December Spotlight: Sadie Goldfarb

1. What motivated to live and work in Vermont?

What motivated me to live and work in Vermont is that I went to Champlain College for undergrad. While there, I absolutely fell in love with Vermont’s landscape and the interconnectedness of the people here. This interconnectedness created a deep sense of community for me. The experience of showing up to an event where I thought I was going to know no one, to then realize I’m actually connected to most everyone in the room by a degree or two of separation was very grounding for me. Experiences like this heavily impacted my decision to stay in VT and my efforts to be a part of the community that I felt so welcomed by!

2. What is your favorite part of the job?

My favorite part of my job is working with the students. Each student who enrolls in a Burlington Code Academy course has their own unique story as to what brought them to BCA. Making the decision to join a 12-week intensive Software Development or UX Design Bootcamp is not a small one. The Bootcamp journey is emotional, challenging, and utterly rewarding. So, for me being able to act as an advocate for these brave individuals during every step of their venture is on the top of my list for what I love about my job.

3. Who is your most inspiring mentor and why?

Emily McMahon is my most inspiring mentor. Emily radiates kindness and embodies leadership as a practice. I’ve known Emily for a few years now, and she consistently makes me feel capable, inspired, and proud to be a young professional in Vermont!

4. What is the best career advice you ever received?

The best career advice I’ve ever received is from Geeda Searfoorce. The advice she gave me is that during an interview, you are interviewing the interviewer as much as they are interviewing you. This advice stuck with me so deeply because up until Geeda told me this, I had approached interviews as a scary thing, in which I was setting myself up to be judged or something like that. But after receiving this advice, I realized that interviews are a time to discover more about the role, make a connection, and take yourself out of your comfort zone!

5. What advice would you give someone who wants to work in your field?

Be yourself! I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true! As a connector, it is so important to be ‘real’. Being a sincere person in the lives of those you connect with on a professional level doesn’t go unnoticed. And, it helps you grow personally and professionally. Also, if you are an animated speaker IRL, use those ellipses and exclamation points – show me how you feel!