Professional Portfolio

Beginnings

My journey into the world of web development began shortly after I graduated from West Virginia University in 2015. Initially, I embarked on a job search, aiming to find a part-time position that would provide a stable foundation as I pursued my career aspirations. I landed a role as a front desk agent at a local hotel near my hometown which helped me support myself during this transitional period.

While working as a front desk agent, I had the opportunity to explore my interest in web development further. It was during this time that I undertook an internship as a press release writer for an online resource dedicated to workplace rights. This experience served as a catalyst, sparking my passion for web development and reinforcing my desire to transition into this dynamic field. I remember being tasked with small updates to the website while uploading press releases to certain pages. I wanted to learn and understand the workings of web development, so I started taking online courses to improve my front end development skills.

I vividly recall the application and interview process during which I applied to what felt like countless positions, each one a potential stepping stone toward my dream career. In 2016, my persistent efforts finally paid off when I received an offer from DealerOn. This opportunity marked the beginning of my professional journey in web development. Even though I had not been hired as one yet, I knew that I had what it took to become one.

Data Analysis

Once I was employed at DealerOn, Inc., I was assigned to my first project involving the audit and management of all the Homenet Inventory products (APIs). The audit consisted of 1,479 inventory products, and through my research, I canceled 185 of them. This specific audit successfully saved the company $66,000 annually. This audit, along with other circumstances, allowed the company to expand its workspace to another suite in the same office building where their headquarters was located. The company then decided to make me the primary agent for all deactivations of the websites that the company provided for dealers internationally. This role allowed me to help the company save more money through product cancellation and management within our content management system, as well as working with third-party product providers.

The Homenet product audit was assigned to me again at the beginning of 2019, resulting in another $20,000 saved annually. I was then asked to be a part of the massive data reconciliation audit for all the clientele's products and accounts during the company's migration to Salesforce. We initially used JIRA as the primary work management system. The Salesforce migration audit led to the company hiring two new members for the team I was helping to form, the Technology and Business Operations team. I assisted in training these new hires in their day-to-day tasks, as well as the deactivation of dealers' sites.

I was then taksed with the setup and implementation of the new knowledge base. For this project, I have designed cross-departmental templates for the creation of articles within the space. I also established the process for how an employee would request to create articles through the knowledge base. In addition, I conducted research on the Atlassian knowledge base platform, Confluence, and presented my findings to executives to assist in their decision on which system to use in the future. I created a company-wide questionnaire using Excel workbooks to collect data for the knowledge base creation and the migration of previously created articles. Leading up to the migration to Salesforce, I organized and conducted meetings with multiple departments within the company to advance the project towards completion.

Web Design

After the completion of this project, I applied to an opening in the Design department and was accepted to take on the role of web designer. This position has a generic title, but the work is primarily that of a front end web developer. This was where I wanted to be in my career and I was extremely happy to be given the opportunity.

Here's a glimpse into my role and achievements:

Debugging

Debugging Logo Icon

During my tenure as a web developer at DealerOn, a significant aspect of my daily responsibilities involved debugging code snippets applied to clients' websites. DealerOn hosts over a thousand websites for clients from diverse backgrounds, with the main selling point being the in-house CMS system. This system empowers dealers to independently edit their websites if they possess coding knowledge. Alternatively, for those without coding expertise, an option existed to submit website edit requests to the Design team. These requests varied in complexity, ranging from quick, simple edits to more time-intensive tasks. Initially, my role focused on handling swift edits, but as I progressed as a web developer, I took on more challenging work requests. Eventually, I assumed a hybrid role as a developer on both the Support and Solutions teams, addressing a spectrum of requests such as Javascript edits, custom page creations, and sitewide custom code edits.

Debugging Logo Icon

Responsive Design

I had the opportunity to leverage my design skills through custom page creation and content migration tasks. Custom page creation involved fulfilling requests for both clientele and original equipment manufacturers (car brands). This aspect of my role was particularly fulfilling as it granted me the freedom to craft diverse and responsive pages for various websites. Similarly, content migration requests allowed for creative expression, albeit within the framework of specific DealerOn brand page guidelines. These guidelines ensured a consistent brand identity while facilitating the transfer of content from the client's previous website provider. To bring these concepts to life, I utilized a range of front-end tools, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Bootstrap 3, showcasing my proficiency in both legacy and contemporary versions of Bootstrap.

Iconography

DealerOn Logo Image

I undertook the responsibility of conceptualizing and crafting iconography for the DealerOn icon library, a pivotal contribution to the company's visual identity. Through meticulous design and attention to detail, I added multiple icons to the repository, each thoughtfully curated to align seamlessly with the brand's aesthetic and functionality. Notably, these icons continue to serve a functional and aesthetic purpose, as they are actively deployed across numerous websites within DealerOn's extensive clientele base. The enduring utilization of these icons underscores their enduring relevance and effectiveness in enhancing the user experience across the diverse digital platforms of the company's expansive customer network.

DealerOn Logo Image
Stellantis Logo Blue Background

Site Speed Testing

Stellantis Logo Blue Background

I undertook a comprehensive approach to enhance clients' online experiences by addressing various facets of their site performances. To start, I implemented significant improvements by meticulously compressing image sizes, ensuring that visual elements retained their quality while significantly reducing page load times. Additionally, I conducted a thorough analysis of the websites, identifying and eliminating unnecessary scripts and codes that were contributing to latency. By staying abreast of the latest technological advancements, I updated outdated classes and structures, ensuring the sites were not only swift but also technologically up-to-date. Moreover, recognizing the importance of client collaboration, I engaged directly with the clientele, providing tailored recommendations and guidance on optimizing their specific sites based on individual requirements and challenges. This personalized approach not only resulted in immediate speed enhancements but also empowered clients to proactively manage and maintain optimal website performance in the long run.

YouTube Playlist Project

DealerOn Logo Image

I voluntarily undertook research to address a common issue faced by clients regarding their websites. Many clients expressed a preference for incorporating multiple videos into their sites, often using iframes on various pages, including the homepage. However, this practice significantly impacted site loading speeds. To mitigate this, I developed a solution using HTML, CSS, and vanilla JavaScript. I created a YouTube playlist that utilizes a single iframe and dynamically swaps out video codes when transitioning between videos in the playlist. The implementation leverages the YouTube API for seamless integration. Taking it a step further, I integrated user-friendly inputs into the playlist, making it compatible with Content Management Systems (CMS). This enhancement allows clients to easily add or remove videos from the playlist, providing them with greater control over content. Currently, the project is in the prototyping stage. The link associated with the image in this section showcases what would be displayed in the CMS. For a more hands-on experience, I will provide a working draft below this section.

DealerOn Logo Image

Youtube Playlist Test

Playlist

    Conclusion

    This page offers a brief overview of my professional accomplishments during my tenure at DealerOn. It provides a glimpse into the highlights of my career achievements within the organization. For those curious about the personal projects I undertook during this period, a link to my Personal Projects page is provided below, offering a more in-depth exploration of these initiatives.

    Personal Projects

    Social Connections