How to prepare for and succeed at a coding boot camp?

Halfway through a coding boot camp, I have heard a lot of questions about how to succeed in a coding boot camp, should one get a computer science degree instead of joining a coding boot camp, and so on. In this article, I am planning to share my journey and advice about how to prepare for and succeed at a coding boot camp. Whether you are about to begin your new career or pondering if it is the right move. I hope you will find these takeaways from my experience helpful

My background

In 2020, I graduated from university with a BBA degree. At that time, I did not see marketing as my long-term career goal, although I have always found the knowledge I gained useful and helpful in different roles. Meanwhile, my classmates started their internships and applied for jobs. I felt completely left behind. As I continued to doubt my own passion, I began to worry about what my future held. You may know an old saying “if you do something you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life”. However, figuring out what it is you would love to do can sometimes feel like the hardest job of all.

And then, I took a gap year…..

During my studies at university, I took a few design courses and contributed to school projects. Thus graphic design sparked my interest at that time. Between 2020 and 2022, I began the journey of becoming an illustrator and motion designer. For me, design serves the purpose of solving problems with an attractive visual form. However, it still lacks logical thinking, which is one of my strong points. Therefore, I began looking for career paths that aligned with my goals, and I found front-end development. To be sure of the decision, I talked with an experienced developer friend and received his encouragement. My next step was to enroll in online courses, research the required skills, and practice basic coding on FreeCodeCamp. It has become clear to me that being a developer with design skills will enable me to exert greater control over my work and provide more value to the company or client I work for. I, therefore, decided to switch to front-end development.

How did I prepare for the boot camp?

For those who are considering attending a coding boot camp, I recommend that you do the pre-work. There are a lot of free resources for teaching you the basics of programming, making it very appealing to those who are new to the subject. In addition, it’s a test to see if programming is right for you. Many boot camps offer pre-study materials that you can use before the course starts. Youtube videos and Udemy courses are also options. Below are some learning resources you may find useful:

HTML & CSS:

• Udemy course by Jonas Schmedtmann — Build real-world responsive websites with HTML and CSS https://www.udemy.com/course/design-and-develop-a-killer-website-with-html5-and-css3/
• Freecodecamp — responsive web design with HTML/CSS https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/responsive-web-design/
• Kevin Powell — CSS focus: https://www.youtube.com/kepowob
• Coursera course by University of Michigan — Introduction to HTML5 https://www.coursera.org/learn/html
• Coursera course by University of Michigan — Introduction to CSS3 https://www.coursera.org/learn/introcss

JavaScript:

• Udemy course by Colt Steele & Stephen Grider, The Modern Javascript Bootcamp Course https://www.udemy.com/course/javascript-beginners-complete-tutorial/

How to manage your time effectively through the boot camp?

During the boot camp, your schedule will determine your progress and results. Be sure to research different boot camps and determine their pace. Is it a full-time or part-time program? To succeed at Technigo boot camp, we must spend at least 25 hours per week. We have team meetings, as well as live teaching sessions during the week.

Coding bootcamps can be intensive and require patience to complete all the weekly assignments and learn new concepts. In order to keep up with progress, it is necessary to spend 6–8 hours per day. During the first month of the boot camp, I felt exhausted, overwhelmed, and frustrated. The schedule was so packed that I did not know when to take a break. Thanks to a team meeting at Technigo, a fellow student suggested using the Pomodoro Technique and making a daily to-do list to manage our time more efficiently.

Below are a few tips I would love to share:

• Study time can be efficiently managed with the Pomodoro technique: https://pomofocus.io
• If possible, study in a library or coffee shop. The environment will improve your concentration.
• Keep in mind that you do not know everything, especially in the tech world. Learning how to google your question is therefore more important than ever.
• Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to read everything at once. Make sure you incorporate theory into practice.
• Take a break, spend time with your loved ones, exercise, and so on.

Build your portfolio

In the midst of writing this article, I am on my way to graduation in 1,5 months and am amazed at how much I have learned. We all started with no knowledge of coding or with very basic standards. By now, we have developed games, mobile applications, and functional websites by utilizing JavaScript, Redux, React Native, etc. For inspiration, you can visit my portfolio

What should a front-end developer have in their portfolio?

• Provide a brief description of your relevant skills, education, work experience, and how you can contribute to a company or client
• As a front-end developer, you will probably be designing websites. Thus, polishing your portfolio visual can help you standout
• Show 3–4 projects you are most proud of. It could be your school projects, freelance projects, etc
• Add social media accounts and contact details

In retrospect

Overall, the boot camp was an amazing experience and I was fortunate enough to meet a lot of kind people. I’m so glad about my decision and excited about the opportunity to continue my career after graduation. For those of you who have found the motivation to switch to front-end development, congratulations! Remember that coding is a lifelong process. Your motivation to engage in it is the key. Thanks for reading, I hope you found this article useful. Up next, I’ll talk about the impact of good design on web development. Stay tuned!

For those who want to check out some of the work I’ve done, click here or stay in touch on LinkedIn.