Musings of a Bootcamp Grad — 6 Month Mark
When researching coding bootcamps and deciding which one(s) to apply to, there is a lot of information. You hear about the job placement rate for each school, the cost, payment options, and so much more. You hear a lot about needing to be dedicated, disciplined, and resilient to be a good fit and be able to make it to graduation.
What I didn’t hear a ton of information on what the job search process and what that looks like. Yes, some schools lay out the framework in advance, but there are many items I wish I had known more about at the beginning. I am now at the 6 month point of the “official” job search after graduation. Here are a number of topics I wish I knew more about and was better prepared for. Many of these topics will have an overlap as the job search for a coding/software engineer/tech job is pretty intertwined.
Time
Unless you have a direct “in” with a company (such as a current employer who will be hiring you into a SE position after bootcamp completion), the job search can take a considerable amount of time. Some companies have a lengthy application and interview process. When the tech job market is moving fast, it can take a while (and a lot of applications, networking, etc) to get an employer who contacts you for a first interview, especially as a new grad.
The other piece of the time factor is the amount of time you need to devote every week to the job search process. This is something I did not expect to need quite as much time as it did. Networking, applications, blog post writing, learning, working on projects, keeping your Github green — these take just as much time as the bootcamp learning hours and sometimes more. Don’t get to graduation and think you will have more free time. It definitely takes weeks to get into a routine and find a flow that works for you in maintaining all of the tasks needed for the job search. Just when you get into a flow is also about the time you realize you might need to change up your strategy and the process of figuring out a new flow starts again.
Money
One of the themes I started seeing in bootcamp grad posts after I graduated was money. Many suggested you should have 6–10+ months of expenses saved. This was just for the job search process. When you add that to the months of bootcamp itself and the money others have suggested you have saved so you can focus on learning, that is quite a chunk of money to be saved before starting bootcamp. Many who enroll in a bootcamp are doing so to escape from low paying jobs and be able to have enough income to create a way to have savings, so this is something to think about.
While it is possible to work and do a bootcamp (and then the job search), it really can be a struggle. This goes back to time. Whatever a bootcamp says you need for time each week to complete learning, I would definitely suggest adding on some extra hours to your plan. There will be weeks where you struggle more than others and will need that time to stay on track. If you also happen to work in a job where there are seasons you are required to work extra hours and these happen to coincide with bootcamp and/or job search, it can be daunting. This is where the suggestion of having funds saved up comes in.
It is all doable without having any money saved in advance (I didn’t have anything saved for expenses and happen to work in two jobs that have very heavy seasons of work), but I encourage you to really think about all of the factors of this in your decision making process. It is doable, but be prepared for it to be an added struggle. You can do it and you can do it with a bit less stress if you have the knowledge in advance.
Support Network
Without rehashing the time and money points, be sure you have a support network — and a solid one. Don’t go this alone. You will need your support people not just for bootcamp time but for the job search. In a way, you may need it even more for the job search. Graduating gives you a feeling of being able to conquer the world, especially after the rollercoaster of the curriculum.
The job search can be a brand new rollercoaster. Most of us have been through a job search before, but the tech job search is a whole new beast. I thought I was prepared for the rollercoaster, but this is not the same as other jobs where you have a behavioral interview, resume, and references. You have to get in front of someone somehow, behavioral interview, tech interviews, team interviews, etc. You have to prove yourself in various ways that are beyond just being a good teammate.
Relocation
Many of the job opportunities I have come across require relocation. If you don’t live in a “tech town”, be prepared to consider relocating. There is a possibility of landing a remote job, but as a new grad, that is not the easiest route to aim for. Many of the internships and apprenticeships require relocation.
If you are in a position to be able to relocate, this makes your life easier. If you are not and/or you don’t live in a tech town, be prepared to need some extra time to find a job that is a good match for you.
Resume
While your resume is not your main (or only) tool for job search, don’t downplay the importance of having a good resume. When I first started working with my career coach and working through the initial steps of getting set up for the job search, getting a tech resume was one of the first things in the list.
My coach told me not to worry too much about my resume as that was not what will get me a job. He said to use the template the school provided and just fill it in as it was and not to worry about making changes or personalizing. He told me to have X number of bullet points for certain items, and that was the end of it.
After recent conversations with other grads who have landed jobs, the consensus is while a resume isn’t the most important thing to getting a job, if you manage to get on a list of applicants to look at, if you don’t have a strong resume, you aren’t going to proceed. So put some time and effort into your resume and get feedback from others (not just your career coach).
Feedback
Get feedback on everything. Resumes, projects, interviews, everything. Get feedback from everyone. Career coach, bootcamp grads, interviewers, peers, software engineers, anyone and everyone.
Github/Projects/Learning
We all took this journey in part because of the forever learning that we get to do. We know and want to learn new technologies, methods, skills, and just everything. In the job search process, it is important to be able to show that you are continuously learning.
Reading books and various other activities are learning and incredibly valuable overall, but be sure you have a way to show this. Many employers only look at Github and/or other repositories to see that you are actively learning and engaged in your passion. It is difficult to show learning if there isn’t a visual such as a repository to show you are active. Learning takes time and keeping repositories active takes a lot of time.
Networking
Networking is probably one of the most critical items in getting a job. There are many ways you can network. Local tech meetups can be valuable. The downside is that if you don’t live in a tech town, this might not be the best option. Networking takes a large chunk of time and you need to prepare to devote resources to this. Networking requires a lot of trial and error. Use the resources which have templates on how to write an introduction to someone on LinkedIn and other various networking contacts and avenues.
I will say it again — networking takes a lot of time each and every week.
Bootcamp vs Computer Science Degree
Not having a computer science degree may/may not be a hurdle in your job search. Many employers are very open to hiring bootcamp grads. I learned last week that the tech employers where I live hire new SE’s almost exclusively from the 4 year program in town. They do not even look at other applicants who are at entry level. This explains a piece of my struggles in the job search rollercoaster.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of things I wish I had known a long time ago. These things may have made various stages of my tech journey easier or at least less stressful. I may have not second guessed myself so much. As an applicant who has SE adjacent experience, I thought I had a leg up on the process, but knowing what I know now, I have a much different perspective.
While I understand much of the focus of my writings today seem a bit gloomy, that is very much not the intent. I am merely trying to gather a set of items that would have changed my entire outlook on the process. I still would have taken this journey, but with a different mindset and better preparation.
If you are thinking about stepping into a journey to become a software engineer, you should do it. Just do your research and due diligence. Read as many posts from other students and grads as you can. Gather all of the information you can and use it to make good decisions.
