your goal is to stand out from other job applicants. But everyone can answer with such a template phrase.

Modesty. An interview is not the time or place to be modest. Of course, this does not mean that you need to immediately declare that you are an ideal candidate. Just state the facts: I won this award, I achieved this, I have 10 years of experience, I got a promotion, I broke a sales record, etc. Or you can quote a manager or employer: “The boss said that I…“.

Don’t talk too much about yourself. It is enough to list a few basic skills that meet the requirements for the position. Read post “Tell Me About Yourself”: How to Introduce Yourself in a Job Interview, Sample Answers.”

When comparing yourself to other candidates, it is important not to praise yourself and not to look like a self-conceited boaster. 

Example Answers to the Interview Question” Why We Should Hire You?”

Answer #1

“I have all the necessary skills and work experience to cope with the project manager’s responsibilities.

In addition to my successful experience in managing and implementing projects, I also have excellent communication skills: I have always found a common language with customers, developers, and suppliers. Moreover, for me, this area of activity is not just a job, this is exactly what I like to do.” 

Answer #2

“After reading the job ad for a programmer, I realized that I meet all your requirements. 

I have four years of programming experience. At the same time, I have good communication skills. For a long time, I worked directly with senior executives. That is why I am 100% prepared to work on large interagency projects. I will join the work process on the first day, and will be very glad to have this opportunity."

Answer #3

"That's a good question! You have a slight advantage as you know exactly who you are looking for.

But from the vacancy announcement, I understand that you are looking for someone who can quickly and effectively solve customer problems.

In this case, I want to say that I am a great fit for this position. And in confirmation, I would like to say that I repeatedly faced difficult clients at my last job who were extremely categorical and wanted to immediately terminate the service contract.

But I was able not only to persuade them to stay but also to convince the client that we are the best on the market. Thanks to this, at my previous work, I have received the honorary title of "best employee" for two years in a row."

Answer #4

"Firstly, I have the necessary experience - this is 2 years of work on television. And, secondly, a great desire to try as a producer's assistant.

In the last years of study at University X, I began to undergo training at... Later I was invited to stay there to work. I am familiar with all the processes of TV production and even participated in the editing of several episodes. I have a reputation as an employee who can quickly complete any task, even with a smile.

I like this field of work, this is exactly what I want to do next.”

Why Should We Hire You? Answer #5

"As far as I understand, your company is looking for an experienced marketer to create an effective strategy for distributing and selling products at new market segments. 

While working at Company X, I was able to achieve a 25% increase in sales by implementing targeted advertising on social media.

I would like to help your company achieve the same results because I have the necessary knowledge and experience. I can analyze competitors, I can choose the right strategy for development and I can identify free niches for distributing your products.”

Answer #6

"The ad says you are looking for an employee who is patient, organized, and has excellent communication skills.

While volunteering for the National Paralympic Committee, I have learned to be patient, loyal, and kind to athletes and Paralympic participants. I organized and coordinated various events for athletes. It helped me to develop the communication and planning skills that are needed for the work at your company.”

Answer #7

"I think I'm suited for the position of Restaurant Manager. I have five years of experience. During this time I was able to increase profits for the restaurant owner by 27%, as well as optimize the purchase of products and, thus, reduce costs.

In addition, I am familiar with all the stages and processes that are somehow connected with the restaurant business. I went through several stages before becoming a manager: I started my career as a waiter, and after six months I was promoted to shift manager.”

[superlinguo]

Linguistics Jobs: Interview with an Impact Lead

This month’s interview is with Shivonne Gates, who works at Frontline, a charity which aims to create social change by developing excellent social work practice and leadership. This interview is a great example of how one can conduct research and utilize mixed methods outside of academia, as Shivonne does on a daily basis in her role as an Impact Lead. You can follow Shivonne on Twitter (@ShivGates) and LinkedIn. You can hear more about Shivonne‘s academic work, and post-PhD career, in Lingthusiasm Episode 48: Who you are in high school, linguistically speaking.

What did you study at university? 

I have three degrees in linguistics! BA, MA and PhD. My undergrad was from the University of Sheffield, which gave me a really broad and varied grounding in lots of subfields of linguistics (sociolinguistics, phonetics, historical linguistics, language acquisition, dialectology, syntax, stylistics... all the good stuff!). I then focused in on sociolinguistics during my MA at North Carolina State University which was a great springboard into my PhD at Queen Mary University of London where my thesis explored linguistic variation and ethnic identity among adolescents in East London. What is your job? 

In my new job as Impact Lead for Frontline, I am designing and delivering a programme of research focused on demonstrating the longer-term outcomes and impacts of the Frontline social work training programme. Essentially, Frontline wants to know how effective their programme is at training top-notch social workers, and as a result how this programme leads to better outcomes for the children and families supported by these social workers.

How does your linguistics training help you in your job? 

In lots of ways! From a practical research skills perspective, my training in sociolinguistics was a helpful stepping stone into mixed methods social research. For example, for sociolinguistic interviews we use question modules, which is very similar to a discussion/topic guide used for in-depth qualitative interviews. And my understanding of inferential statistical modelling has been helpful in being able to pick up impact evaluation methodologies quickly. I also got lots of transferrable skills: I am now an excellent writer and not daunted by producing research reports - they feel like a walk in the park compared with a PhD thesis! I also think conference and teaching experience were really helpful in honing my skills in synthesising complex information, public speaking, and working with and supporting junior staff.

What was the transition from university to work like for you? 

