In the ever-evolving world of technology, it’s refreshing to see women like Ruby Adeniregun making a mark. A talented Frontend Developer from Nigeria and a mother, Ruby’s journey is one of resilience and passion. From earning a career-launching scholarship to tackling late-night coding challenges, her story is both inspiring and insightful.
In this exclusive interview, Ruby shares her tech journey, the challenges she’s faced, and her work-life balance. She also offers advice for newcomers, underscores the value of mentorship, and gives a glimpse into her future plans. Enjoy this inspiring read as we explore Ruby’s rise in the tech industry!
Lovina from TCA: It is an absolute pleasure to see this feature happen. Let’s take a moment to meet you: your name, where you’re from and what it is you do in the tech industry.
Ruby: My name is Ruby Adeniregun. I am from the Eastern part of Nigeria. I am a FrontEnd Developer.
Lovina from TCA: Eastern parts? I could have sworn the “Adeniregun” was from the West. Anyways, Frontend development sounds so cool, too cool. Tell us a bit about being a frontend dev, tech sis. How has the journey been?
Ruby: Lol, I am actually married from the West, hence my surname… So, you are actually talking to a proud mum in tech… hahahaha.
About Frontend dev, it has been a challenging and also rewarding Journey. It was really demanding as I had to put in hours to sit down and learn and build my skills from Ground Zero and that is the part people don’t talk about. Before you earn, you must learn and learning requires discipline. There were times when it looked so difficult but here I am today. FrontEnd development is so cool as you get to work with colors, space, design and you have to be very precise and attentive to details. It is so cool to be part of a team that brings designs to life and builds pixel perfect sites. That part for me is so amazing.
Lovina from TCA: Whoa, these are things we love to see and hear; our brilliant women slaying at home and work. It often seems like we can’t maneuver both these days. I love it!
Lovina from TCA: Please, let us in on the backstory, girl. How did you become interested in tech, Frontend Development precisely?
Ruby: I saw an ad in 2020 that was giving scholarships to women interested in launching their tech careers. It was an opportunity by Dufuna in partnership with the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub at the time. I applied and got the scholarship and the rest, they say, is history. I am forever grateful for that opportunity that launched me into the world of tech. I decided to specialize in Frontend development having gone through the whole curriculum. I have always loved design and graphics so FrontEnd easily got my attention.
Lovina from TCA: Amazing. I absolutely love how things always align in our favor, right when we need it. Now, who is that person who has been your beacon of light for navigating your tech journey? Someone whose light shined so bright it gingered yours to shine, too?
Ruby: I would say my mentor, I call him Mr Toks. He had worked previously as an Software Engineer and is now a consultant. He really pushed me, encouraged me and gave me a lot of support.
Lovina from TCA: Exactly. Always great to have someone hold your hand in new waters. What was the biggest challenge in your journey to becoming a Frontend Dev? Has your gender ever been the reason you didn’t land a gig or failed to join a team?
Ruby: The tech space is well dominated by the male gender but we are breaking the jinx. When we show up, we prove by our skills that we can do much more. I do not want to look at my gender as a disadvantage. I chose to see it as a plus for me. I know what I am worth and I am an asset to any company I find myself in.
Lovina from TCA: Yassss, Queen! That’s how to approach it. Now tell us about your experience with popular frontend frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js? Do you have a favorite? Hold on, does your work even allow you to have a favorite one?
Ruby: Hahaha, It is not about your favorite, but what your skill set is at the moment. The demand for React developers is higher but other frameworks also have a good demand as well. It all depends on the project and choosing the right framework is key depending on the peculiarities of the project but I have experience with React, Vue, Next.js.
Prior to working with React, I have experience with popular CRM’s such as Salesforce and Drupal. I have worked as a Salesforce Commerce Cloud Software Engineer (Frontend Development) and was also certified as a salesforce Javascript developer. I also did a few projects using Drupal CRM.
Lovina from TCA: As a non-techie, the above information has me dazed, I know close to nothing about those. Lol. Let’s talk about your most memorable project or achievement so far. Tell us about the one that completely blew your mind or revalidated your decision to get into tech.
Ruby: My very first project was indeed memorable. I remember back then I spent late nights battling with flex boxes, figma designs and Javascript and so on. At that time, it looked insurmountable but it propelled me fiercely to want to do more. Each time I wanted to give up, I sank my head in my books. Giving up was not an option. I reached out to my mentors, asked a lot of questions and finished in time. Looking back now, I see how perseverance brought me here and revalidated my decisions to keep pushing. Just like a beautiful finished clay piece in the hands of a potter, I always look at various product designs I am able to implement to build pixel perfect sites and create a better user experience and that really blows my mind.
Lovina from TCA: I think I know what you mean. The joy and satisfaction of seeing your efforts pay off in real-time is “chef’s kiss”… That being said, can you spot a problematic project right off the bat? What would you observe about a project or client that would have you running for the hills?
