LAB employment history added

README.md

@@ -1,77 +1,103 @@
-## Your Name
+# Matt Zimmer
 
-A sentence about who and what you are. Then a sentence about what you've achieved. And then a sentence about what excites you about tech.
+#### Me at a glance
 
-## Projects
+Aspiring junior developer; amateur background in developing video-game plugins (+7 years); professional background in healthcare advertising (+5 years). Recently graduated from the [Makers Academy](https://makers.tech/) bootcamp; excited to join a friendly, ambitious team that will support me as I continue to grow and improve as a developer.
 
-| Name                         | Description       | Tech/tools        |
-| ---------------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |
-| **Final project**            | A webapp to do x. | React, Jest, etc. |
-| **Something else worked on** | A webapp to do y. | Ruby              |
+#### How I got here
 
-## Work Experience
+Through my self-taught hobby of developing video game plugins (aka mods), I discovered a love for wrestling with a programming language to make my ideas a reality. Disatisfied with healthcare advertising, I left my Account Director role in 2021 to develop my hobby-acquired skills into a more fulfilling, stimulating and challenging career in software development.
 
-**Company Name** (start-date to end-date)  
-_Your job title_
+After several months of self-directed learning, I joined [Makers Academy](https://makers.tech/) to improve my amateur coding skills for use in a professional context, and to learn new skills and langauages to make me a desirable candidate for a future employer. I am now ready for a junior developer role. I am determined and hungry for the challenge, and I am so excited to get started.
 
-- Any experience, including roles and responsibilities and results achived in bullet point format.
+### My Projects
 
-**Company Name** (start-date to end-date)  
-_Your job title_
+| Name                                                            | Description                                                                                                                                                                                      | Tech/Tools                                                         |
+| --------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| [**Heyday**](https://github.com/mhbae-dev/heyday)               | Created with a team during my Makers Academy final project, this web-app help groups find a day to meet up, resolving availablilty and preferences while emphasising privacy and ease-of-access. | JavaScript, React, Node, Jest, Express, HTML, SCSS, Heroku, Vercel |
+| [**Switchwatch**](https://github.com/Zimmja/React-Stopwatch)    | A stopwatch web-app specifically designed for users who have several tasks to complete and record their time on, and need to switch between quickly                                              | JavaScript, React, Node, HTML, CSS                                 |
+| [**Skyrim modding**](https://github.com/Zimmja/React-Stopwatch) | Scripts written for my various mods for the video game, Skyrim                                                                                                                                   | Papyrus, Skyrim Creation, TES5Edit Kit                             |
 
-- Any experience relevent to software development
+![Anurag's GitHub stats](https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api?username=Zimmja)
 
-## Skills
+### Featured Makers Challenges
 
-Consider skills relevent to software development. Then consider your best skills. Pick 2-4 skills and write a short descriptive paragraph for each one. You should demonstrate how capable you are at this skill with examples.
-(Using a STAR example Paragraph) Consider the questions below.
+During my time at Makers Academy, I completed several pair-programming and solo challenges. The ones I found particularly educational and enjoyable are listed here.
+| Name | Aim | Description | Tech/Tools |
+|--|--|--|--|
+| [**Acebook**](https://github.com/Zimmja/acebook-blue-magpies) | Group engineering challenge: use a framework to develop a full-stack web-app | A simple social media web-app based on Facebook which allowed users to create a basic profile and comment on other users' profiles | Ruby, Ruby on Rails, SQL, PostgreSQL, Rspec, Rubocop, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, Heroku|
+| [**Banking**](https://github.com/Zimmja/Makers-challenge-Bank) | Solo technical challenge: write well-crafted code to solve a technical problem | Wrote easily readable, understandable, and editable code for making transactions with a bank account using a REPL. Coach reviewed, passed on first attempt and then refined | JavaScript, Node, Jest, Prettier |
+| [**Bowling**](https://github.com/Zimmja/Makers-challenge-Thermostat) | Solo challenge: solve a technical problem and convert code from one language to another | Created a scoring card for a bowling game using Ruby (a deceptively difficult task requiring solid planning and execution), and then converted to JavaScript | JavaScript, Ruby, Node, Jest, Rspec |
+| [**Thermostat**](https://github.com/Zimmja/Makers-challenge-Thermostat) | Pairing challenge: create and test-drive a simple JavaScript program using Node | We created a thermostat that could be interacted with via the command line and utilise API calls from OpenWeather to receive and display real-world info | JavaScript, Node, Jest, APIs |
+| [**RPS Game**](https://github.com/Zimmja/Makers-challenge-RPS) | Solo challenge: create a game that is playable in a web browser | Tasked with creating a Rock, Paper, Scissors (RPS) style game. Finished quickly and was able to stretch myself to a 16-item game (instead of the 3-item RPS game) | Ruby, Sinatra, Capybara, Selenium Webdriver, HTML, CSS, Rspec, Rubocop|
 