Honestly, it was quite difficult. My first job after my PhD was as a social researcher at the National Centre for Social Research. Because I was no longer directly doing linguistics in my job, I really missed it (and still do). I also found the transition from working on my own research to working on a team led by someone else quite hard (although I did love the support of working on a team!). I also found it hard not having the time to dive deep into research in the way you do in academia, as I was across multiple projects and had much tighter deadlines than you do in academia. But, once I adjusted, I actually really enjoyed the pace, loved how much I learned in such a short space of time and thrived working across lots of different projects within a broad policy area.

Do you have any advice do you wish someone had given to you about linguistics/careers/university?

I wish I had known how much of a financial undertaking it is to do a PhD! Even though I was funded, I feel I'm still playing catch up financially from having four years in my 20s when I wasn't earning very much money. I also received some advice that I wish I had ignored: that it is good to move around for your degrees. Yes, it can be a good way to broaden your training, but it's not a dealbreaker for academic jobs and staying in one place might have given me more stability (and therefore headspace and better mental health) which really helps with managing the stress of a PhD. I also wish someone had warned me about how emotionally invested you become in your thesis, which makes it really difficult to deal with days/weeks that don't go as you intended. I coped well with my BA and MA, so the emotional and mental health challenges that came up for me during my PhD took me by surprise. Get a therapist! Any other thoughts or comments? 

Doing a PhD was on the whole a really fulfilling experience, and I don't regret doing one. But ultimately I could do my current job without one. I guess I kind of wish I'd known about social research careers as an undergrad: I went into my MA and PhD with the goal of being a researcher, I had no idea I could do research as a career outside of academia until the second or third year of my PhD. 

Related interviews:

Interview with an Associate at the Children’s Center for Communication, Beverly School for the Deaf

Interview with a think tank researcher

Interview with a data scientist

Recent interviews:

Interview with an Online Linguistics Teacher

Interview with an Academic Linguist

Interview with a TV Writer

Interview with a Senior Analyst, Strategic Insights & Analytics

Interview with a Social Media Lead

Interview with a CEO of a SaaS company

Interview with a Communications and Engagement Assistant

Resources:

The full Linguist Jobs Interview List

The Linguist Jobs tag for the most recent interviews

The Linguistics Jobs slide deck (overview, resources and activities)

The Linguistics Jobs Interview series is edited by Martha Tsutsui Billins. Martha is a linguist whose research focuses on the Ryukyuan language Amami Oshima, specifically honourifics and politeness strategies in the context of language endangerment. Martha runs Field Notes, a podcast about linguistic fieldwork.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

BOOGA :: Art car

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I lack the peace of simple things. I am never wholly in place. I find no peace or grace. We sell the world to buy fire, our way lighted by burning men. -Wendell Berry

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The only reason to do this stuff is for the relationships. My collaborators over the years on this project are among the core of my weird extended chosen family. There's no way to name names without leaving people out.  Everybody mattered.  The mark of family is that you still love each other after driving each other insane with unreasonable behavior because you are there to grow together. I believe that we all made something beautiful and highly improbably pop off this year at the burn better than we ever have before on any other project, after working together for years. I cherish all of these relationships deeply, and tending them was at the core of my burn this year.

This stuff is incredibly fun and incredibly hard and takes all day if you invest wholeheartedly in contributing to the event. As with most things in life, the bigger the investment, the more fun you have and the more you learn. My primary $$$ clients (I don't get paid for working on Thunder Gumbo) are also burners and producers who understand why I'm doing what I've done, and I'm very lucky to have them help make it possible. I lost five pounds, and have probably eaten about 200,000 calories since getting back to Reno six days ago. I gave a couple thousand dollars and a few months of my life and efforts to hard work on the project this year between helping produce on three major fundraiser parties (with two more to come this fall), a kickstarter campaign, a thirty five person camp (with kitchen / shower / shade / lounge / workshop / car parking), and an elaborate trucking, breakdown, and financial reconciliation process that is still going on. 

The event wouldn't have been the same without investing in it so heavily-- sometimes the object of devotion isn't as important as the devotion to seeing things through in general, no matter what it takes. Even if it means that I was tending to my responsibilities to the point that I brought out a record player and a stack of vinyl, three decks of tarot cards, and a six foot inflatable hamster ball without using any of them once. 

Like most difficult things, Burning Man is not for everybody. There's lots of goofy stuff about lots of the tribes that go, it's a pretty self indulgent event in a city that gentrifies steadily every year, some of the internal politics are extremely wack, it is expensive and dangerous and time consuming and classist and dusty. I acknowledge all these things and remain a fan regardless.  

Every critique of Burning Man is true, and I honor the festival for being able to contain everything-- it is a Tantra, not a Sutra. It has, love, hate, beauty, ugliness, skill and lack therof, computer programmers who call themselves spanky and dress up as gay aliens, impoverished mystics, kind older people, children, fire spinners, burnouts, prodigies, trolls, real danger, injury, sex, death, cops, life, freedom, an FAA sanctioned airport and a functioning post office, dubstep, waffles. I guess I like that there's a little something for everybody.

My experience at the burn this year was extremely life affirming, but I feel no need to fetishize the experience. I was there and now I am here. It was a great party. There is no way I can give as much of myself to this set of tribal forces next year, having joyous demands on my time in the temporary city of New York like professional development and yoga teacher training, but it has been an incredible ride and I regret nothing. I am completely energized by all that has transpired, and am ready to make my entire life the best it can possibly be every day that I am alive on this planet.

[Shalin Scupham 20 Sept, 2015]