Nestor Mendoza
Software Engineer
CareerBuilder
Atlanta, GA USA
“Anytime you’re struggling with something in life, you’ve got to remember the moments when you were doing great. Use them like a cookie from a cookie jar to feed and motivate yourself.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationNestor Mendoza
Milestones
My road in life has taken me all over.
I grew up in Venezuela—my dad left when I was very young, so my mom was the primary financial supporter for our family.
After high school, I was accepted into Universidad Simón Bolívar to study chemistry.
I dropped out of school to pursue my dream of moving to a different country, but my plans were put on hold when government policy reduced the value of my income.
I tried a few different business ventures to change my financial situation—they didn’t end up working out financially, but I learned a lot.
In 2015, my family helped me get my visa and pay for my ticket to the U.S.—seeing what a more developed country looked like compared to the crime around my hometown really motivated me to move.
While applying to web developer jobs, I found an ad for Per Scholas and ended up getting accepted into a web development partnership program between Per Scholas and General Assembly.
Before I even finished the program, a friend of mine got me an interview for a software engineer position with CareerBuilder—it went very well and I was able to start right away when I graduated.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Certification/License
Per Scholas
Per Scholas
Certification/License
Web Development Immersive
General Assembly
Web Development Immersive
General Assembly
Career
Software Engineer
I solve systems and applications problems for a career and employment website.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Technology
Engineering
Problem Solving
Day to Day
I work on both front end and back end systems for my company, but most of my time is spent on the front end. I primarily solve problems and bugs within the applications. I also have a very supportive boss who lets me take on new and different tasks whenever he thinks my skillset can shine.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
You can develop basic coding skills and introduce yourself to that field through things like YouTube, free courses, and just trying things for yourself. Even if you don't end up pursuing a career with it, learning how to code can supplement so many other jobs and projects.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You need to go to a traditional college and get a degree in order to be set in life."
Challenges I Overcame
Gangs / Violence
Imposter Syndrome
Interviewed By
To Be Determined
Workforce training that opens up opportunities
