How I Became a Superstar with a Telegram Bot!
Usually, when we enter new work environments, it can be challenging to present ourselves in the right way, especially if our work experience or abilities are unclear to others, and this becomes even more difficult when you are a woman in the tech field!
About four years ago, I was introduced and invited to work at my current company through the recommendation of a former colleague (Hello Khani!). It seemed that no woman had been hired there before, and as a developer, I was often perceived similarly to extraterrestrial beings D:
In the early days of your job, you may struggle to easily gain the trust of your teammates. Therefore, you need to do something to be noticed: from doing something cool to simplifying a process for others. Believe me, making noise is the best way, not only in the technical department but everywhere.
So, what was the story?
The company I was working for had a three-story building where the investment team and several startups were operating, and the responsibility for providing breakfast and lunch to employees was tied to the building. Therefore, at the beginning of each month, we already knew the meal plan for that month on a piece of paper.
Observation and Need Assessment:
During lunch breaks, the usual question among us was, ‘What’s for lunch today?’ We often forgot, and to find out the meal plan, someone had to check the paper panel.
Now, it was time to take advantage of the opportunity!
It was a Saturday afternoon when the idea struck me – a Telegram bot. An exciting weekend project that also meets the needs of others. That’s how the Telegram bot ‘What’s for lunch?’ was born, a bot with four commands: today’s meal, tomorrow’s meal, automatic morning notifications, and automatic evening notifications. The morning after, before heading to work, I shared the bot in the technical group on Telegram. When I arrived at the company and went to the dining area for breakfast, I saw everyone talking about it and joking with me. It caught on quickly! I call this success. From then on, thanks to this small initiative, I was introduced to more people, and we had conversations.
A small idea, a simple solution, can make you stand out and bring more opportunities your way (:
If you have a similar experience, share it with me so that others can get inspired as well.