How Rita Okonkwo is Building her Software Development Career at Microsoft

I was scrolling through Twitter earlier in June when Rita Okonkwo’s profile caught my attention. She had just started a Software Development role at Microsoft and someone had retweeted her picture to congratulate her.

Fast forward to when we had a virtual chat, I was reminded of what had captured my interest; beyond being a developer, the computer engineering graduate of UNIBEN is also a writer and social advocate harnessing technology to drive social change and offer people living with disabilities full access to opportunities. 

But it is one thing to have a blooming tech career and thriving innovative projects, and another thing entirely to get a spot at a top company such as Microsoft. That was the crux of our conversation.

Along the way, I asked if being female had been either a disadvantage or an advantage –neither has been the case; she’s just been doing what she does well and built her career on industrious measures which she shared with me. And rather –she emended my wrong guess– there are programs and projects structured to equip women in tech, in a male-dominated industry. 

If I were to re-write a title for this, it would be “ a subtle and potent recipe for building a tech career and landing a spot with the top guns”.  

You should read and see for yourself. 

Was Software Development something you always wanted to do? 

It wasn’t really software development because my journey into the role wasn’t straightforward. After high school, I knew I wanted to build amazing things. The reason why I chose to study computer engineering was because I had seen people building automatic cars and other machines that made people’s lives easier. It was during my 200L that I got interested in building apps when I saw a friend doing something similar.

I felt it was really cool and I decided to learn how to program. I didn’t really start programming at that time until one holiday when I wanted to make my own blog. I used to write inspirational blog posts and I wanted a more customized website for myself, different from WordPress which I’d been using. So I decided to research on how to build my own website and I started to learn HTML and CSS, and started learning HTML. I stopped because school resumed and I wanted to focus. 

Then, around 300L, Microsoft partnered with Andela for a scholarship offered to Africans to learn tech skills. I applied and got into the web development track, and I was exposed to top courses in web technology.  After that, Google partnered with Andela for another scholarship and I got into it again and learnt Android development and app building. That was how my interest in programming grew, and I started building apps and applying for internships. My first internship was at HNG and it really exposed me to teamwork and propelled my career as well. 

Cool. So internships are great for tech enthusiasts…

Yes, young tech enthusiasts should embrace internships, even if they are unpaid. As long as they give you exposure and help you learn, go for it. Also, they shouldn’t underestimate personal projects. When I started out, I got stuck into what they call the tutorial hell; you finish a course and go into another and then another without practicing. I highly recommend that you build personal projects once you’ve taken one or two courses so you can build on the knowledge you have. There’s a difference between watching tutorials and building stuff on your own.

How accessible are these internships though? 

I think things have changed now. Probably five or six years ago, it was difficult to get communities or internships, but now things are better. The Nigerian tech space is buzzing with programs for people to join if they are interested in tech. There is Shecode Africa for ladies, DevCareers, and many more. Apart from improving skills, these platforms also help you network. And I feel like the Nigerian tech community is very supportive; you can just go on Twitter and see someone doing giveaways for Nigerian techies. So, there are opportunities, you just have to ask questions and get your answers. 

If you hadn’t gone into programming, what else would you be doing? 

If I hadn’t gone into programming, I would have probably been a travel blogger cause travel is also one of my interests. I would have also gone full-time into an NGO;  I have an interest in making education accessible to people who have an interest but do not have the financial capacity to get one. So, I’d probably own one and volunteer for an NGO. I also love books, so I could write one, who knows (Lol). There are different things I would have done and even still do alongside my current role.

I would still like to explore traveling and also start my own NGO to provide sponsorships for people who don’t have the financial capacity for it. I also recently started a podcast which is another interest. It’s an open-source and passion-building podcast I started with a friend, and we are planning to expand. 

How do you deal with the challenges of being in tech? 

From my perspective, you just have to embrace it. Everyone is talking about tech, but It’s like any other career; there are times you will be stressed. I think many developers will be able to relate to this; you may doubt yourself and re-consider your career trajectory if tech is really what you want to do. You may apply for roles and you won’t get them even if you were sure you would get them.

I have felt like that; there was this phase where I was just getting rejections even when I had prepared for the roles. Don’t expect to get into tech today and start earning big. There are days of little beginnings and fundamentals, which you shouldn’t neglect. I had applied to Microsoft once and didn’t get in, but eventually did cause I kept going. If you feel tired, please take a rest, but try again. 

What other major challenges do you face? 

Internet connectivity and electricity issues were major challenges when I started out. But I had the support of my parents who provided airtime, data, and access to laptops, so it wasn’t so much of a challenge eventually. 

Have you ever been at a disadvantage in the tech space because you’re female? 

Personally, I haven’t experienced any disadvantage because I’m female. On the other hand, a lot of females need more representation in the tech space; it’s a male-dominated industry. So there are programs and opportunities available for women, and I got access to them. Shecode Africa is one, there is also Google Get Ahead; where Google selects 500 female students across East Africa to participate in the program and I was selected.

When did you join Microsoft? 

I started my new role on the 6th of June this year. 

Congratulations

Thank you

So, how did you eventually get in? You mentioned that you had applied once and got rejected

I practiced! I had to keep learning, even after the rejections. When you are pitching for software engineering roles at big companies like this, there are things you should learn; data structure, algorithms, system designs, and more. I learnt, practiced, did mock interviews with my friends, and eventually applied again and got in. 

Is it possible to get in without directly applying though? 

For my role, I applied via the career website, but it’s also possible for you to get a role like this via Linkedin. I’ve had recruiters reach out to me there, which is why I advise career starters to not underestimate the power of Linkedin. Sometimes you won’t even apply for the roles you are interested in, recruiters would just reach out to you. It’s very possible. But for this role, I applied via the career website. 

What’s your typical work day like?

I work from home. My typical work day involves me starting the day, signing into my system, going for my stand-up, and completing the day’s task. There is also the lunch break, any scheduled meetings, coffee chats with teammates, and just work. I’m working virtually for now but the itinerary could change when I relocate. 

Oh nice, access to good electricity and fast internet

Yeah. Lol. Well, I’m not really experiencing that now, unlike when I started out. But it will definitely be better when I relocate

You spoke about your personal projects earlier, are they also related to software development? 

Absolutely. There’s a project (a podcast) I started last year, an open-source project called “The Riri Project” which I worked on with a friend. The goal is to make information accessible to people who are visually impaired. The android app is on play store, and we are working on the IOS and more features. It’s a project I’m passionate about; I want to make things accessible to people who do not have access to it due to no fault of theirs. I’m passionate about using technology for social good, so it’s a really exciting project for me. 

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Are you also a tech enthusiast looking to build a solid career and work in top tech companies? Well, this should propel you to get started or put more effort and do it right. If you’re not sure about the best tech path to explore or how to pitch yourself for top opportunities, you really want to be there. You should also read our article on “What career path in tech is best for you”. Cheers to enjoying tech money!