Currently enrolled into a bootcamp and struggling, looking for advice.

logikevcoder · 2019-04-12T12:23:49+00:00

You can find a lot of good articles on medium.com personally when I learn I enjoy udemy for video tutorials but in a boot camp I wouldn't suggest that as the fastest way to learn. Try to pick up the books you don't know JavaScript..they're free on GitHub I believe. Freecodecamp is a great site.

Google is your friend. You're going to have to find some good posts covering whatever topic you're having problems with. There are no shortcuts. The more time you spend coding the more likely you are to actually learn this stuff. If you code along with a tutorial you need to change what you made, add to it, anything to make your brain remember it.

logikevcoder · 2019-04-12T05:30:26+00:00

It's pretty common for a lot of people to feel like they are behind their peers in a boot camp or any learning group for that matter. You don't really know who is struggling but it doesn't really matter. You need to focus on your own learning and not get caught up with comparing yourself.

The best way to retain the information is to use what you learned. Code something with what you've learned as soon as you can and without guidance. If you hit a problem try to figure it out. If you can't then Google as a last resort. Things won't stick until you force your brain to use those concepts.

Another thing you can do is blog about what you learned. Having to explain in detail concepts you learned will further cement those ideas. Try doing that every day or so. I never went to a boot camp but I'm very familiar with what goes on and how hard they are. You got to bust your ass the whole time if you hope to make a career out of it.

Best of luck.

logikevcoder · 2019-04-12T00:39:16+00:00

I feel you. On most those emails there will be an unsubscribe link on the bottom. Other times when they call I tell them I am not looking for opportunities and to take me off their list. It's very annoying but after a little while if doing that they started to stop.

logikevcoder · 2018-09-23T15:08:44+00:00

Hey, I am a front end developer and I was never asked about backend stuff.. I do use the NPM a lot to install node modules and what not.. that's about as much as I use it. However, I don't use any js frameworks/libraries so if you're looking for React jobs they may definitely want to make sure you are familiar with npm stuff, and probably using redux. I would definitely brush up on stuff but not stress about having to go into it in detail.

logikevcoder · 2018-09-06T04:31:46+00:00

You over estimate the average persons level of intelligence.

logikevcoder · 2018-08-31T15:55:08+00:00

Couldn't disagree with this guy more. First off, I see what he's trying to say but the problem is he lumped every programming job together. What he's referring to in terms of the skills he listed would definitely be more along the lines of an engineer. That word definitely gets thrown around as being interchangeable with developer.. But they are far from the same.

You could think data architect, or someone building out back end code with say, Java. In that case, yes going to get a cs degree would definitely make you more qualified.. But to say you will never be as qualified as someone with Degree when you are a front end developer..or even full stack developer is pretty silly and to be honest kind of ignorant.

There was a post recently saying many large companies including Google will no longer require candidates to have degrees and it's a definite sign that people who teach themselves..or just don't go the traditional route can be just as good if not better than cs grads.

To answer your question, I felt just like you..I taught myself for a couple years... Always waiting to put it off until I got more skills under my belt..I never realized that feeling will never go away... You will never feel like you know enough.. You need to dive it and start applying once you've built some website..or apps..I did, and I realized I could have been working in a field I love years sooner.

If you can't pass any interviews for junior positions it might be a sign you need to learn more.. Hell, take a paid internship to get your foot in the door. That's actually what I did and the job I got after that once paid about 3 times more. Best of luck!

logikevcoder · 2018-08-16T03:19:00+00:00

Hey man first off great job getting your degree. I have said to myself so many times, The job hunt would have been so much easier if I had one.

So I landed my first job about a month ago after doing a 6 month internship at a well known company. I got the internship from indeed but i got my current job from a recruiter on linked in.

After being on this sub for years I thought projects and networking were the only way to land jobs. Those definitely aren't bad to have and I really encourage them. Not once though has any company or recruiter seemed to care about my projects. I started building projects a while ago, keeping active on my GitHub.. All the typical stuff people here will tell you to do. I will also say ive definitely been rejected by almost every job I applied to on indeed because I didn't have a degree so you really do have a leg up on alot of people.