--STAR
--What was the situation/task? (ST)
+### Skills
 
--How was the skill used?
+**Languages** - Ruby (Rspec, Ruby on Rails, Capybara; 4kyu on Codewars), JavaScript (React, Node, Jest, Express; 5kyu on Codewars), SQL, HTML, CSS, SCSS
 
--What did you do? (action)
+[![Top Langs](https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api/top-langs/?username=Zimmja&layout=compact)](https://github.com/anuraghazra/github-readme-stats)
 
--What was the result?
+**Understanding client needs and rapidly responding** - one of my main responsibilities as an account handler was taking briefs from clients (written and spoken), understanding them well enough to identify questions and issues early on, quickly formulate solutions, discussing them with clients and actioning under tight timelines. For example, when a prospective client was disatisfied with her current agency, I was able to respond to her briefs, offer insights and produce an action plan so quickly and to such a high standard that she skipped the usual procurement process and hired our agency without asking us to pitch first.
 
+**Understanding systems and developing processes** - identifying better processes for working with systems helped me add value to my employer's agency. When a new system for medical review ([Veeva Vault](https://www.veeva.com/products/enterprise-content-management/)) was launched across the healthcare advertising industry, I rapidly learned how it worked and developed our agency's processes for using it. These processes allowed us to approve advertising materials faster than other agencies, and a client asked me to present them over three workshops to other agencies so they could improve to our standard. This allowed our agency to present ourselves as experts in Veeva Vault, a barrier many prospective clients were keen to avoid.
 
-#### This Skill
+**Problem solving** - proven track record of combining different skillsets to solve problems. For example, while in healthcare advertising, a colleague's client threatened to close an account with our agency due to our creative department's inability to present scientific information clearly and accurately. I volunteered to solve the issue myself, combining the client brief, my scientific knowledge, writing and design (usually handled by three different departments) to solve the issue. I found a solution, my colleague presented it, and the client remains with the agency to this day.
 
-- Experience
-- Achievements
-- Evidence (STAR)
+### Professional Experience
 
-#### Another Skill
+#### Learner Adams Bones (LAB)
 
-Descriptive paragraph of how capable you are at this skill and, if relevant, how it has developed (again use STAR for this)
+A small creative agency specialsing in healthcare communications and advertising, including digital solutions for pharmaceutical sales teams and design of web materials, including websites, microsites and advertisements.
 
-- I achieved A during my work at B (job, or otherwise)
-- I contributed to the growth of X while doing Y (job, or otherwise)
-- I built this, made this, broke this, fixed this, etc.
-- A link to some on-line evidence (blogs, videos, articles, etc.)
+Relevant experince listed below.
 
