Judith Böhlert
Freelance Full-stack Engineer
Monday, 18 September 2023
Could you please introduce yourself?
Hey, I'm Judi, a software engineer based in Berlin. After a few years of working as a full-stack engineer, I realised two things: a) Working in tech is awesome and b) it can be quite exhausting. I've therefore decided to embark on a self-employment adventure, hoping to find a calm and sustainable approach to working in tech. I could also talk for hours about Developer Experience and Developer Productivity since I believe how we organize our work is just as important (if not more) than choosing the right tech stack. I prefer progress over perfection and enjoy building prototypes, releasing MVPs, and shipping things fast.
Whats your background?
I have a master's degree in Mathematics. During my maths studies, I had to learn the basics of programming. That was also the first time I got in touch with coding and considered it as a possible career. So I didn't write my first line of code until I was 21. But once I started coding, I enjoyed it a lot, so I got some student jobs where I could sharpen my programming skills. I then decided to pursue software engineering full-time after I had finished my degree.
Whats your current role?
I'm a full-stack engineer, primarily within the JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystem (so anything Vue.js, React, Node.js, ...) but always happy to learn new technologies. I have recently decided to go self-employed so I am currently setting myself up as a freelance developer. I am also documenting my journey on social media and hope to build a community of people who are also looking for a calm approach to working in tech.
Why have you decided to learn to code?
I had to learn the basics of programming during my maths degree, so I kind of stumbled across coding by accident and had never considered it as a career choice before. But once I started coding, I enjoyed it a lot. Getting a part-time programming job as a student was what ultimately convinced me to pursue coding as my full-time career and it also helped tremendously in landing my first full-time role.
Do you think its important to learn to code?
It definitely opens up a whole new world of possibilities! I think it would be great if we could teach kids in school the basics of programming so that everyone understands what coding is and the role it plays in our everyday lives. That would also put coding on people's radar as a possible career option so that maybe more people would pursue it after high school.
Do you feel the tech industry is male dominated? How can we encourage more women into the industry?
The tech industry is definitely male-dominated. I am usually the only woman or one of two women on any team.
To change this long-term, I think it is important to encourage girls from a young age to try out technical things and not limit them to stereotypical roles.
I also believe that the culture in tech has to change in order to be welcoming to everyone. Less competition, less bro culture, more flexibility, more empathy.
Did you struggle being a woman in the tech industry yourself?
I definitely struggle from time to time with being a woman in tech. But connecting with other women and building communities together encourages me to keep going.
I often feel like I'm not being taken seriously or underestimated. I also struggled a lot with a lack of belonging and felt like I didn't fit in, especially during the early days of my career.
These days, I try to speak up when I feel like I or anyone else is being treated unfairly but it honestly is difficult. I am still trying to find my voice and get comfortable sharing my experiences.
Whats the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your tech career so far?
The most rewarding moments were when I could help other people with challenges I had faced a few years ago. That could mean mentoring junior devs at my job or connecting with and listening to others online.
The most challenging point in my career was after 5 years of working full-time when I felt like I was close to burning out. It was very difficult for me to first of all realise what was happening and then decide to prioritise my health and well-being.