Finding Your Niche
When I was first coming up as a recruiter, I was constantly told that the only good engineer was an engineer who had a computer science degree. Bootcamp grads were great, but ultimately they lacked a lot of the fundamentals that computer science degree-holders possessed. Time and time again, I saw hiring managers turn down bootcamp grads (even bootcamp grads with many years of experience!) for this exact reason.
Admittedly, I bought into this myth until I had the opportunity to hire some incredibly talented women, most of whom learned their engineering skills from bootcamps. Not only did they possess the technical prowess (and were able to quickly fill in their knowledge gaps), they also were able to relate to their teams on both a personal and professional level. Given that many of them came from this sort of background, they quickly formed a support network with one another, and contributed to an all around wonderful atmosphere.
Fast forward a few years, I was in a new role working with an incredible team on a product I was incredibly passionate about. My company did not necessarily hire bootcamp grads right after graduation, but they had established a paid program in which they were able to learn from experts and potentially be offered a job post-program. I was so proud of this program, and would often brag to friends about how unique it was.
At the same time, the technology sector was entering a period of massive instability. Imagine my shock when, after a vacation, I was told that there simply wasn’t enough work to go around and my position had been made redundant. I spent the rest of the day in a sort of haze, messaging everyone I knew about other talent acquisition roles. My network immediately sprung into action, and I had multiple interviews lined up before the week was fully out.
Turns out many of these roles were eliminated, or someone else got hired, or the dreaded ghosting happened. I found myself getting angry with the industry, and fully understood what my friends meant when they said they got frustrated with the whole recruiting process. During this time I questioned my own skills as a talent acquisition professional and whether or not I had contributed to some of these unfortunate practices. All the while, a tiny voice I had managed to suppress spoke up: “you’ve always loved product management — why don’t you see if there are any bootcamps that cater specifically to that?”
After a deep Google dive, I came across one that was hosted through Columbia University. I spent a very long time worrying about the test they make everyone take prior to acceptance, and then called my loved ones to celebrate once I saw I had passed with flying colors. I went into the program with some trepidation, terrified that I would not be up to the challenge and that my impostor syndrome would be all too apparent.
Now almost three and a half months later, I am so happy that I decided to apply. Not only have I learned so much about product management, I’ve also developed some great relationships with the incredibly talented people in my cohort. The tutor my program provided has also become one of my mentors, and I know that I’ll be going to her for both career and life advice even after everything has wrapped up.
So, what are some of the main takeaways of joining a bootcamp?
You’re going to have to work hard. Like really, really, REALLY hard. I’ve spoken with many friends about this subject, and I realize that I unfairly dismissed their claims about said work in the past. On average, I would spend about twenty hours a week in class, doing readings, and completing our weekly assignments. This number probably gets even higher once you consider all the supplemental material the program provides, along with the career sessions hosted on a weekly basis. I was so impressed by my classmates who were working full time jobs on top of going to school — I could barely keep up with everything working a part-time role!
You’re going to be introduced to subjects that are going to test your capabilities, and likely infuriate you. I spent many hours crying on the phone to my best friend during SQL week as I felt like an utter failure. I fully believed that my technical recruitment background would allow me to coast through certain subjects but the more technical aspects often left me feeling lacking. In these times, it’s important to get the help that you need while also remembering your strengths. For every SQL course, there’s an empathy course that you are going to be great at.
Group projects can be frustrating. Part of my program included working in small groups with other cohort members to put together a project based on a relatively vague prompt, much like we would experience in the “real world.” As someone who thrives on collaboration and incorporating different perspectives into my work, I thought that this would be a breeze. Even though I was fortunate to work with people I really liked and who were fully on top of their contributions, I found myself getting irritated by small things. I had to quickly learn how to pivot these feelings and make sure that everyone was feeling fulfilled and getting the materials we needed on time. Our group ended up getting a perfect score for their efforts, but was not without its trials and tribulations.
Find. A. Tutor. My bootcamp provided a tutoring service to all students (and I was incredibly lucky in that my tutor turned out to be an absolute rockstar), although this does not seem to be a common practice. You’re moving at such a fast pace to cover so many different subjects that things are going to slip through the cracks. Find someone you trust who is an expert in the field who can offer you guidance when you feel like you’re falling behind or just want to bounce ideas off of.
Your program is going to be great, but it is not everything. Even though my program provided incredible resources, certain extenuating circumstances meant that I didn’t learn everything I needed in the time frame allotted. I also found that some of the job search advice could be a bit lacking. While the career coaches hired by a bootcamp can be great at helping you find a job, your network is going to be what helps you get that first foot in the door. Try to take some time to look around at the people you know, and see how they can best assist in your job search post-bootcamp.
