How to Land a Tech Job in a Bear Job Market

Table of Contents

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• The Current Tech Job Market Landscape
• 3 Tips to Stand out in a Bear Job Market
• Launching a Tech Career Through Fullstack Academy

Breaking into tech has never been easy, but in today’s bear job market, it can feel especially daunting for new graduates. The good news? It’s still very possible to land a meaningful tech job – but you have to know how to stand out from the crowd. We sat down with Alisha Patterson, a Career Coach at Fullstack Academy, one of the longest-running bootcamp providers, to get her expert insights on how you can navigate this evolving landscape. From smart resume tactics to the power of networking, here’s how to land a job in 2025’s bear market.

The tech industry has seen some turbulent times over the last two years. Are employers still hiring bootcamp graduates from Fullstack Academy in 2025?

Fullstack Academy graduates are definitely getting hired in 2025. It's a dynamic job market, so everything is evolving, and AI is changing the landscape. At Fullstack Academy, we’re continuously evolving our bootcamps to specifically address those needs. Education in the traditional space is not able to change quickly, but in a bootcamp like Fullstack Academy, we need to be aware and adjust as we go to make sure that we're preparing learners to get jobs. For example, AI-powered resume optimization is a big thing that we've incorporated, contributing to some positive outcomes for our alumni.

The Current Tech Job Market Landscape

What does the current job market landscape look like for those getting into tech?

You'll hear people say AI is going to take everybody's job, but I don't think that's the truth. It's going to change what jobs look like and what employers are going to need, but it’s not going to take away jobs. AI can do things like write and code, but it still needs skilled humans to operate and correct it. Entry-level folks coming into tech who have a skillset in those technologies, plus the ability to be adaptable and to learn as they go, are going to be really important moving forward.

How is AI affecting the interview or job application process?

Companies have been using applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter out resumes that don't have the right keywords or experience. Now, they're incorporating AI into ATS, so they’re not only looking for keywords, but may also be looking for keyword saturation. I’m also starting to see AI enter the interview process. A few of my students have told me they’re going through interviews that are a bit more hands-off because AI is running them.

For how long are junior developers coming out of Fullstack Academy on the job search?

It’s taking our Fullstack Academy graduates an average of six months to land a job. Some students are getting jobs quickly, and I still have the occasional student who lands a job before graduating from the bootcamp. We also have folks who are taking longer than six months for a variety of reasons, such as targeting specific companies or working remotely. It depends on the person and how much time they have to invest in this process.

3 Tips to Stand out in a Bear Job Market

What are the top three ways a new technologist can stand out in today's tech job market?

My first tip is to avoid the "Quick Apply” button on third-party job websites like LinkedIn and Indeed. Yes, it seems like it makes your life easier, and at the end of the week, you can say you applied to a lot of jobs. That big number certainly feels like an accomplishment, but that “Quick Apply” button is what everybody else is doing! The way for your resume to stand out is to go to the careers page on a company’s website and apply through its portal. I also recommend creating and sending a tailored resume and cover letter for each job. This takes a little more time, and you may only send a few resumes, but these applications will stand out. Sometimes taking the extra step of applying through a company’s website gives a little more weight to your application. It shows that you're committed to that particular role at that company and you're excited about it. 

My second tip is to do some outreach to the companies you're applying to. As you're applying to a role at a company, see if there are folks on the team that you can connect with on LinkedIn. Let them know that you've submitted your application, and you would love to connect with them. If there's a specific company you're targeting, even if they don’t have open positions right now, start reaching out to some of the folks on the team and letting them know you're excited about the company and interested in any opportunities that might be coming down the pike. It's about connecting with people on the other side of the screen because there are so many people cold-applying for jobs. You're trying to be more than a name in a pile of names, and for them to see who you are as a person. 

My last recommendation is to focus on networking. Networking is a big part of standing out in this bear market — plugging away at job applications and doing nothing with the larger tech community will not help you. The idea is to become a real person to hiring managers. This could happen by going to meetups and tech events. I always tell students to contact their local Chamber of Commerce, which may be hosting a networking mixer. Remember, it's not just tech companies that hire tech professionals. Get out there, meet people, and start becoming somebody who people see and say, We want that person on our team!

What are the most in-demand skills for today’s entry-level tech roles?

You may think that it's a tech skill, but actually, soft skills or transferable skills are the most in-demand skills. Hiring managers are looking for things like problem-solving, adaptability, attention to detail, tenacity, and having initiative. All these skills may be things someone has gained from a previous job or career, and now they can help that person in their tech career.  Employers are looking for these soft skills because they understand that junior and entry-level folks don’t know everything. They are looking for people who have the base-level skill set and the ability to learn and grow.

What are the most common mistakes that job seekers make during either the job search or the interview process? 

Falling for the “Quick Apply” trap is the first common mistake. 

The second mistake is believing you need to have the perfect answer for every question that comes up in a job interview. I see this a lot when I’m helping students with interview prep, and I remind them that it’s highly likely, especially in a technical interview, that you will run into something you’re not sure about. Rather than saying “I don’t know” to the interviewer, I encourage my students to explain their problem-solving process. Show them how you get unstuck and the resources that you use, whether that’s Stack Overflow, Google, or reaching out to a mentor or teammate. An interviewer wants to know that you have a plan to move forward when you hit adversity. 

Is LinkedIn or GitHub more important for new developers launching a tech career?

For developers, both LinkedIn and GitHub are equally important. LinkedIn is important because it helps you present yourself to potential hiring managers. It allows you to tell the story of how you got into tech and where you want to go. All of that is really important to hiring managers. 

GitHub is important because hiring managers want to see what you can do. It's one thing to say that you know how to code, but it's another to have active projects in GitHub. HR folks and recruiters who may not know how to code will want to see that you are active in GitHub and have some README to look at. It shows you’re active, passionate, and working on your skills.

How can students stay motivated during a long job search, especially in this bear market right now?

Self-care is important. When we're in a job search, we think we need to be glued to our screens. I remind my students that it’s okay to take a walk, play video games, listen to music, or whatever it is that they do to decompress. Please keep doing that because it will help with staying motivated. 

At Fullstack Academy, you are in a community that is in this job search with you. There are also places of support you can connect with outside of Fullstack Academy, like meetups and events. It can be good to find others who can commiserate with you or have been in your position before and have since landed a job. They can share their tips with you. 

It’s also good to have some projects to work on, so you’re not just filling out job applications. With a project, you’re honing your skills. I tell my developer students that their first project outside of class should be a personal website to showcase their skills and personality. It could also be a website or app for a family member or a small business. Those projects can help you stay motivated because you're excited about them. It’s something you can put on your resume and talk about in an interview.

Launching a Tech Career Through Fullstack Academy

How is Fullstack Academy helping its bootcamp students and recent grads navigate this current tech job market?

We have a robust career success team made up of professional coaches, plus a ton of resources. Some of the resources are within a student’s learning platform, so they can access them anytime. We also have a platform with a job board, a job tracker, and a community board where bootcampers can interact with folks from other cohorts. On that platform, students can submit their resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles to get feedback from us. 

Students will have a career coach for one-on-one sessions, where we help them with the job search and prepare applications. I think it’s the most valuable resource because our students come from different backgrounds. We can meet each student where they are, understand their goals, give them a strategy to move forward, and help them when they hit a roadblock.

Find out more and read Fullstack Academy reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with Fullstack Academy.