Thoughts on the Bootcamp Grad Job Search — 3 Month Mark
I graduated from my bootcamp course about 3 months ago now. I’ve been grinding away with the applications. I’ve received a few job interviews; most applications I just get back that they are moving on from me. It could be discouraging. I look at it as a game. You only need that 1 company to say yes. Each experience whether I get an interview or not gets me closer to landing that job. Sometimes, getting rejected can plaque you with questions like what can I do better or what more should I be doing?
I have read the experiences of other people, some say just keep building projects, some that you have to really just network your butt off, some that “oh just follow exactly this and you will get a job.” Truth be told, it’s probably a bit of everything those people have said. So far, what I have found more frustrating is reading some of the job descriptions for entry-level jobs because they feel as if they needed more vetting. For example, some positions stated as entry-level positions are requiring 5+ years of experience, having knowledge of multiple technologies, etc. Basically, it feels like running a while loop that has no terminating condition. An entry-level position is where you gain experience, but to get that position you need experience and the loop just starts again. Yet, I still apply for most of them, even though I may not know all those technologies or have as many years of experience because I still feel I can bring value. For example, yes I only know Ruby and JavaScript right now. However, I learned those languages in a couple of months. Moreover, I built full projects using them. Now, I’m taking the time to learn C# so I can work on the .NET framework. I’ve decided that I want to find my niche. When I read a job description, I think to myself, “Man, it seems I have to know so much about so many different things.” Trying to learn in breadth instead of depth, I know I will spread myself way too thin and end up not really learning. Instead, my plan is to see what language and frameworks I really enjoy coding with and then become an expert in it.
To any company, hiring manager, or recruiter reading this, take that deep dive on me. I would love to chat with you and show my passion for coding. Yes, I may not know something required for the position at that moment in time, but damned if I won’t know it after working on it for 2 months. The fact that I graduated from a 5-month bootcamp with good working knowledge in 2 separate languages, libraries, frameworks, and databases shows that I am a fast learner, dedicated, and someone a developing team would love to have because I’m highly motivated and have a willingness to learn. Sometimes that can get lost in just looking at a resume. Those soft skills are not always teachable; the hard skills — being a bootcamp graduate with no prior coding experience — well, those can clearly be learned. I understand that maybe companies don’t have time to do a deeper dive when they have hundreds of applicants, so it can be easier to just filter those that directly match what they are looking for. I guess I just wish there was a better process so that companies could look more to the person behind the resume and start there to see if they are a good fit.
I’ve seen plenty of bootcamp graduates get hired, so I know that companies do value us, so now it is up to me to showcase that to them. There are definitely days of frustration knowing you are not moving forward with a company in the interview process especially when you really wanted to work there, but I know the right opportunity is out there. I know that there are companies that will say “Hey, I think Kunal can be a great fit for us. He has the right attitude, eagerness to succeed, and he has shown the ability to learn & code. Let’s go interview him.” When they do coming knocking, I will show them that I am someone you will want to have on your team. And I’m truly living by the motto of “I just don’t know it, YET!” For now, I can only do my best to keep applying, keep learning, and keep coding.
Thanks for taking the time read and if you have anything you’re working on and want some help, please feel free to reach out. I would love to contribute in any way possible. It will give me experience, a chance to grow, and learn something more or new.
The Journey Continues!