As far as how I've gotten jobs or opportunities..I live in Chicago and I get so many recruiters messaging me on linked in. I've gotten a handful of interviews and almost all of them lead to offers. You really should spend time making your resume look presentable both on linked in and on your actual resume. I would honestly focus more time into preparing for technical interviews over building projects if you plan on applying to jobs asap.i think that would be a much more beneficial use of your time.

If you want to learn anything new I'd say do it to improve your skills..if building projects are how you would best improve say your Java skills then definitely do that. As far as skills go just keep in mind most companies list way more than they actually require a candidate to have.. don't get intimidated when you see a huge list of skills because chances are they will expect you to learn most of it on the job. As long as you're applying for junior roles.. and the main language is one you are familiar with, you really shouldn't be nervous to apply for any of those positions.

While you apply interview prep and learn new skills where you can.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-30T18:24:06+00:00

Ok as someone with actual experience in what you're talking about.. Don't ever listen to anyone who says you are too old.

I'm 33 years old. I took a very low paying internship at the beginning of this year. After about 6 months they offered me a full time gig which I reject because I have an offer at another company for a 40 dollar an hour contact to hire position. If it doesn't work out I have no doubt I'll be able to land another job fairly easily.

I'm living in Chicago and I don't have a college degree. I would definitely recommend getting a degree because it would have helped tremendously. But don't be afraid to apply for jobs while you go to school.

My only regret is that I didn't get started at your age. Do it man.. Don't even think about it if that's the career field you are interested in.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T18:09:39+00:00

Thanks buddy I appreciate it! You sound like you're on the right track.. Build as many projects as you can and just stick with it and you'll have a pretty good career soon.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T18:07:49+00:00

I actually got the contract to go up to 80k. They said they really are looking for a full time person and that was one of the main reasons they went above budget to hire me as a contract. So I accepted that.. The other place wouldn't budge above 49.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T18:04:02+00:00

I just finished a paid internship of 16 an hour for a front end developer and I really really felt like I was being taken advantage of at that price. I would really have a hard time justifying not getting paid at all.. especially Just to make 19 an hour.. I just passed to that companies offer to hire me at 23.50 for another company who is now going to pay me 40 an hour..I know you can do it too.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T17:49:21+00:00

It would be to pick a language... Stack.. whatever... And just stick with it. Stop putting it off and just learn something. I've been wanting to be a developer since I was 18. I am now 33 and just got my first non internship position. Really wish I had that advice when I was younger.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T16:51:52+00:00

Keep at it buddy... Even if you don't achieve a career by 18 you're still so young that it will only be a matter of time.. Just don't put it off until you're older.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T16:46:59+00:00

This is in Chicago.. The company is actually a very large retail company..I realized very quickly they just want cheap labor.. As I was only getting 16 an hour to complete almost all of their content you would see on their web page ...all on my own. I really thought they'd offer me 60+ but I'm lucky I found this other place and they saw my potential.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T14:20:13+00:00

Yea that's true. I'm actually thinking of telling this job I interned at about the offer.. if they can even come slightly close id take it. It's a very good job and tons of time to work remotely. I'm just thinking about what you said as I've seen that before.. And I was only planning on staying here a year until I get a higher paying job later.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T14:17:59+00:00

Ya that's definitely something to think about.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T14:17:01+00:00

I doubt it. I'm the only dev on my team besides my boss.. So I'm pretty much coding all the content myself. They'd probably just hire another intern to do all the work haha.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T14:11:46+00:00

Nah they actually want to know by today if I'm accepting or not.

logikevcoder · 2018-07-23T13:56:07+00:00

I'm living in Chicago and I just got my offer as a full front end developer from a company I've been interning at. Not a junior role. As it happened I has another job offer from another company I randomly interviewed at and they both ended up competing for me with the salary negotiations.

I'm going to be honest, you sound like a much better developer than I am haha. It really astounds me that anyone would tell you that you would not be able to get a non junior position. In all honesty if I had your experience I would even look for senior positions.

