WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM A CODING BOOTCAMP AS TOLD BY A BOOTCAMP GRADUATE
Let’s face it: google searches are a part of life. A weird bump on your tongue, some suspicious leftovers, even meeting a new person can be a reason to check the web. But when it comes to multi-tab-inducing-browser-history-checking-bookmarked-purple-linking-re-visited search results, few things probably generate more confusion than the question… “Are coding bootcamps worth it?” As anyone who has landed a sweet job after a coding bootcamp will tell you, the answer is YES. So how can you make sure you land that job? You need to know what you are getting yourself into. In no particular order:
Art. Is there a little Leonardo in you, begging to come out? The coder is a craftsperson. She is like the noble shoemaker or blacksmith except lazier and she makes more money. Blessed are we to live in a day and age when we can sit in air conditioning and turn our thoughts into creations using tools built by computer science majors. A lot of the complicated math has been taken care of; you’ll use the better part of your brainpower to create “beautiful” visual designs and to plan every little logical detail of your web applications. For example, let’s say a back button needs to be clicked on a webpage (don’t try this at home). Hopefully someone had the foresight to build and store a list of visited pages, so that the web browser will know to return to the last item in that list.
Learning. Coding bootcamps are intense, like really intense. Monday – Thursday from 6-10 (with an optional office hour from 5-6) lets you get hours of face time with instructors and your peers. You get to know each other very well and form bonds you wouldn’t have otherwise. The Instructors have years of experience (learning, leading and teaching) while your peers are on the same mission as you to fulfill their potential in a coding career. Inventive Academy offers tons of in-class time with instructors and teaching assistants who are established software developers themselves. Be prepared to learn constantly and only think about coding for 6+ months.
Patience. If you’ve made it this far, that’s a good sign. Sometimes progress at your coding bootcamp will be swift, like when you build your first webpage at the end of the first week of Inventive Academy. Other times, however, coding will feel a lot like trying to figure out how long coffee lasts on the counter. Lots of google tabs, no working solution, enthusiasm level in jeopardy. In times like these you’ll have to ask yourself: Do I love being a craftsperson? Do I love learning? If you do, you will get through these times. The case is similar with the job hunt; yes, it can be daunting, but if you’re ready to put your ideas into practice, to rely on your own skills and not BS credentials (pun intended), and to live on the cutting edge of science and style, then you’ll continually become a better programmer and doors will eventually open.
