No risk, no return, goes the adage, however there are strategies to reduce your risk when moving careers and pursuing the developer position you’ve always wanted. Each phase of the process should take these 8 key points into account.
Step 1 — Which bootcamp should I choose?
It’s a matter of your career: There are numerous coding bootcamps that guarantee employment following graduation, but what kind of position do you desire? You might want to think about enrolling in a front-end technologies-focused program if you want to create engaging and dynamic websites for startups. You might want to think about enrolling in a program that teaches object-oriented programming languages like Java and JavaScript if you’re searching for a job that will let you create program from scratch.
Your time is valuable: Learning in a big group might be enjoyable, but you should be sure you are paying for quality teaching rather than just a hip location with a bar. If the program is full-time, it’s critical to understand how much time is spent on guided tasks versus face-to-face instruction. Working on a project alone for hours could cost you more money than you realise.
Test it out to make sure: Test it out to decide how much time (and money) you want to invest in learning new skills. You can walk about and take a drive with learning to code because the cost of a bootcamp is equal to the deposit on a home or the cost of a brand-new 2014 Honda. Many free websites exist that will let you experiment. Were you okay with a few times running into the wall? Can you spend hours thinking about one issue? You might then be prepared for step 2.
Step 2 — How do I ace the application?
Your backdrop, please: When you have thoroughly addressed the three aforementioned points, you are prepared to explain to the admissions representative why you chose their institution over all others. A school that has procedures in place to ensure that you are not wasting your time (or money) is searching for eager students rather than the quantity of seats in the classroom.
Read the preparation material : You might need to watch videos on the programming language they teach for a quick assessment, or you could need more tutorials and coding experience. Make sure you have the time to devote to the process by reading the instructions.
Step 3 — How do I start off on the right foot?
Review your life: Part of this was done in “Step 1,” but now is the time to make the necessary preparations. Will a pet sitter be required? Do you have a plan for getting to and from the educational facility? By taking care of all the “life things” before you start, you may create your routine and success strategy at the ideal time.
Complete the pre-work: Many schools will require about a week’s worth of exercises and projects that will help get everyone in class to the same baseline. Setting up your computer and pinging the instructor or TA to make sure all of your work is good to go is a great way to get on the right path.
Your attitude is everything: Get excited! You have decided to brave down the path less traveled. Having a positive attitude about yourself and remembering WHY you want to be a developer makes the struggle worth it.
