Bootcamp Grad Applies for Jobs

So Many Jobs

• While at boot camp, of course I looked at all the job openings there were. I figured "Maybe I'll get lucky and find one that wants a new boot camp grad in my area". I browsed quite a bit, but I never applied. With the experience and knowledge I have now, these opportunities look different. They aren't just listings of qualifications, they are request and I possibly am their fulfillment needs! LinkedIn, Indeed have now become a playground for my interest.

So Many Jobs...a Reality Check

• After looking extensively to some of these positions, the company information, and their reviews, I saw one large trend: There was no "one to rule them all" type of way to get in. Some people got in because they contributed to open source, other got in because they knew the right person at the right time. I soon found out that I needed to do all the things, if not that, at least some of all the things. More important than anything else, it seemed I had to master the art of interviewing...not my forte. As I continued my insomnia ridden research rabbit hole (alliteration not on purpose), I discovered some interesting insights.

So...Not Just React Router or urls.py?

• Something I discovered about truly successful engineers, more than developers, is the X-factor that lives within them. I found that engineers see the code, the data, the flow of information differently. They see it with their mind, but also their instinctual curiosity and desire for understanding. I am still discovering this super power within me when it comes to certain aspects of each stack, but the world of engineering has come to my doors. As I found out about Docker, DevOps, Terraform, I realized that this is my dream come true. An area filled with headaches, a difficulty I cannot express in words, and an opportunity to never stop learning.

Well?

• I will continue to learn, and hopefully find my first developer/engineering role. Until then, I'll be smiling as I forget to capitalize one word which breaks my app. I'll go to bed frustrated that I didn't discover this world sooner, but I know it's better late than never. We all have that "person you want to be 5-years from now" persona within us. We just need to train it in the art of self-discovery.