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Anna Wijetunga
Anna Wijetunga

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Keep the Marathon Going

I'm a runner, and I run marathons. It's a crazy thing to run 26.2 miles, but boy, do I enjoy it.

I will tell you that for a marathon, runners strategically plan their race. When to eat. When to drink. Each mile carefully paced.

I will also tell you that I always rely on marathon volunteers during the race. Those aid stations typically come every few miles and water never tastes so good.

And the crowds, my gosh! Crowds are my fuel and motivation to keep going. Usually, people yelling at me is my worst nightmare but in a marathon? YELL LOUDER.

This past May, however, I embarked upon a different kind of marathon.

The job hunt marathon.

The Starting Line

My job hunt marathon began in May after graduating from Flatiron and yes, there have there been so many ups and downs.

Those first few days and weeks were exhilarating. New schedule, new routines, and a brand new task ahead. Here I come, world!

Whelp.

Did you see it coming? Did you guess?

It didn't take long before overwhelm and uncertainty took over.

Am I spending my time the right way? Does anyone really want the skills I offer? What was I thinking changing careers?!

Thank goodness for those aid stations.

My Flatiron community! Tech Twitter! My coaches and mentors! My family!

I never had to sweat for long before finding a kind word, a gentle nudge of encouragement or guidance.

Rinse and repeat.

That cycle would repeat on a weekly basis, folks, and that's no joke.

I became so grateful for and relied heavily upon my aid stations, my community. They always helped me keep going in the right direction.

Something Incredible

You're about to find out that I've made it to a landmark spot in the marathon - the halfway point.

Mile 13.1

A band is playing an earsplitting rendition of Eye of the Tiger, confetti is flying, the crowds are WILD, and you feel you could just burst. Happiness, exhaustion, pride, all of it.

I am beyond honored and grateful to say that aware3 is mile 13.1 of my marathon.

They are graciously taking me on as an Associate Software Engineer.

Keep Running

The marathon's not nearly over, but heck if this isn't the motivation and support to keep going.

I can't believe I'm lucky enough to be a part of this, yes THIS, community. So grateful for the support that's carried me this far - can't wait to see what comes next.

If you're running your marathon and job hunting right now, leave a comment below! I always appreciated when folks would share with me how they found their job and what they learned along the way - would love to pay it forward!

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