Ruby: I would say lack of structure. Every project needs to have a well articulated structure and life cycle. That is why agile development is such a big deal. A client needs to know what he wants and a product manager needs to properly articulate those needs for the entire team to follow. Without that it is a total mess from the start.
Lovina from TCA: True, absolutely! Have you ever experienced workplace toxicity, especially in the tech space? How did you deal with it? What decisions did you make to prevent yourself from ever being at a disadvantage?
Ruby: I have never experienced a toxic workplace. That is why much more than technical skills, soft skills are very important to enable you to function properly in the workplace because you would meet diverse people from diverse races. Communication, assertiveness, etc is very crucial to survive in the midst of a multicultural environment. It is also important to speak up. Though I am introverted, I have learnt to speak up and show my work. Let your managers know what you are doing. Speak up and contribute to meetings, contribute your ideas, spark up conversations etc. All these helped to prevent me from being at a disadvantage.
Lovina from TCA: Wow! That right there is something everyone in any kind of workplace needs to take seriously. Speaking of the workplace… who has ever made you want to throw hands when you had to collaborate to get a project done? Backend devs? UI/UX Guys? Or is it the Product owners?
Ruby: UI/UX Guys are actually the real deal… Lol. They are always on the necks of FrontEnd devs… lol. We usually tease them sometimes when they come up with interesting designs and animations. But I always see it as a challenge. Bring it on!! Whatever you design, I will code it to life. It just makes me a better person and improves my skills.
Lovina from TCA: That sounds interesting, really. Now, what principles govern the work that you do building/designing websites that we love?
Ruby: Commitment, Excellence and discipline. I have grown to realize that when people pay you, they pay you for value and you must take the time to deliver value to the client. Having also worked as a freelancer, I don’t beg clients for five star ratings. If they receive value, they would gladly give it. These are the principles that govern the work that I do.
Lovina from TCA: What would you have liked to hear as a newbie getting started in Frontend Development that you think would have helped you have better footing? What is your best piece of advice for newbie frontend devs?
Ruby: Hmmm, maybe I would have loved to have more physical connections with other newbies like myself, because I had more of a virtual class due to covid-19 at that time. So, I would have loved to physically connect and collaborate with other newbies..l My best piece of advice for newbie Frontend devs is that they should be disciplined to learn before they earn. They have to take the time to learn the skill which requires time, patience and discipline before they earn which is what people don’t really talk about.
Lovina from TCA: That is indeed true. We have people jumping into tech these days because they may have been wired to think that it is a get-rich-quick scheme. Hopefully, it gets better! So, what part of Frontend Development is your favorite? Why? Designing and developing UIs, writing code, testing and debugging? Which?
Ruby: I would say Designing and Developing UI’s. I just love to see how little bits of code come together to create an interactive UI for users.
Lovina from TCA: Between passion for change/bringing life-changing solutions and tech money, which is your motivation for working in tech? Don’t worry, your secret is safe here!
Ruby: It amazes me that working remotely from the comfort of my home, I can bring life changing solutions across the world with the touch of a button. That really motivates me. Of course I am being paid for that skill but much more than that, the ability to be able to be productive and contribute my own quota to the success of a project is a great motivation for me.
Lovina from TCA: Haha. That response kind of makes you sound like an efiko, but I like it. It’s beautiful to see people still passionate about work beyond the money. On the subject of work, what social media platforms are you on and which ones are your favorite for showcasing your work and connecting with potential clients and community members? Please include the links to them.
Ruby: I use Linkedin most of the time to showcase my work as I believe it is a professional platform and it is ideal for connecting with potential clients. I use other platforms like facebook and IG for other social interactions.
Lovina from TCA: Are you mentoring anyone right now or doing anything to give back to the Frontend Dev community? How’s that going for you? If not, what are your plans concerning it?
Ruby: If I had a penny for every tech related question I have been asked, it would have been a big stash now. Lol. I have been invited to have talks with teenagers and youths from time to time on how to navigate the tech industry.
I have plans underway to help the female folk get into tech because I also get a lot of questions like that. I would want to help the female gender navigate the tech field and not necessarily FrontEnd development because not everyone would want to explore frontend development like me but i can help them also explore other fields like UI/UX, AI, Cybersecurity and so forth. The idea is just get in and do something and you don’t have to study computer science to do it.
Lovina from TCA: Haha. Hopefully one day you get to charge directly for every question you have to answer. Now, to wrap it up… what’s a question that you think would be a great addition to the ones you’ve responded to so far? What’s your response to it then?
Ruby: Where do I see myself 5 years from now? I see myself as a Senior Dev collaborating in massive projects and helping others have a soft landing in the tech space. I also see myself launching my own startup most likely in the edTech space. Just watch out!
Absolutely brilliant responses right there! It has been an absolute pleasure having this interview session with Ruby. I enjoyed every bit of the process and I hope you enjoyed reading it, too.
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