Finding a Job After Coding Bootcamp
- All You Need to Know
See also: Finding a Job
Coding bootcamps are intensive training courses that teach students coding and tech skills. Various institutions provide coding bootcamps, from independent technology schools to traditional universities. But one of the most popular choices for students is online coding bootcamps.
Once you have completed a coding bootcamp course and gained certification, you will be proficient in a variety of programming languages and frameworks, which could include CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Python Django, PHP stacks, Ruby and Rails, and many more.
Having skills in such things will enable you to pursue a lucrative career in coding or related fields. But how exactly do you go about finding a job after you have successfully completed boot camp? Well, the following guide will help you get started.
Use the Bootcamp’s Resources and Career Support Services
Many coding bootcamp courses include career support for graduates. Depending on the course you choose, you may be able to get help with internships or job placements.
You should also be able to access resources regarding career services and job searches. In fact, because many coding bootcamps offer services for career support to graduates, the employment rate for people who have completed coding bootcamps is very high.
Many coding bootcamp providers partner with companies and have existing networks in place to help graduates land jobs at tech companies. So, the first thing to do after coding bootcamp is to use the available resources and assistance to help you find a job.
Do an Internship or Apprenticeship
Whether you access bootcamp career resources and services or not, it can be a good idea to do an internship or apprenticeship after graduation. Many high-profile tech companies are open to coding bootcamp grads, which means you could work in the heart of the industry to gain valuable experience.
Furthermore, you could potentially be hired by the company after you have completed your internship or apprenticeship.
Determine What Area You Want to Work in
There is a broad range of jobs available to coding bootcamp graduates, including positions like computer programmer, web developer, computer engineer, data scientist, and quality assurance analyst.
So, spend some time determining which areas you would enjoy working in the most. You can then concentrate on applying for the jobs that you are most interested in.
Create a Professional Online Portfolio to Accompany Your CV
To find a job after completing a bootcamp, unlike many other jobs, you will need much more than just your CV. Your CV should be accompanied by a website that includes your portfolio.
Your portfolio will be the thing that is of the most interest to prospective employers. Therefore, you need to showcase your very best work in your online portfolio.
You will need to demonstrate your skills and professionalism. Alongside examples of your work, you should include a short biography, relevant social media links, and contact information.
As for the projects that you showcase in your portfolio, they should ideally be deployed with documented source code. Furthermore, while it can be tempting to include projects you completed at coding bootcamp, remember that other graduates will be doing the same thing.
Therefore, you should include other projects, in addition to some of your bootcamp projects, that help to make your portfolio stand out from the crowd.
It is important to know that not all projects you showcase have to be full-stack web apps. In fact, they do not even necessarily have to be useful or serious. You simply need to demonstrate your coding skills and show what you are capable of doing.
It is best to have fun building projects that you include in your portfolio because when you complete projects that you are passionate about, you can better figure out what you need to do to build them and be proud to share them.
Practice Your Skills for a Technical Interview
You should prepare yourself for job interviews in the way that you would for any job interview, but you also need to practice your programming skills for the technical part of the interview.
You will almost certainly need to perform a practical demonstration during a tech job interview, so you need to ensure you complete it proficiently.
The main environments you could be asked to program in during a technical interview are a timed online environment, a shared online IDE, a text editor on your own laptop, and a physical whiteboard.
You should practice for each of these scenarios, and if you find one area especially challenging, spend most of your time practising it.
Ways to Find Jobs
Finding a job after you have completed coding bootcamp will not be too different to finding other types of jobs. You can look through online job boards and focus on job sites that specialise in tech jobs. But you should also be proactive in your search. Therefore, you should:
Effectively use professional social media sites like LinkedIn to showcase yourself and your skills to potential employers.
Attend networking events for your industry so you can make contacts and hand out your CV.
Make a shortlist of tech companies that you have a genuine interest in working for and approach them directly.
Become a Freelancer
You also have the opportunity to become a freelancer or set up your own business. There are multiple freelance sites online that can help you make contacts and get your first jobs.
As you build up your list of clients and gain experience, you can expand the methods you use to find clients, such as setting up a professional website that is SEO optimised, writing a blog with high-value content, and using social media channels to promote your services.
You can approach potential clients, and also let clients come to you.
Further Reading from Skills You Need
The Skills You Need Guide to Getting a Job
Develop the skills you need to get that job.
This eBook is essential reading for potential job-seekers. Not only does it cover identifying your skills but also the mechanics of applying for a job, writing a CV or resume and attending interviews.
Final Thoughts
Once you have graduated from coding bootcamp, you will be in a good position to pursue your dream tech job. And by adopting the above suggestions, you will be able to get started in your chosen career more easily.
It can take time and hard work to land your ideal job, but that hard work will eventually pay off.
About the Author
Cristina Par is a content specialist with a passion for writing articles that bridge the gap between brands and their audiences. She believes that high-quality content plus the right link building strategies can turn the tables for businesses small and large.