Frontend developer on IT education in Kyrgyzstan and the skills needed by IT specialists

We met Ksenia Tsyganova, a Frontend Developer and leader of the Women Techmakers Bishkek organization. Ksenia shared how networking can help in job hunting and offered advice for beginners.

Ksenia Tsyganova, 27 years old, city — Bishkek, Frontend Developer, leader of @wtm.kg, @niakoks

About Me

By education, I am a Software Engineer. I graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University.

I am a mentor and leader of Women TechMakers Kyrgyzstan. This is a global initiative by Google that supports women's aspirations to join STEM professions. We organize IT events to give many people the opportunity to learn about this industry.

I also work as a teacher for children and teenagers, teaching them skills necessary for IT specialists — such as how to design products and ideas, develop applications, and much more.

How My Journey in the IT Industry Began

Since childhood, I knew I wanted to work in the technical field. I was inspired by my grandfather, Valentin. He worked on the Soviet space program and was one of those who launched Gagarin into space. He created interplanetary spacecraft of the "Venus" class, which recorded photos and videos. They took the first images ever captured outside of Earth's space. He instilled in me a love for creating technology.

I studied at a chemistry and biology lyceum, so my mother wanted me to become a doctor. It was difficult to get her permission to become a programmer, but I managed to convince her.

About the Specialty

Technology becomes outdated quickly. A new JavaScript Framework could be released every day that might be needed in work. Universities cannot keep up with these innovations. Therefore, even during my studies, I realized that the university did not provide me with sufficient knowledge and practice.

Then I decided to take programming courses at Attractor School. At that time, they had open enrollment for two tracks: JavaScript and C#. To understand which course was better for me, I opened HeadHunter and started analyzing job positions. I looked at what jobs I could apply for after completing the course: how much they paid, whether there were vacancies. These indicators were similar for both specialties. However, due to the schedule, C# did not suit me, so I studied the JavaScript course.

I learned Fullstack web development: creating both Backend and Frontend parts of websites. After the courses, I was offered a Frontend position at Heartbeat Ai. This is where my journey in this specialty began.

About Education

The university did not meet my expectations. When searching for a university, check for the availability of internships and agreements with other universities. Many educational institutions have student exchange programs that open up various opportunities for students.

The Attractor School website has a detailed description of what you will do during the course and what skills you will acquire after completion. The study lasts a long time, but you can fully master the required specialty.

Recommendations for Beginners

Attend events. With Women Techmakers, we often hold free events for beginner and intermediate developers. Also, in Bishkek, there are many organizations that organize events or announce them themselves: @wtm.kg, @techaim.kg — there is a lot of content in Kyrgyz, and the Telegram chat dev.kg. At such meetings, you will find new acquaintances and get great professional networking.

Learn English. The latest news about technology is primarily published in English.

Actively maintain your LinkedIn profile. Fill out your page, tell in detail about your skills. Whenever possible, use Latin characters — this will open up the foreign market for you. A good photo for your avatar is important: find a beginner photographer or go for a professional photoshoot. For designing your LinkedIn profile, I recommend this website. It is an AI tool that evaluates your account and provides feedback on your profile.

Advice for programmers: do not be afraid to use AI, but do it wisely. When using artificial intelligence in work, it is important to know what processes are happening and how to reproduce them independently. AI only makes work easier by taking over routine processes.

About Hiring

Networking is an important skill that many underestimate. Not everyone can start and maintain a conversation with someone they are meeting for the first time.

Networking helped me find a job at Heartbeat Ai. My skills were noticed, and they told me about an open vacancy that suited me. The interview focused heavily on soft skills, as the company is international, and all employees come from different ethnic and economic backgrounds. It was necessary to understand how to interact correctly with other employees and clients.

Challenges in the Profession

The main difficulty is intellectual work. IT specialists have to process a lot of information and constantly strain their brains, which is not easy. There are even jokes that all programmers watch silly TV shows after work to relax their brains and rest. Therefore, it is important to maintain a work-life balance.

Sedentary work significantly affects health. I recommend finding simple yoga asanas that you can do even at your workplace. It is important to take care of your body, as pain drains physical and mental strength.

Required Skills

Make new acquaintances. Professional networking can help you find a job.

You need to know how to praise yourself. Often, when applying for a job, you may be asked to provide a cover letter. In it, you need to explain why you should work in this particular company. Therefore, it is important to be able to present your thoughts clearly and explain to the recruiter that you are a good employee.