Meet Ariana Foster
Technology
The Past: “How did you get here?”
What distinguished Wells Fargo from other competitors, as a professional opportunity for you?
My interest in Wells Fargo primarily stemmed from the nature of the interview. The interview focused more on what I would be willing to do as opposed to what I was already capable of doing. Wells Fargo displayed how they wanted to teach me what I needed to learn to be a successful, new employee. Although I weighed all options presented to me, I had a gut feeling that Wells Fargo was where I needed to be; since I couldn’t shake the feeling, I followed my intuition.
The Present: “What do you do here?”
What is a typical work day like for you?
I start my day with breakfast. Having a career taught me that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, despite me rarely eating breakfast in college. Then, if it is a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, I join my 9:30 AM team, Scrum, where we give updates on the various projects we’re working on. Once that call ends, I take a look at my calendar and assess my day. Sometimes, I block a few hours off on my calendar so I can code without interruption. This is because development requires a lot of thinking and it can take time to dive into a steady work pace. I’ll work until lunch and grab a bite to eat. When I return to my desk, I usually have an upcoming code review in place. Code reviews are a time to show my manager my progress and discuss next steps. It’s also the time where I learn the most as I am receiving one on one guidance. These reviews can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as 90 minutes. Before the work day is over, I tie any loose ends I do not want to carry into tomorrow and prepare myself for what needs to get done the following day.
What was your most enjoyable project at Wells Fargo? Why?
My most enjoyable project at Wells Fargo was when I coded on one of our batch applications to generate reports based on specific conditions. I enjoyed this project for several reasons. First, being that the application runs on a server, there is no interface. That was new for me and outside of what I was accustomed to. Secondly, I was able to converse with members from other teams. I found this exciting because it allowed others to get to know the rookie developer and a few of my newly learned abilities. Finally, this project showed me the structure of most of our batch applications so now I know where to find certain methods, can explain the name and purpose of files within that app and feel more comfortable when beginning work on other projects.
What are the top three skills (technical and soft) that are required, daily, in your role?
The top three technical skills required daily in my role are .NET development, interpreting Java code and SQL development. The top three soft skills I find required for my role are critical thinking, adaptability and legible communication.
How would you describe the corporate culture of your group?
The corporate culture of my group is a laid back, close-knit family. We regularly celebrate birthdays, pregnancies, and major life accomplishments. We are always readily available to help one another, we joke and laugh often, no-one is micro managed and I’ve always felt comfortable being my millennial self. If you’re wondering where the best team sits within Wells Fargo, I can guarantee you it's Brokerage Technology.
The Future: “Where do you want to go?”
What future opportunities do you hope to embark on in your career? Does Wells Fargo provide avenues to foster these goals?
Future opportunities I hope to embark on in my career include becoming a Scrum Master and working alongside Information Security. Thankfully, I am on a team where my leaders constantly ask where I would like to take my career and what can they do to get me there. My team supports me furthering my education and encourages me to do what makes me happy. Even when I need direction on structuring my career plan, my team leads are open to sit down with me and assist in mapping out my goals. I also would like to stay connected with the Early Talent programs as I confidently believe the activities implemented during my internship and associate program helped shaped me into a well-rounded employee. From business etiquette workshops to Strengthfinders, I’m always grateful for what I gained during those times.
Advice: A word to the wise…
A motivational piece of advice you wish someone told you as a young professional going into your specific industry?
My all-time favorite piece of advice came from my manager, Jay Styles. One day, I grew extremely frustrated in myself and expressed to him my confusion and feelings of let down by my university as I was not coding the application correctly. I felt I had not been taught enough to be a successful developer and his reply was, “School teaches you how to learn.” In essence, your university is not responsible for giving you all the tools needed to hit the ground running when starting your career. Undergraduate simply scratches the surface of what you will achieve once you begin working. It is responsible for enhancing the ways you learn best. The first year in your career is when you will begin to learn and fine tune skills that can be directly applied to your role. These skills can only be developed in the workforce, not the classroom. Therefore, never doubt yourself, stay persistent and be a sponge absorbing all you can every day you enter work.
A professional piece of advice you wish someone told you as a young professional going into your specific industry?
Despite your current role or newness in your career, remember that you are never “just” anything. You are never “just” an intern. You are never “just” an associate. You are never “just” an entry level employee. Create the opportunities you would like to see. Keep in mind that those opportunities are not required to come from a team lead or senior executive. Grab your career by the horns, hold on tight and steer towards your desired destiny that only you control.
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