How To Find The Best Coding Bootcamp For You In 2020 - We Asked Experts
So you're thinking of signing up for a coding bootcamp...but where do you begin? To get some answers, we hosted two coding bootcamp experts - Mary and Erica - from Switchup, "The best resource for tech bootcamps", at a PowerToFly Lunch and Learn. Mary and Erica gave us six tips (plus, a few solid resources) on how to navigate the land of coding bootcamps.
If you simply want to know if bootcamps for beginners even exist, then check out our friends at Skillcrush (they really cater to women - we love them - and they hire candidates through PowerToFly). General Assembly (also a hiring partner on PowerToFly, Thinkful, Bloc and Flatiron School, have intro courses that you can take online.
Otherwise, keep reading to learn the following:
- How to get a job after a coding bootcamp is finished
- How to find a flexible or online bootcamp and organize your search
- How to pay for coding bootcamp - scholarships, deferred payments, ISAs...
- What basic knowledge do you need before entering a coding bootcamp
- How to analyze coding camp reviews
- When to apply
- Finally... a list of the best bootcamps for 2019 from Erica and Mary at Switchup.org
Will I get a job after I've spent all this time and money on a coding bootcamp? (I talk about scholarships and funding plans in the next item)
The bootcamp space is so competitive (and some programs are so confident that their curriculum matches what employers need) that they work to find you jobs after you've "graduated". Flatiron School, Career Foundry (they'll refund you if you don't get a job!) and Block (they claim a 97% hiring rate) are three coding bootcamps Erica and Mary pointed out as being supremely confident when it comes to students' career outcomes.
Erica and Mary did advise us to keep a close eye on the fine print around each programs. Some programs (like Career Foundry) guarantee placement within six months of graduating the program. Sometimes it's over a longer period, or even, a shorter one. It really depends. Some bootcamps even offer a full or partial refund if you don't get a job. Be aware that other bootcamps don't guarantee jobs, but they offer mentorship or extra career support to help you in your search.
The overall advice is to sign up for a bootcamp that does have somewhat of a guarantee for students to find a job. With a guarantee in place, you'll find that the entire curriculum is programmed and aligned with the results you need.
And of course, sign up for free on PowerToFly. We have over 18,000 jobs on our platform and a lot of them are super bootcamp grad friendly as well as remote, flexible, work-from-home opportunities.
How can I find a coding bootcamp that matches your needs: flexible schedule? Online courses? [There's a list below for you to search through]
Not everyone can throw themselves into a three-month immersive camp. Jobs, kids, long commutes might keep you from sitting down in an actual classroom. That's ok - there are a ton of flexible options on this list of Best Coding Bootcamps for 2019 that allows you to sort by flexibility and whether you can take courses remotely.
To keep yourself organized, build a spreadsheet to break down what you're looking for. Break it down by what's most important to you:
- Price
- Experience level needed (if you're a beginner then don't apply to intermediate courses!)
- Cost
- Time commitment
- Will the bootcamp help you get a job? (see above).
- Do they provide scholarships, deferred funding, ISAs (keep reading to learn about ISAs)?
How do I pay for coding bootcamp? Scholarship opportunities, deferred and ISA payments
Coding bootcamps can cost anywhere from $0 to $17,000 for a six month program. If you're looking to fund the later part of the cost scale, there are a ton of scholarship options out there, or you could enter a deferred payment plan with a coding bootcamp that's called an ISA (Income Share Agreement) where you pay back a portion of your income after you've gotten a job.
Scholarships: The first step is figuring out what kind of scholarship you could apply for since they range from merit scholarships to ones that are focused on LGBTQ candidates. There are also scholarships specific to the women in tech community that are listed here. Grace Hopper funds a number of scholarships too (btw, we wrote a guide to the Grace Hopper Conference, in case you're attending this year).
ISAs: According to Erica, "App Academy, for instance, has an ISA program where after you graduate from their program and you land a job that is $60,000 or more a year, you pay back 17% of your salary for two years."
