Pre-Dojo:
- Worked in Sales & Digital Marketing
- Was forced into a career change due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Self-taught a little coding, but needed structure and guidance to make a career of it
After Dojo:
- Works as a Full Stack Software Developer at MyEtherWallet
- Has newfound confidence, as well as communication and collaboration skills
- Dreams of building a foundation and legacy my family can lean on
Program: Three Full Stack Full-Time Bootcamp
Testimonial:
I loved the overall concept of building out projects and giving us the ability to learn how to become resourceful and sufficient.
Tell us a little about yourself. Age, hobbies, passions, and what you were doing (professionally) before the bootcamp?
I’m 32 years old and I enjoy spending time with family, reading, going out to the city, eating food, playing basketball, working out, and sometimes I do a bit of music.
My background was in sales & digital marketing from 2017 up until the start of the pandemic. When everything closed down, I decided to transition into a new industry and career.
Beyond the desire of learning to code, why did you decide to enroll in a coding bootcamp?
I think one of the biggest reasons why I joined a bootcamp was the structure and proper foundation I knew the bootcamp would provide. I tried self teaching for a bit, but realized I was running in circles, wasting time I didn’t have at this age.
What fears or doubts were “holding you back” from enrolling? How did you get over them?
My main fear was doing the full-time route. I questioned my ability to pick up the concepts at the fast pace and schedule. However, the way the bootcamp laid out the curriculum well and I built amazing relationships with some of the cohortmates I vibed with, which created a great environment for me to eventually learn.
What sealed the deal on Coding Dojo? Why did you choose us over other programs?
Being that my background was in sales & digital marketing, I definitely appreciated the retargeting and of course the system Coding Dojo had in place. But I’d say I loved the overall concept of building out projects and giving us the ability to learn how to become resourceful and sufficient.
What was it like getting ready for the bootcamp? Were you nervous, excited, etc.? How did you prepare?
I was really excited because for a long time I’ve always wanted to learn how to code, as I enjoy the creative process of building out and solving problems. So I was definitely looking forward to it.
Walk us through your first few weeks in the program. What were the parts you liked? Parts you struggled with?
Prior to the bootcamp, I was freelancing and so my schedule was always here and there. But getting back to a more structured schedule was probably the most difficult. However, after the first week, I easily adjusted.
How did you overcome the obstacles or struggles you faced?
As I got a bit older I started to become more aware of myself and what my preferred studying and learning style was. Which is visual, plus actually doing the work. The one thing that saved me during bootcamp and helped me overcome the obstacles was that I’d do every project that was assigned in the curriculum 3-5 more times (if not more) to ensure I really understood the concepts after memorization.
Do you have any fun anecdotes to share about your time in the bootcamp? Make good friends? Fond memories?
The one thing I can never forget is being on Zoom with some of my cohortmates until about 1am working together and even just hanging out. That’s how close I got with them and we still keep in touch.
When your graduation date was approaching, how did you feel about your skills and job prospects?
I definitely felt my skills improved and the foundation was laid. However, I created a plan for myself to continue building right after graduation, and so I did. I wasn’t the best at algorithms, but I knew that if I put in 100+ percent into my projects and used everything I learned in the bootcamp, it was going to help me out.
How did the job hunt go? Where did you land a job?
The job hunt was pretty straight forward, I literally put my head down and just applied every single day in a scheduled manner. I basically treated it like I was still in bootcamp and from 9am – 2pm I’d apply everywhere from LinkedIn, Zip Recruiter, Indeed, and more… and ended up landing a job at MyEtherWallet, which is a software company.
Beyond the coding expertise, did the bootcamp give you anything else?
Talk about growth and getting comfortable being uncomfortable everyday. From 9am algo practice, to standup meetings and presentations, I’d say that growth in confidence, communication skills, and just overall understanding each individual’s strengths and utilizing it in a collaborative environment was the best skill I can ever learn.
What advice do you have for others who are interested in coding bootcamps or who are just starting one?
The best advice I can give to those who are interested and or just started is to remember that you get what you put in. Make sure to utilize as much of the resources Coding Dojo provides as possible, but most importantly execute on them. Build and break down projects, so you can articulate the architecture of your projects to the potential employer (this is where project presentations definitely helped).
What are your goals/dreams for the future, say 5 or 10 years from now?
My overall goal in life is to build a foundation and legacy my family can lean on. I believe software development was the missing piece to getting there. There are so many possibilities with the skills I’ve gained from the bootcamp, that I can have an idea 5 -10 years from now and build it from scratch 🙂
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If you are interested in learning how to code and upgrading your career, Coding Dojo bootcamp offers accelerated learning programs that can transform your life. We offer both part-time and full-time online courses, as well as onsite (post COVID-19) programs. We also offer financing options, scholarships, and other tuition assistance programs to help you with financial barriers.
If you want to invest in yourself and your future, there is no better time than the present! If you’re interested, use this link to schedule a 15-minute exploratory session with one of our Admissions representatives today.