Everything That Coding Bootcamps Won’t Tell You

But We Will

Gregorio Rojas
Sabio Coding Bootcamp
5 min readSep 7, 2019

We wanted to jot down some very important facts that you should consider, that are not widely spoken about in the industry. This is not our first time doing this. We often cover this material in informational sessions or when we speak to large groups at conferences.

We do this because we are in this business to empower people through skills based training. It starts by educating everyone about their options.

Let’s start with the big one.

You Can Learn For Free

You may not need to go to a coding bootcamp at all. In fact, all this information is widely available online for free. You should definitely give it a try on your own or with friends. Why? Because it is Free.

However, if you do not get far, do not get discouraged.

If you do not understand this stuff on your own, do not get discouraged.

This stuff is hard and that is why you would consider going to a bootcamp. The important thing at this point is to not get discouraged. More on that below.

It Is Hard To Get A Job?

This subject requires context because the language we use to describe this process is all subjective. So is getting a job in tech hard? Yes it is.

Then how hard is it? Well, in what other industry can you go from zero to $60K , $70K or $80K in a matter of months? I do not know any that are not in the entertainment field such as acting, singing etc.. In some markets you can jump to the $100k range very easily.

By comparison then, getting a job in tech is easy but it is still really hard.

Many CS grads do not get jobs quickly. In fact, if you search at places like Quora or Reddit you will find people very much in despair about getting a job. So it is hard.

This happens for one simple reason: people are ill prepared for the interview process and the job market. Unfortunately, most people are simply not. This material fact has not changed in the past 20 years. I have been in the industry that long so I know first hand.

So if you want to make it as easy as possible, you need to prepare by having the best possible mentors and instructors that you can.

You need help from people who are experienced in software, training, mentoring, coaching and interviewing.

And you need receipts. You can find all our documented outcomes here.

You need an objective answer though so let me tell it to in terms of our actual performance. First, you need the data or else you are just making up numbers.

I know our data so I can speak to it with complete confidence.

The median time to employment start is about ~3–4 months after you finish your bootcamp with Sabio. So there are people that get to work much sooner and later than these numbers. Our data stops collecting information at month six.

So our outcomes of 80% for the given period stop measuring success at 6 months. If we reported on a longer time period it would be higher but there would still be a small percentage of people without work.

The Market is Flooded with Resumes

Yes, the market is flooded with resumes. I can tell you for a fact that it has been this way since 1999 so this is not a reason to not consider entering the field.

The problem the industry faces is finding qualified developers in that mountain of resumes. This problem has been exacerbated in part by the increased number of CS graduates and coding bootcamp graduates.

For the most part, degree granting programs have not improved and most bootcamps are run poorly. Hence, the

The hard part of this reality is that you have to stand out among the rest. Being just another resume is not going to cut it.

You have to stand out.

You Also Matter

No bootcamp can make all this happen for you. You have to do your part. Simple things like attendance to finishing tasks matter. Dedication of time matters.

No bootcamp in the country can guarantee that simple acceptance or attendance in their bootcamp will magically get you a job. If that were the case there would bootcamps with 100% placement everywhere.

Those do not exist.

So Why Go To a Bootcamp?

Regardless of skill level, if you get in the room with the right people you can accelerate your learning and skills dramatically.

That is going to translate into either getting a job sooner or getting a better job.

Which Bootcamp Is Legit?

You can find many other good questions at “The Definitive Guide to Selecting a Legitimate Coding Bootcamp

Why Go To Sabio

If you can find a bootcamp with more qualified staff and better historical performance. Go there. Let’s me tell you about my own experience:

  • I have been writing software for close to 20 years and mentoring developers almost just as long
  • I have worked with teams large and small, remote and otherwise
  • I have led teams of software developers
  • I have worked with developers from some of the largest companies you know:

Facebook

Amazon

Netflix

Google

Tesla

…and too many to list

  • Many of our students have gone on to work and excel at many of these same places
  • I have personally trained 1,000’s of developers
  • Sabio is the formalization of many of these efforts that is already 6 years old
  • Sabio has trained over 700 full time students in this time

Third Party Vetting

No other organization has the third party validation we have. Note, these are organizations that look for the best operators under a business model that is legal and non-predatory.

  • Approved by Sallie Mae to offer student Loans
  • Contract with the Department of Defense to train active service men and women
  • Approved by the State of CA to work with a number of VA Benefits
  • Curriculum Approved by the Federal Department of Education
  • TechHire partner, a National program sponsored out of Washington D.C.
  • Skills Fund Partner
  • Approval with the State of CA to operate

Do Not Get Discouraged

Look, this stuff is hard. But it does not mean you cannot do it. I have been in the industry long enough to see that there is a place for every skill level out there. If you put yourself in an environment that is both supportive and challenging under the direction of experienced people, you will succeed.

Our mentorship provides that and then some.

Image From https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/

If you have any other hard to answer questions, we would be happy to hear them.

Good Luck.

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