How do I know if a coding bootcamp is any good? Read the reviews and job outcome reports
A report from CIRR, Council on Integrity in Results Reporting, that Switch.org uses to evaluate bootcamps.
The advice from Maria and Erica on this is pretty simple - check out their list that has reviews for the Best Coding Bootcamps for 2019.
You can also...
1. Ask bootcamps if they have a third party outcomes report to share with you. If they can't report on their success metrics then move on to the next bootcamp.
2. Look at the CIRR website to get a larger collection on bootcamp hiring data.
3. Ask for reviews by posting the question on social platforms like - LinkedIn, Quora, Facebook.
What basic knowledge do I need to join a coding camp [+ tips on where to fill in the gaps]?
Not all coding camps start from the ground up. There are a number of camps out there that require you to have a certain level of understanding when it comes to coding. Not a problem! Mary and Erica suggest checking out intro to bootcamp programs like Flatiron School's free prep course. You can also brush up on your skills by taking single courses on sites like Coursera.
And some camps, like we mentioned at the beginning of this post, are made for people who are just starting out. Check out our friends at Skillcrush (they really cater to women - we love them - and they hire candidates through PowerToFly). General Assembly (also a hiring partner on PowerToFly, Thinkful and Bloc have intro courses that you can take online.
Is there a best time to apply to a coding bootcamp and its funding opportunities?
Yes, make sure you pay attention to whether the scholarship deadline is different than the general application deadline. More importantly, be sure that you can commit to the coding camp once it begins. Unlike applying to a university, coding bootcamps start very quickly after applications are accepted. So the best advice we have is to take the time before you apply to ensure you're going to be able to carve out the time needed to do well in your bootcamp of choice.
And... finally, the ultimate lists for the best Online Bootcamps for 2019
Lead Together: Behind the Scenes of Facebook's Women@ Leadership Day
Tatiana L. is a global client partner based in Miami.
Tatiana is part of the Women@ Facebook Resource Group and helped plan Women's Leadership Day, an annual global community summit. While the highly-anticipated event takes place over just one day, its massive impact is felt over the course of the entire year.
Amy W. is an operations lead based in London.
"Women's Leadership Day is more than an event. It's energy, and it's a movement," Amy W., an operations lead in London, says. "Moments like this can completely change the perception of women in technology."
From choosing the content and programming for the event to making it accessible for women around the globe, we went behind the scenes with seven members of the Women@ Facebook Resource Group to learn more about how women are empowered—and are empowering one another— in their career journeys at the Facebook company.
Behind the scenes with Women@
Amanda M., an internal recruiting manager based in Singapore, speaking onstage at 2019 Women@ Leadership Day in APAC.
"I've always been passionate about empowering women, but I didn't know how I could do it at work. My first Women@ experience changed how I felt at Facebook," Amanda M., an internal recruiting manager in Singapore, remembers. "From then on, I wanted to help other women feel heard, valued, and confident."
Planning the global event, which brings together women from more than 20 countries, calls for close collaboration across multiple teams, regions, and timezones. Members of Women@ also partner with other Facebook Resource Groups, such as the Pride@ Resource Group, Latin@ Facebook Resource Group, Desis@ Facebook Resource Group and Black@ Resource Group, to ensure all women at Facebook are represented and feel included.
Vivian V. is a program manager based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
"Across regions and communities, we each bring unique differences and powerful stories. When one of us moves forward, we have the opportunity to bring all of us forward," Vivian V., a program manager in the San Francisco Bay Area explains. "While planning the summit, we meet weekly to talk about what women in different regions are experiencing. From the event theme and content to planning speaker sessions and fine-tuning details, we each have items to own. Two months before the summit, we meet daily to share updates and make sure nothing slips through the cracks."