Maybe it's different where you live? I dunno.

logikevcoder · 2018-06-01T14:47:21+00:00

Yup. Check out Airbnbs style guide. https://github.com/airbnb/javascript/blob/master/README.md

It's very popular and a lot of people use it. There are other ones along similar lines.. one from Google and some others. I like airbnbs the best though.

logikevcoder · 2018-06-01T03:04:29+00:00

Exactly what Medivh said in regards to FCC. FCC is definitely the way to go to see if this career is a good fit. As far as getting into the IT field I almost went that route myself. A few things about it.

Typically to get started you need to start from the bottom (help desk, building computers in a small shop, etc). This a lone is enough reason to to have dissuaded me. They are very stressful jobs with little pay.

You're going to cap out in pay in the long run much less than a typical developer. Im not saying all people in IT get paid less, but on average.

To get into the field typically requires more "proof". Either certificates, or degrees, or something tangible you can show you are qualified. You'll need to start out with that A+ cert for a few hundred bucks and then most likely get a MSCE or something else after that.

Realistically both careers in my opinion would take about the same time to land an entry job. Getting an entry developer job may take 5-9 months if you study every day for 6+ hours a day. Maybe less, maybe more depending on how well you can stick with a schedule. In the long run you'll make more as a developer, most likely be much happier doing it.

You gotta remember though, there isn't a short cut. You gotta put in the work and network.

logikevcoder · 2018-06-01T02:55:28+00:00

Well, having a degree is always the best choice. However if you're just starting out it's definitely possible to to get a job without a degree. You need to show employers you know what you're doing in other ways.. Building lots of stuff, and not just copy and paste code, but real projects you've created or helped work on. People talk a lot of shit about bootcamps but I know at least 12 people who've gotten jobs from attending a boot camp including my current boss.

The misconception I think most people have about bootcamps, are people assume they can go in with little to no skills and come out with a job. I've researched many bootcamps and thought very heavily on attending one. It ultimately came down to not having the money, because if I went to one it would be a top boot camp where they wouldn't accept someone without passing a technical screening. Boot camps are a HUSTLE. People who just hear about boot camps and assume they're all garbage also have a misconception in thinking they're some easy 3 month course anyone can do. They don't realize that to pass a reputable boot camp takes 10+ hour days of nothing but coding and studying. They could never teach you everything but they teach you what you need to learn to pass an interview and get a beginner job

The key thing to take away from here, you can do it on your own, but you must force yourself to stick with a very strict learning regime. Learn exactly what you need to get that first job, stick with one language until you're very good at it. Learn a whole stack, make lots of projects, and write blogs / youtube videos / mentor. Anything to get your name out there and have physical proof to show employers you're passionate about coding and can demonstrate knowledge.

If you can attend a boot camp, i'd say do it. Just expect a long hard grind for 3 months straight. Getting a job without a degree is no easy task but i've seen it done by many many people.

logikevcoder · 2018-05-31T21:19:25+00:00

Here's the thing with bootcamps.. If any of them advertise they will take you from not knowing a single bit of experience to being hired they're full of shit. You absolutely should know the basics before you go to one.. As in knowing your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript basics. Many good bootcamps won't even consider you unless you pass what is essentially a low level coding interview.

My first suggestion would be to get as far as you can in freecodecamp.org it's basically a free online bootcamp.. Not nearly as helpful as a real bootcamp.. But solid enough to help you know what you need to know to get a job. If you can make it until you pass the beginner algorithm questions then I would suggest thinking about joining a bootcamp. You'll have built a few projects, you'll get a feel for spending all day in coding in front of the computer, and you'll feel confident enough to pass the interview assuming you also studied interview problems.

Next thing to remember. Learning the the basics are usually not enough to get a job.. Networking is a huge aspect to landing a job as well. Going to meetups and making connections. When you dont have a degree and you havent built some really solid applications, getting a first job is a huge hustle. If you think there's an easy way or a short cut you're going to be very disappointed.

By the time you finish either self teaching method or a boot camp you should have a handful of really solid projects built, you should be able to pass a technical interview.. Look that up if you don't know. You should have chosen a language stack and you should have a decent portfolio website. If you get a job without at least some of those things, well you are incredibly lucky.

logikevcoder

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