How TripleTen Career Coaches Support Different Needs

Table of Contents

• How TripleTen Supports Students with Different Needs
• The Tech Job Search with an Inclusive Mindset
• Networking 101
• How to Hire More Inclusively

Starting a tech career could be daunting, particularly for people who have been underrepresented in tech roles. Curious how to reduce anxiety in the job search? Ellen Chang, Career Coach & Learning Disabilities Specialist at TripleTen, shares how the bootcamp supports students in honing their abilities, strengths, interests, and individual needs, plus how to showcase those skills in job interviews and advocate for themselves to land a tech job they can thrive in. 

Meet the Expert: Ellen Chang

• Ellen is the Life & Career Coach at TripleTen. She supports students in their job search and meets with students if they need suggestions or assistance with extra support involving wellness or accommodations.
• Ellen has a Master’s in Special Education, Learning Disabilities and has worked with individuals with Autism. As a career coach, she has worked with students diagnosed with learning disabilities and TBI (traumatic brain injuries), and has been a life coach for individuals with spinal cord injuries. 

How TripleTen Supports Students with Different Needs

Ellen, how do you see different needs at TripleTen?

First off, at TripleTen we acknowledge that we are all people and we all have different learning styles. It is true that our program is based on self-accountability and deadlines, so it can be generally challenging. But our tutors, community and success managers focus on how we can help the student succeed. 

If students are second-guessing themselves in the program or you’re interested in the bootcamp and not sure how we can accommodate, let’s have a conversation. We do our best to identify solutions for each individual's personal needs. 

Can you give a few examples of how TripleTen career coaches have worked with students to accommodate different needs?

Our coaches meet with students individually to identify the right plan for their education. For example, a student might need additional breaks from the sprints to attend to a family emergency. Another student might need tips for setting up their workspace in a particular way. 

Recently, TripleTen added an audio learning experience feature for students who need additional audio support for their lessons.

The Tech Job Search with an Inclusive Mindset

What kinds of jobs can TripleTen graduates apply for?

Typically, TripleTen students apply for entry-level or junior positions. 

TripleTen is designed so that anybody who wants to learn tech skills, can. When you come to the job-seeking phase, we sit down with you and we align on your job search goals. Job searching can be difficult for anyone, but we set you up so you can go to interviews with confidence — and a portfolio to show your experience. 

Do you recommend that people disclose a disability in interviews? 

It's a personal preference to disclose your disability. Companies are not allowed to ask you about your disability. For me, I personally find strength and individuality towards disclosing my disability and my experiences. But if students find it too daunting, they can disclose after they’ve signed the offer. After signing the offer, you could request a meeting with their accommodation team to help with the details.

How can job-seekers reduce their anxiety in the tech job search? 

Have a conversation with a career coach! 

Regardless of your ability-level:

• Focus on what you can do. It is difficult for anyone to learn to code, then begin to job seek. Every engineer felt the same. Focus on what you can do, and start to network while growing your skills. You will find professional friends, mentors, and potential referrals for positions. 
• Trust that you've come this far. You've done what any other software engineer or QA person can do, you've done this bootcamp and even with your personal needs, have achieved something unique.
• Just be yourself. You’re not different from any other person, and it’s not your responsibility to make others feel comfortable about your disability. Hiring managers will find the right candidate based on their skills, and that can be you. 

How can people ask for accommodations in the tech interview process?

It sounds scary, but speak up and advocate for yourself! 

For longer tech interviews at big tech companies they should have an accommodation department. If you're going to take a tech interview and you need breaks, it's perhaps more helpful to disclose than not disclose. If you're about to take a 3-hour tech interview, definitely feel free to ask for accommodations! One doesn’t need to disclose the specifics. You can simply ask, “If I need accommodations, where can I go?” 

Networking 101

People have the misconception that networking is about asking for a job — it's not! It's about getting to know the industry, company, and culture that you are pursuing.

People are also afraid of making mistakes. We are all imperfect and make mistakes even as professionals! Networking is not about showcasing your expertise. Networking is about gathering information on a company and getting another person's perspective about working there. 

If you’re interested in a particular company or role, ask those involved:

• What is the company about?
• Why do they like this company? What would they like to change?
• What does an average day or week look like?
• What is the team culture like?  

Can graduates also reach out to the larger TripleTen community during the job search process?

During career talks, we ask current job seekers to briefly share any ideas or tips they have since job seeking is difficult! It can be isolating because your mind tricks you to think you're the only one, like you’re an island. That’s why networking is so important. People feel alone but are afraid to reach out. When you reach out to people, you’ll learn you're not alone!

How to Hire More Inclusively

Ellen, this responsibility has to be on the hiring company too, right? 

Absolutely. Hiring teams need to be prepared to interview — and hire — candidates from all backgrounds. To better evaluate all candidates, and to make it easier for job seekers to apply, companies should clearly list the hard and soft skills needed to be successful in the role. Do you need to know certain programming languages (as a hard skill)? Or maybe you need to communicate effectively virtually (as a soft skill). Also hiring teams need to discern the difference between “Must Haves” rather than “Nice to Have.”

Find out more and read TripleTen reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with TripleTen.