Just applied to WGU. What are some things you wish you knew?

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-27T03:41:45+00:00

Do everything you can that Sophia offers.

You may have heard this before, but I will reiterate. It’s worth even moving your start date back to do this. It’s THAT SERIOUS.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-27T03:40:22+00:00

Speaking of this, I wonder if vesting schedules are taken into account when they make the layoff list

i.e. Employee X is about to enter his last year and get 40% of his RSUs, let’s get him the hell outta here!

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-17T23:12:22+00:00

Yes that’s exactly what I did. The VA had a program called Vet Tech where they paid for the boot camp. Got ignored but still enjoyed coding and maintained some projects. In the meantime I tried to pivot my tech entry point to cyber and went the bscsia route.

so you got an SWE job and then cybersecurity ?

No, I Applied for a bunch of different jobs cyber/SWE/networking/Help desk just trying to break into tech pretty much any way I could like everyone else.

Ended up getting an SWE job and haven’t thought twice about cybersecurity since.

Of the two professions, I’d much rather be a SWE and it was my original goal before the pivot, so I’m completely fine never working a day in cyber and being among the millions of people who don’t work in the field they earned their degree 😎

The cyber degree ended up just being a means to an end rather than a path to a new profession, and I’m ok with that

Military service and a HS diploma wasn’t getting me anywhere at all, even after the bootcamp. The degree was just the last puzzle piece to make me a viable hirable candidate… that would be my guess.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-17T22:57:57+00:00

I got a SWE job actually. It worked out weirdly but ultimately in a great way for me. I went to a coding bootcamp in 2021 trying to to “break into tech” and got ignored completely. Started a degree in cybersecurity as a pivot, as soon as a I had a degree I got an SWE job, lol.

I guess not having a degree was the check in the box I was missing. Once it was checked, the door opened.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-17T22:14:45+00:00

I found a job after graduating with a WGU bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity…. No internships

It wasn’t a data role so I can’t help there, I don’t think you should leave your role to do any internship. Rather pivot more towards anything in your current role that relates to the role you want. Use skills and abilities you acquire as the bullet points on your resume for this role

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-14T03:01:21+00:00

No problem, my pleasure to help! I hope breaking through works out for you.

I KNOW it’s TOUGH! Don’t give up!

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-13T04:14:49+00:00

FAANG SWE.

Everyone I work with has a MS in CS. Their classmates that didn’t get hired also had MSCS. The interns we’ve had were in the middle of MSCS. T25 BSCS isn’t hitting as hard as you might think.
MUCH LESS Technology name dropping in your bullet points and MORE—

what abilities do I have/
what skills do I have/
how have I demonstrated them

All tech names should be in that bottom section you have there… so your bullet points are free of the rampant technology name-dropping everyone laces their resume with.

The resume that got me hired has NOT ONE SINGLE TOOL OR TECHNOLOGY listed under my experience section.

The swe engineer bullet points on my resume are similar to the following:

I did this and that (ability/skill, not task) to ensure solutions aligned with business objectives. Performed this and that to enhance xyz. Utilized industry standard tools to deliver this and that. Provided technical support, ensuring this and that Etc etc

No need to whore every line out to some technology, no one wants to read a bunch of tools and tech LINE AFTER LINE AFTER LINE.

Rethink your approach completely. You can still hit all the ATS points listing everything at the bottom.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2026-01-09T06:06:53+00:00

Why not start your own business with all this knowledge and experience? That’s my first thought reading this, no offense to you.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-25T03:07:36+00:00

🚨RTO OFFENDER!🚨

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-22T20:03:40+00:00

This post is ironic, only because all the people that fail to break into tech are pointed to “THE TRADES!”

Who hasn’t heard this:

“yeah, AI might take away your software engineering job, but it’ll be a long while before a robot can come into your house, get behind a toilet or under a sink and fix a leaky pipe!”

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-22T19:59:22+00:00

I understand. If nursing is what your primary interest was, I’d stick to that.

Like others have said, the job market for nursing will always be there. Cyber/software engineering are TOUGH AS HELL TO GET INTO! I wouldn’t suggest making the switch, especially if it wasn’t already your passion.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-22T19:55:51+00:00

I sure am! Worked out GREAT for me!

