How I Landed a Full-Time Developer Role Only 14 Days after My Coding Bootcamp

Transitioning from a 3-month coding bootcamp to employed software engineer in just two weeks took relentless drive and strategic focus. I leveraged insider data, customized applications, technical fluency, and negotiation tactics to accomplish this accelerated timeline.

The Intensive Learning Experience

The full stack web development program I enrolled in is known as one of the most rigorous out there. The acceptance rate is under 10%, and they focus heavily on simulated "real world" environments. Out of an original 60 students in my cohort, only 12 of us made it to graduation day.

By the numbers, the scope of content covered is impressive:

• 1,200+ hours of lectures, demos, labs & project time
• 5 major coding languages/platforms – JavaScript, React, Node.js, Database Theory, Computer Science Foundations
• 9 individual projects plus a capstone app w/ full custom backend
• Weekly 12-15 page technical design docs requiring approval

I was putting in 90+ hour weeks between class time, assignments, and independent study. My brain felt fully saturated. The volume forced me to learn rapid prototyping and problem diagnosis out of necessity.

The most challenging aspects stemmed from the unstructured nature of building applications. I had to learn to manage ambiguity and avoid getting paralyzed by too many potential directions forward. Staying motivated through significant bugs and workflow issues took concerted mental effort.

The intensive curriculum covered far more than I could have studied independently in months of prep work.

By graduation, my comfort navigating complex React component hierarchies and debugging backend database calls increased exponentially. I had also discovered specific areas of focus that energized me, like front end application UI design. I was hungry to apply these new skills professionally as soon as possible.

Treating the Job Hunt Like a Full-time Job

I knew I needed to capitalize on the momentum I had built up during those intense months. Many bootcamp grads fail to prioritize their job search, and it takes them over twice as long to get hired compared to CS majors according to CourseReport‘s latest data:

I was determined not to let myself drift into that zone of sending out a few half-hearted applications. Instead I got rigorous with structure:

• Mandatory working hours from 9am – 6pm, Monday through Friday
• Daily metrics tracking through [Gainsight Pulse] for # of reached out connections, applied openings, interview requests
• Reading 1 self-improvement book per week (highly recommend The War of Art and So Good They Can‘t Ignore You)
• Subscription to Engineer Career Edge podcast and tactical email newsletter

I knew that putting in 40-50 hours each week would deliver better results than a sporadic day here and there. The more processes I could systemize as well, the better use I could make of time instead of repeating manual research efforts.

Customizing Every Job Application for Target Companies

Blanket blasting impersonal copy-paste applications online felt like wasting an opportunity to stand out from the start. Early on I identified around 20 companies I was particularly interested in by:

1. Industry/problem spaces intriguing to me
2. Technologies/stacks relevant to my desired growth
3. Values alignment based on blog posts by engineers

I made a tracker to follow when specific companies had previously hired bootcamp grads or interns through blog links like:

• [From English Major to Bootcamp Grad to Junior Developer]
• [Our Newest Intern Built Our React Native Mobile App]

Then I could reference past cases explicitly in my emails and assert why I believed I would thrive in that environment as much as previous hires with non-traditional backgrounds.

Here‘s an example customized paragraph I might include in an application to startup Astronomia focused on space analytics technology:

I was able to speak directly to elements of the company mission I connected with and where I believed my competencies matched needs based on roles they hired for in the past few months. This level of personalization took more effort but delivered dramatically better results in capture recruiters‘ interest.

Diligently Tracking Job Data

Hunting effectively required an organized system to track applications submitted. I used an Airtable database with columns for:

• Company Name
• Date Applied
• Opening Title
• Contact Info
• Stage (Initial Screening, Technical Interview, Final Round)
• Interview Feedback Notes
• Overall Status

Keeping all records in one place optimized follow-up emails for any opportunities I had not heard back on after 1-2 weeks. I frequently referenced target companies mentioned in my initial outreach.

I tagged those I wanted to loop back every 30-60 days about potential future positions if they arose. Occasionally I would return from archive batches and uncover a newly opened junior engineering role just posted to AngelList that very day – perfect timing for rediscovery.

Optimizing My LinkedIn Presence

As a coding bootcamp grad without a CS degree, I needed to creatively convey relevant skills & capabilities on LinkedIn beyond academic credentials.

I adjusted my headline to explicitly state "Junior Full-Stack Web Developer". This allowed me to pop up in recruiter searches explicitly looking to fill junior-level tech openings.

Rather than just listing the bootcamp name as my latest education, I created a multi-section breakdown of details on curriculum topics covered, specialized electives completed in areas like machine learning and cybersecurity, key project demo videos, and additional certifications I had earned independently online.

This section spanned nearly the full page scroll height to emphatically showcase the depth of content I immersed myself in. I wanted to eliminate any gap assumptions since a diploma title alone leaves much unsaid.