-## Education
+_**Account Director**, April 2021_
+</br>• Project management: project planning, finance, internal resource management, digital platform management
+</br>• Client relationships: strategy development, tactic development, day-to-day communications and weekly meetings
 
-#### Makers Academy (start_date to end_date)
-- Use short descriptions of what you did and a skill you used. (Similar to format from the 'Work Experience' section above)
-- e.g Frequently used paring in order to problemsolve effeciently, requiring teamwork and communication.
-- you might also mention aspects some other skills/knowledge listed below: 
-- OOP, TDD, MVC, DDD
-- Agile/XP
-- Ruby, Rails, JavaScript
-- RSpec, Jasmine
+_**Senior Account Manager**, Oct 2018 - Mar 2021_
+</br>• Established myself as the in-agency expert on [Veeva Vault](https://www.veeva.com/products/enterprise-content-management/), a content management platform partnered with [Salesforce](https://www.salesforce.com/uk/campaign/sem/salesforce-products/?d=70130000000tQwC&DCMP=KNC-Google&keyword=salesforce&adused=337697992930&gclid=CjwKCAjwzaSLBhBJEiwAJSRoksuixODVmD2FKBBpdd__MX5clbHvJ9r4CLsZGd1JY_sBqoK6tpRy5xoC-i0QAvD_BwE) used throughout the UK pharmaceutical industry. Educated other agencies on my processes for using this software, recognised as best practice by clients
+</br>• Developed a reference management process for regulatory review (used in combination with Veeva Vault), now used by several agencies and considered best practice by clients
+</br>• Created promotional emails, including development of creative copy, imagery, and HTML code
+</br>• Personally designed client website, including layout design, wireframes, and creation of written/visual content
+</br>• Won two new accounts during the COVID-19 pandemic
 
-#### Your University / College (start_date to end_date)
+_**Account Manager**, Dec 2017 - Sep 2018_
+</br>• Re-designed pitch templates in collaboration with design department to look more professional and aesthetically pleasing; this improved pitch performance and helped end a long period of not winning pitches
+</br>• Began proofing HTML files in CLM deployment packages to check correct links, and edited HTMLs where necessary
 
-- Subject, any specialisms
-- Grade
-- Other cool stuff
+_**Senior Account Executive**, Jan 2017 - Nov 2017_
+</br>• Improved Agency efficiency and transparency by creating automated financial, planning and tracking documents
+</br>• Improved Agency proofing capabilities by creating an Excel- based proofing process, saving time and improving performance
 
-#### Any other qualifications
+_**Account Executive**, Oct 2015 - Dec 2016_
+</br>• Client-facing within first month
+</br>• Solo client-facing meetings within first year
 
-That in some arguable way make you a better software developer or well-rounded person
+#### Momenta
 
-## Hobbies
+_**Case Handler**, Jan 2015 - Sep 2015_
+</br>First paid role out of university; refined communication skills
+in a short-term, intensive contract
 
-Any cool stuff that makes you a super part of a software development team
+### Education and courses
+
+_**Makers Academy** - Sep 2021 - Jan 2022_
+</br>A highly selective 4-month software engineering bootcamp:
+</br>• Emphasis on Test-driven development (TDD), pair-programming and agile workflows, as well as emotional intelligence and XP values
+</br>• Focus on becoming "language agnostic" and able to adapt to new languages with ease
+</br>• Encouraged independant learning and problem-solving
+</br>• Specifically taught Ruby (with Rspec) and JavaScript (with Jest)
+</br>• Full stack web development, including web frameworks like Ruby on Rails and ReactJs
+
+_**University of Manchester** - BSc Hones, 2011 - 2014_
+</br>2.1 in Stem Cell Biology; first class science communication project
+
+_**Sherborne School** - 2005 - 2010_
+</br>A Levels: Biology (A), English (A), Chemistry (B)
+
+### Hobbies
+
+**Modding** - my main hobby is creating mod plugins for the video game, Skyrim. I am currently working on my 7th update of my most popular mod (over 600K unique downloads), [Zim's Immersive Artifacts](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/9138)
+</br>**Dog walking** - I'm lucky enough to live between three parks in South London, so grabbing a coffee and taking the dog for a walk is a great pleasure of mine
+</br>**Cooking** - my favourite thing to do on a Sunday is spend half the day creating an amazing roast dinner, preferably followed by a glass of wine and a movie