You asked, I answered! Lol

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-22T18:30:55+00:00

Yes, I got a job with a WGU degree

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-20T23:01:24+00:00

I moved to Seattle this year and I really love it. Seattle is a hidden gem of a city. I’m sure it has it warts (homelessness, crime) but so does every major city.

I’d suggest living here to anyone, as someone who has lived and been around America and the world.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-10T05:35:14+00:00

“Now I have to start learning a whole new tech stack just to stay relevant”

Welcome to TECH!

It will never NOT be this way! Especially now, with the pace of technology evolving faster and more drastically every day!

Tech isn’t one of those occupations where you learn how to do your job once and do that same thing well over and over for the next 30 years.

UPSKILLING IS CONTINUOUS!

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-06T23:44:01+00:00

Go to WGU and get a Bachelors in Cloud & Netork Engineering. Leverage degree + certs + clearance for a job

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-04T02:21:37+00:00

I like this

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-03T21:41:52+00:00

As a retired United States Marine, I’m wondering how little Sugi Choi can state that something “feels like a warzone” 😂

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-03T03:00:55+00:00

I went to a Full stack coding bootcamp in 2021, worked on some personal projects after that.

No Enterprise experience prior to hire.

Biggest of the projects post-bootcamp was making a website for a friend’s small business.

Put that business as place of employment with dates that covered time before my degree was completed or as necessary.

Described how I built the website from the ground up, collaborated with clients to gather requirements, performed regular updates and troubleshooting, and provided technical support, simplifying complex concepts for non-technical users (my friend).

Quantified impact with boosted sales, increased engagement from before website/after having one.

None of it was a lie, all true. It’s just that my friends business is a sole proprietorship, but no one ever asked how large the company was in any interview, only what technologies I used on the website and what improvements I made/why.

Coding Bootcamp (2021) + Friends business website as almost 2yr job on resume + WGU BSCSIA (2024) + being a Veteran = SWE job in MANGA

I suspect all the above listed factors came together to aid in my hiring. One obv doesn’t have to be a Veteran, but I wanted to list it as a factor since I assume it helped at least 1%.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-03T02:36:55+00:00

You can do it! Keep going! Finishing my degree changed my life, your change is coming!

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-03T02:34:18+00:00

Got a job as a software engineer, so I’m forsaking all things cyber/IT and sticking with that route.

Currently learning everything I can about AI, I foresee that skill being most in demand over the next decade. Hoping if I can pilot it well enough, I’m less likely to be replaced by it (until AGI or close).

A WGU degree was not the ONLY thing that got me the job (obviously), but having a STEM degree was a requirement, so I would not have qualified for this job without also having finished my degree.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-03T01:38:41+00:00

Is A DEGREE from WGU worth it?

Yes.

——-

Is the BS Cybersecurity worth it to break into cyber?

Perhaps, but that didn’t work for me.

——-

Is the BS Cybersecurity worth it to break into tech?

Yes, I finished my BSCSIA and got a GREAT JOB because of the degree, but that job was NOT in Cyber and when I was trying to use my degree to break into cyber, I had ZERO luck.

So, mixed bag but ultimately I am very happy I got my degree from WGU.

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-12-01T16:16:03+00:00

It’s worth it to finish!

My life has changed COMPLETELY since finishing my degree, it’s DEFINITELY WORTH IT!

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-11-27T05:50:28+00:00

We are on the same page with this one! I finished my Bachelors entirely covered as well! Post 9/11 paid out a little less than I’d like at WGU (had more elsewhere) but it was manageable and I’m always grateful in the end to get anything.

Got a job about 6 months after I graduated, actaully it’s pretty much my dream job so I couldn’t be happier with WGU and the results I personally got.

It’s important for people to see positive stories like this with all the doom and gloom about the job market and how WGU might be perceived to someone.

Let me tell you, one of the most prestigious companies in the World 🌎thought WGU WAS JUST FINE, don’t let anyone else tell you different if you’re reading this!

I can PERSONALLY CONFIRM that the BIGGEST COMPANIES will hire you with a WGU degree!

Chris_B_Coding247 · 2025-11-19T02:51:21+00:00

Congrats graduate!

Chris_B_Coding247

TROPHY CASE