"Just like me, women in APAC look forward to Women's Leadership Day all year long," Amanda says. Planning something that's deeply meaningful to so many people can feel like a lot of pressure, but at the same time, it's uplifting. I appreciate that we have the opportunity to talk about our individual and shared challenges, and we map out ways we can build community while empowering leadership for women across the globe."
Empowering confidence, equality, and leadership through storytelling
Paris Z., a vertical strategy lead in Singapore, and Amanda M. collaborate with women across the globe to plan Women@ programming and events.
Women's Leadership Day encourages women to talk about challenges like experiencing imposter syndrome, breaking through barriers, and how to manage work/life flexibility. "Storytelling is a huge part of the event," Paris Z., a vertical strategy lead in Singapore, explains.
Vivian says, "I've been at Facebook for nearly two years and help plan these events, and honestly, I never really understood imposter syndrome before I got here. Working with the Women@ community and hearing from our speakers—who are talented, brilliant superstars—I've seen firsthand how it affects them too."
Michelle C. is a client partner based in London.
Michelle C., a client partner in London, says that the summit's speaker sessions, which feature people from inside and outside of Facebook, are a highlight of every event. "We had a speaker from Tel Aviv who talked about the importance of balance in her personal life and how she co-parents with her husband. She shared specific things she's done, like adding her husband to the WhatsApp chat groups for mothers she's in and reminding her daughter's school that her husband is also available when their child feels sick. Her message was that we'll never be equal in the workplace until we're equal at home, and it really struck a chord."
Paris says that in APAC, Eva Chen's talk about facing challenges amidst the coronavirus pandemic and how she's raising her daughter was a top-rated session because it was so relatable. "From talking about her daughter's love for dinosaurs—a "boy" thing—and raising kids to fully be themselves to opening up about what it was like to grow up with immigrant parents from China and Vietnam, Eva inspired us with her authenticity and openness. Her struggle to feel supported while working in fashion and tech, rather than medicine, is something a lot of people in APAC understand."
"Every woman has a unique story," Michelle says. "Hearing from others is inspiring, validating, and truly eye-opening. It reminds us that we're not alone."
A memorable and lasting impact
It's no surprise that with the tremendous amount of planning and careful consideration that goes into the summit, its full impact is impossible to measure.
"It meant so much to me when people shared such positive feedback about Women's Leadership Day," Paris says. "We heard that some attendees felt inspired for days and weeks."
Kira G. is an agency partner based in Berlin.
Kira G., an agency partner in Berlin, has witnessed how the summit's programming can inspire action, even helping people push past a career plateau. "We might reach a point in our careers when we think, "I can't do this anymore, I'm not moving forward'," she says. "Women's Leadership Day gives us fresh perspectives, shows us new approaches, and starts important conversations. This can unlock new paths for growth and help us move forward."
Impact is felt in other Facebook groups, communities, and across teams too, inspiring interest and allyship. Amanda explains, "I felt so proud when a male VP from the Sales team came to us after hearing about what people talked about at Women's Leadership Day. He told us he wanted to learn more because it's everyone's responsibility to be an ally."
Empowering the community throughout the year
While Amanda describes Women's Leadership Day as a "bump in energy and inspiration" and "an injection of adrenaline", Vivian says that the real magic is what happens afterwards—and takes place all year long.
"When we think about Women's Leadership Day, our focus is on making sure that the powerful messages we hear and experience serve us throughout the entire year. We ask ourselves questions like, "How can we sprinkle these themes into our programming throughout the month or quarter? How do these ideas fit with our Women@ initiatives?" Going through something awesome together is just the beginning. Our work takes place year-round and we're constantly building on it to do more."
Paris agrees: "There's no shortage of amazing stories from our Women@ community throughout the year. Women's Leadership Day is just one channel for those stories, and I love how it stays top of mind with people and empowers them to do more good. When we come together, we can do anything we dream of."
"We're building a sisterhood and a community," Tatiana beams. "It feels so good to know there's always someone there to support you."
Learn more about Facebook's Employee Resource Groups, including Women@ here.
