Caitlin Marshall | Web Developer

Where do you currently work and what is your job title?

Owl’s Head Solutions, Web Developer

How would you describe what you do every day in your role?

I’m part of a small team that translates website designs into the real thing. Depending on the phase of the project, that can mean reviewing the design, building new code, or bug fixing. Every day I have a standup meeting with my team. I’ve also been appointed our accessibility (a11y) lead, so I do research, create resources, and give presentations on that. That’s been one of my favorite aspects of my work, being part of bringing our web development into the future by building websites that truly work for all.

What motivated you to break into tech?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve just thought computers are darn cool. And in my previous jobs, I always liked the parts where I was fiddling with data.

What did you do before your current job?

I’ve worked as a manager for a local market and bakery, and operations coordinator for a solar company. Then more immediately, I was a full-time parent during the pandemic, and you know I love my children to the moon and back but—my brain needed something else. Coding classes were such a fun challenge.

What was your level of tech experience before enrolling at Skillcrush?

Almost zero. I tried out a few stand alone online coding classes but quickly realized that for the way I learn, I needed a more comprehensive program, and a community of students, like at Skillcrush.

What advice do you have for other Skillcrushers?

Expect to make mistakes! And practice asking good questions. As a new developer, I’m often working on something where I can get like 90% of the way there myself, but some part I’m stuck on. So, I have to ask my coworkers (or the internet!) for help. But I can’t just say, “ahhh, it’s not working!!!” Instead, I say, “this is what I’m trying to do, this is what I tried and how it didn’t work, and here are a couple ideas of what I can do next – what do you think?” Then, they can quickly give constructive advice, or we troubleshoot together. (Or! at LEAST half the time, just going through that process, I figure it out myself. Really!)