EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Laura Mahoney

User Interface/Front-End Web Developer
TMP Louisville office

Laura Mahoney is a User Interface/Front-End Developer at TMP Louisville. Thanks to innovative job-training program Code Louisville, Laura was able to refine the coding skills she learned at her previous job as a graphic designer. We talked to Laura about what it’s like to work in a male-dominated field and about her favorite project to date, TalentBrew development.

TMP: Did you have an “aha” moment while in Code Louisville?

Laura Mahoney: I had several “aha” moments where everything came together. I was self-taught before Code Louisville and never fully understood why certain concepts work they way they do. My mentor and the Code Louisville curriculum helped me fill in the holes and made me a stronger developer in a short amount of time.

TMP: As this is a historically male-dominated field, what would you say to encourage other women to consider a career in web development?

LM: My advice to women who are considering a career in web development would be to take the fact that it is a historically dominated field off the table. I believe that if coding is your passion and you want to be challenged and enjoy what you do, any historic gender bias won’t matter to you. Most of my coworkers are male, and they have never made me feel like I wasn’t equally as capable of doing a good job.

TMP: What is the career trajectory for a web developer?

LM: Web development is such a broad field with many opportunities as technology evolves. I will continue to polish my front-end skills, especially in the area of Javascript. I also have an interest in learning more back-end programming, so I could see myself pursuing that further within the next few years. I enjoy being challenged and know that the constantly changing nature of web development will accommodate that desire as my career progresses.

TMP: What personality traits do great developers share?

LM: I believe great developers love to learn new concepts and are open to changing their workflow as the industry expands. It doesn’t hurt to be a little “OCD” about tiny details, because in web development, the little details matter.

TMP: Why is it important to you to be a mentor with Code Louisville?

LM: I benefited greatly from the Code Louisville program in regard to the training I received and the networking connections I made. I would love to open a door for an aspiring developer like my mentor did for me. I enjoy teaching people new things and helping them understand difficult concepts. I would find it rewarding to give back to a program that did so much for my career.

TMP: Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on recently?

LM: Developing the TalentBrew for New Balance has been my favorite project to date. I am a New Balance customer myself, so it was exciting to develop for a brand I love. I also really liked the creative approach the designer took with the site and enjoyed translating it into code.

Want to work with Laura and people like her? We’re looking for creative, dynamic and outside-the-box-thinkers. View our available positions and apply today!