Hear from several former bootcamp graduates about what they’ve learned after going through the job search process themselves!
Take full advantage of any career services offered
“I will shout out recruiting at Galvanize for getting me the reference to the job I ended up taking at Interact. Obviously you enter a program hoping that their placement services are gonna be up to par, and Michelle, who was the Career Services Manager at the time, really took her time to ask what my interests were and refer me to places that were aligned to my interests and my personality. When you’re able to find that, then you’re that much more likely to get the job.”
–Luis, Galvanize
Start the application process as soon as possible
“The only reason I had the courage to start applying for those jobs is that our career counselor said to work on your resume early, apply to jobs early. it wasn’t my own idea … Those of us who were really proactive about that got hired early.”
–David, Galvanize
“By the time I had even presented my final project, our resumes, sample cover letters, and nearly everything else was set and ready for us to apply thanks to the amazing instructors who taught us best!”
–Courtney, Prime Digital Academy
Keep in contact with people you met through the program
“I spent many days and weekends applying to jobs through the typical online job vendors and websites, where I sent in resumes, cover letters, and what seemed like an endless stream of applications to job listings that fit my skill set, but luckily I found my current job opportunity through someone I met during my Demo Day (graduation presentation) at NSS.”
–Conner, Nashville Software School
Continue learning and practicing skills during the job search
“That time [job hunting] was spent taking Udemy courses on the coding interview process or problem solving on HackerRank.”
–Toni, Skill Distillery
Look into companies who’ve hired other alumni
“There were some Galvanize alumni who came in and spoke to the class, and they kept a list of everyone who’d come and spoken and where they worked. So part of my job search was I just went to that list and started looking at the companies and going to see if those companies had jobs available.”
–David, Galvanize
Keep detailed records of your applications
“They had a sort of career coach/guide at GA, and I worked with him to try to monitor all of the applications that I had sent out. I had an Excel spreadsheet where I knew exactly who I sent an application to, what kind of application it was, and did I include a cover letter, so it was really really detailed for every single job … I don’t think I ever in the past had monitored my applications as much as I did now, but I think moving forward I’ll always do that … It keeps track of all your progress, and for me, I’m able to calculate how many applications go out and when I get an interview, so I can kind of calculate how many I need to send.”
–Christine, General Assembly
Consider working as a fellow, mentor, or TA for your program, if available…
“My story was a little different because I stayed on with Codesmith as a fellow. So it was an easier transition because I still had some stability from gaining those skills and working with Codesmith, and then I had time to do the job search while I was with them. I didn’t actually get full-time employment until I think about five or six months after I finished the program, but it was a pretty easy process. Once I was done with the fellowship, I had a job lined up.”
–Matthew, Codesmith
“A couple months after I graduated, Wyncode had the opportunity to do an all-women bootcamp called CareerSource — they got funding to be able to create this bootcamp that would teach women from underserved areas to learn how to code. So they asked me to manage that program, and I was very happy to do it because I know how it feels to be a woman trying to break into a male-dominated industry. Then you have family, you have other responsibilities that you have to consider, so I was like definitely, I want to do that. I did that for about three months, and after that I went back to Wyncode through their Wyntalent program, where they help you get placed at jobs. I was able to find a job right after that program.”
–Natalie, Wyncode
…And don’t shy away from reaching out proactively and asking about opportunities, if you’re interested
“Towards the end of the bootcamp, I realized: it’s been a great experience, and I wanna continue in any way, shape, or form. So I told that to the PM at the time, and I was like ‘hey, if you ever need any help in anything, TA or something else, I’d love to apply. I’d love to give back.’”
–Juan, Ironhack
Always be ready to network, even outside of industry events
“A chance encounter at my local dog park resulted in a lead that turned into the best job I’ve ever had with a company I am extremely proud to work for. As they say, always be networking; you never know who you will meet out there!”
–Joshua, General Assembly
Are you a bootcamp graduate who's been through the job search process? Share your own insights in the comments below!
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