Read this before joining a coding bootcamp

What the best coding bootcamp students have in common

It has officially been a little over two years since I graduated from a coding bootcamp, and along the way, I have met a ton of developers from so many backgrounds. What I found most interesting are all the ways these developers are using programming as a medium to build apps and tools from their unique perspectives and previous careers. I also had the opportunity to work alongside some great instructors and work as a teaching assistant.

 Here is what I learned.

There is always a small group of students in every class who understood the material and made initial progress quicker than others. Most of these devs are dismissed as natural talents, but I knew there was more to their stories. I wanted to know what set these students apart? What were they doing that the rest of the developers weren't to prepare for becoming a programmer?

This curiosity sent me on a quest to understand what made some students so much more prepared for the journey ahead than others. I started talking to as many students as possible to hear their stories and gather some data about what set the top students apart.

From talking to and observing hundreds of students, I found that the very best students all had this one characteristic and a particular type of practical experience in their tool kit.

Personality

The most important characteristic all of the top students had was tenacity, regardless of their current skill level. They were all relentless in their quest to get better. No matter where they were currently, they were going to keep working to get better. They never took the time to question themselves or let imposter syndrome fully sink in. They kept moving, learning, and asking questions.

The practical experience

All the top developers also shared something much more tangible before joining the bootcamp. They had all built at least one project on their own that they were passionate about before starting the bootcamp. This practical and hands-on experience allowed them to understand how to debug their own code and Google their way out of being stuck. The experience of building a project taught them how to write logic using core programming constructs. This foundation allowed them to take what they learned in the bootcamp and connect the dots to their relevant experience of building applications.

If you are looking to join a bootcamp, my number one piece of advice is to start building some simple applications before you start the bootcamp. Once you have done a few tutorials and learned the basics of a programming language, try to build an application. The process of getting stuck, debugging your code, and ultimately fixing your problems will set you up for success in your journey to landing a job as a software engineer. Following a tutorial and building an application are different experiences, and this is a great way to test if you enjoy programming. Don't get stuck in doing tutorials over and over. You want to build apps. This may seem obvious, but you’ll be surprised how many people get this wrong.

Challenge

Try to build a full-stack to-do list application in the language and frameworks you will be learning at your coding bootcamp. If a to-do list app sounds boring, pick something small with the CRUD functions you want to build. The main point is to keep the scope small. Taking on a difficult project at this stage can be discouraging, so keep that in mind. Focus your efforts on reading some documentation, using Google, and watching parts of different tutorial videos. You want to avoid following an entire programming tutorial from start to finish! A rule of thumb is to leverage any free resource online.

Remember to Google like your life depended on it!

I hope that you found this article useful! If you have any questions about getting started or coding bootcamps, feel free to ask me anything on Twitter or comment below.