Evaluating Company Culture Fit

I actively avoided chasing positions at companies known for intense algorithm and CS theory interviews without sufficient context. As a career changer diving headfirst into development, my energy was better spent identifying environments that offered strong mentorship and ability to learn on the job.

Smaller startups that valued skills like adaptability, tenacity in resolving unfamiliar issues, and rapid iteration aligned well. Those playing mainly to candidates with high GPA comp sci degrees from elite universities did not.

I qualitatively evaluated employers on key criteria like:

• Leadership Transparency
• DEI Commitments
• Work-Life Balance
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Commitment to Testing and Quality Processes
• Engineering Leverage and Impact Range

Discussion of my priorities during final round interviews signaled strong mutual alignment with the startup I ultimately joined. I asked targeted questions about the code review process, typical mentor ratios for junior hires, portal access to revenue metrics, and examples of leadership soliciting feedback.

The responses demonstrated a workplace culture valuing growth, accountability, and empowered engineers. I knew I would have supportive soil there to quickly gain full steam.

Showcasing Adaptability with New Technologies

A number of prospective employers asked for code samples or technical assessments built with specific frameworks and libraries central to their stacks but less familiar to me. Rather than saying I lacked experience in React Native or Flask, I made use of the weekend to work through tutorials and start building a prototype app I could submit as supplemental evidence.

While the end products contained bugs and plenty of room for optimization with deeper knowledge, I delivered something runnable showcasing core understanding of concepts like state management and decorator usage. I knew I could ramp up swiftishly dedicating more time to whatever tools might get my foot in the door. Discussing my learning process for these during interviews rather than avoiding them entirely better conveyed adaptability.

Portfolio Projects Elevate Candidacy

My bootcamp curriculum and supplemental self-learning efforts resulted in over 2 dozen projects I could reference to articulate skills. For each one, I prepared talking points about goals, major obstacles overcome, and key learnings.

Rather than briefly gloss through, I gave interviewers detailed walkthroughs of my reasoning behind certain design decisions. Being able to pull up a live deployed project and ground conversation in tangible work rather than just hypotheticals meaningfully strengthened my candidacy.

I embedded some images below showcasing components of these projects:

Full stack weather application with dynamic charting of forecast data

Mock ecommerce site showing shopping cart and Stripe payments integration

I talked through specifics like handling asynchronicity with promises for weather API data and forfeiting certain ideal state management options to meet aggressive timelines. As applicable, I even referenced underlying commit history in code repositories.

My goal was to provide evidence of competency applicable to business context beyond summarizing resume bullet points listing technologies. Content and conversation were king – not glossy CSS flourishes.

Apply Early, Apply Often, Don‘t Assume Anything

Echoing oft quoted advice that "until you have a ring, you‘re not engaged," I continued regular applications, networking conversations, and interviews right up until my written offer letter was signed.

A former mentor gave me perspective: most companies he engaged with interviewed at least 5 candidates for any given role before deciding. Practice through volume improved my performance and confidence.

On two occasions, I advanced well through rounds of promising opportunities before unexpectedly being passed over for another finalist. Resisting temptation to assume I had it locked down before contracts were inked protected me from roller coaster emotional swings.

Continued visibility in applicant tracking systems also kept my name top of mind for recruiters thinking of me for other openings later. Planting seeds broadly allowed me to harvest bounty more swiftly once fully cultivated.

Negotiate Unapologetically

When it came time to negotiate salary and benefits, I did so starting from an anchored, informed stance. Based on data gathered through my job search, relationships with alumni from my bootcamp now working as developers, and websites like Glassdoor, I set initial expected salary 25% above the average for comparable roles.

I built my script focused on value I would contribute rather than framing it around personal financial needs. Walking through an NPV estimate projecting investment required to acquire an equivalently skilled candidate from another talent pipeline strengthened my position substantially. Detailing domain expertise transferrable from past experiences compounded the competitive differentiation further.

Ultimately I secured base compensation 22% above original offer amount along with expanded health benefits. The paperwork binding everything reflected an economic persuasion of win-win value rooted not in emotion but projected capability. Juggling multiple offers simultaneously provides powerful leverage.

Key Takeaways

Looking back, five essential pillars enabled my rapid transition from drained coding bootcamp graduate to fully employed junior developer:

Specificity – Researching target companies to uniquely appeal through shared values
Consistency – Structured hours and metrics tracking for job search productivity
Fluency – Portfolio and metrics to exhibit competencies fluently
Adaptability – Displaying initiative ramping up new technologies quickly
Selectivity – Evaluating cultural fit and continued pursuit until offer signed

The intensity of balancing networking conversations, takehome challenges, technical interviews, negotiations and more exceeded the heights of my bootcamp intensity.

But envisioning that the finish line was just within sight and maintaining a steadfast disciplined pace propelled me through this season swiftly on to the next exciting frontier ahead. I‘m happy to connect with anyone who would like to dive deeper into specifics or could use a pep-talk through their demanding job hunt trenches!

Onward.