February 29, 2024
A: My name is Symoné Berry, also known as Beez. I am from Arlington, Virginia and I’ve been working in GovTech since the age of 16 by getting 1 tech certification. I have lived and worked all over the world in places like Japan, Taiwan, and S. Korea all thanks to working in GovTech. The experience that I have gained and the people that I have connected with during myGovTech career inspired me to help more people learn about GovTech and the opportunities.
A: I didn’t decide to pursue a career in tech. I accidentally fell into it because I was looking for ways to get out of my regular high school classes which led me into enrolling in a vocational school that my school district had. I took a Computer Technology class which helped me prepare for theCompTIA A+ certification. I obtained the A+ certification at 16 years old then I landed my first GovTech internship about a month later.
A: The biggest challenge that I faced in my journey was wondering if I was cutout to be a software engineer, because I couldn't learn how to code to save my life. I finished my first semester with a 2.1 GPA and was told by teachers and advisors that I should look into a different major. I transferred to a new school undeclared because my GPA was so low. Having to get back into my Computer Science major, I also spent 10 hours a week with a student tutor who taught me how to code. One day everything clicked for me and the rest is history.
You can’t let other people determine what is and what isn’t for you. As long as you never give up you will progress in technology.
A: I worked in GovTech for 15 years from Help Desk to Radar Software Engineering to Overseas Government contracting as a Radar Systems Engineer to Federal Tech Sale. I am currently taking some time away from work to focus on continuing building resources and companies to help people land jobs in GovTech.
I have so much helpful technology I am working in the background. In addition to that I am spending my time educating others on the GovTech industry through free workshops, technical GovTech training programs focused on helping people get the CompTIA Security+ certification and the Red Hat System Administrator certification so they can land their first GovTech role. I also spend my time making educational videos on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube. I recently launched a tech interview series called "Day In My Tech Life", highlighting black tech professionals and founders.
A: I balance by starting my day o by going to the gym then 5 hours of uninterrupted deep work. No texts, no phone calls, nothing just working until my 5 hours of work is done. This allows me to finish my most important work by 1PM everyday. I also plan my days out the night before and use Notion to stay organized. If you haven’t read the book called 12Week Year by Brian Morgan, you should check it out. It is life changing.
The work I do in the community keeps me going I don’t look at it as a job it’s something that I was doing unpaid and would still love it if I wasn’t getting paid today. I love to help people succeed and achieve their goals through GovTech and financial literacy.
A: If you are looking to start your GovTech career today I would say to focus on the transferable skills that you already have, get your CompTIASecurity+ certification, and start applying to 10 jobs a day. Most people give up when things get hard. Yes, tech may be new to you and it is challenging but the reward on the other side of hard work is worth it. I wouldn’t trade all those long sleepless nights studying for anything.
A: To keep up with me you can follow me on Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, andTwitter at @SymoneBeez on all platforms. To keep up with me you can also visit my website SymoneBeez.com
