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Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

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Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

#1

Post by Throwawayh89 »

Hi folks,

About 8 years ago I got into tech sales. I was always a bit “nerdy” and interested in leveraging data/automation so a career in sales quickly transitioned into sales operations, but outside of some python and tad bit of SQL all my work has been on no code platforms (mostly Salesforce). The stuff that “real” engineers did seemed totally inaccessible to me, although that inaccessibility has diminished a little after observing the engineers at the startup I was working at.

That startup recently let me go in a round of layoffs. I saw it coming and dad been saving, so I’m entering unemployed with about 6-12 months of living expenses in the bank depending how deep into savings I dug. (Also have nobody depending on my salary as my wife just got a big promotion/raise).

Would it be a horrible idea to finally jump over the imaginary chasm I’ve built in my mind into the world of engineering and enroll in a coding bootcamp? I know in the best of times these programs were tenuous and full of questionable promises despite costing $10k+, what are they like now given the job market and impact of generative AI?

Thanks for the insight!

(For context, I’m 34 and based out of NYC. No kids.)

Re: Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

#2

Post by nusl »

I feel that the main value of bootcamps is the networking aspect, meeting folk that could help you get into the industry. So in that respect it’s hard to replicate from a fresh state. I would recommend that you try to learn a language on your own anyway, though, if you’re interested. Python is a good choice.

I’ll also say that programming is more a mindset than anything. Willingness to learn, try things, fail, and grow. Languages themselves are also tools more than things to dedicate your life to, so pick the one that works best for your problem if it makes sense. So in that respect the wall you mention is perhaps more one the media has built up.

Re: Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

#3

Post by sk11001 »

> I’m entering unemployed with about 6-12 months of living expenses in the bank depending how deep into savings I dug.

If the goal is to finish a bootcamp and land your first developer job in that timeframe, yes, it's a horrible idea with a very high probability of failure.

If you don't have expectations of landing a job and you can afford the time and money and you've picked a reputable bootcamp, then it's probably fine.

Re: Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

#4

Post by cyberpanther »

I used to teach at a boot camp and it can be really good if you choose the right one. In person full time showed the best results vs online and part time. You can do all the same learning on your own but the bootcamp accelerates the learning and a good one will also help you with a job with networking and interview prep.

Re: Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

#6

Post by thiago_fm »

I'd love to say, yes, but the market is really tough right now.

In your scenario, doing a BootCamp right now would be a gamble given that you might finish it and not find a job straight after, leaving you with either jumping back into sales (therefore, making it hard to find another dev job).

You could look into bootcamps that are cheaper/free, visit meetups, and try to network while looking for a new tech sales job.

Also, talk to your wife. If becoming a developer is a major goal for you in life, I'd take the gamble but consider doing something that might take a bit longer (+2/3 years) in a university, so you'd get back in tech as soon as the market hopefully would recover.

You could also try to aim for AI-related topics.

Re: Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

#9

Post by sebastianconcpt »

sk11001 wrote: post #3

> I’m entering unemployed with about 6-12 months of living expenses in the bank depending how deep into savings I dug. If the goal is to finish a bootcamp and land your first developer job in that timeframe, yes, it's a horrible idea with a very high probability of failure. If you don't have expectations of landing a job and you can afford the time and money and you've picked a reputable bootcamp, then it's probably…

Yes, this ^

Re: Ask HN: Would doing a coding bootcamp be a horrible idea?

#10

Post by janosdebugs »

I taught a coding bootcamp (one of the early ones in 2010-11) and I've met several people out of bootcamps. You are probably looking at several years of seriously hard learning and putting up with a significant setback in your career with very little in the way of using your existing skills. I would rather try to learn coding myself and move over gradually if I were you. You are not going to be anywhere near an expert in coding after one year if you start from scratch.
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