You’ve graduated from a coding bootcamp, you know how to build a website from scratch, but you have no relevant work experience – how do you find a job? It may sound like the chicken and the egg problem, but as Fullstack Academy and Grace Hopper Program’s Head of Career Success Ceren Depree points out, you probably have more experience than you think. In this video tutorial, Ceren shows us how to make your LinkedIn profile, your resume, and your Github stand out to potential employers, even if you have never worked as a software developer before. Watch the video or read the summary below.
A lot of people focus on curriculum when selecting a coding bootcamp, but Ceren says that the strength of a bootcamp’s career development team is also important. To start a new career and find a job as a web developer, you need a concise resume, a descriptive LinkedIn, and a Github that shows your interests.
1. The Personal Summary
Personal summaries are somewhat new to LinkedIn, but so important! They give an employer insight to who you are. Tech skills are not all that matter; you also need to be a good culture fit.
Ceren recommends including three things in your personal summary:
PRO TIP: Avoid saying you are looking for a role where you can “learn and grow” in the personal summary. Instead, explain how an opportunity might match up with the mentorship you’re looking for: transparency, an open environment, pair programming, and working with developer tools.
2. Projects
PRO TIP: Point out your main contribution to each project, so employers can see exactly what you built.
3. Keywords
These include coding languages, and skills, and are important in both your LinkedIn and your resume. Most LinkedIn profiles and resumes are skimmed for about 6 seconds, so you need to have words that jump out to the viewer.
Since LinkedIn is a search engine site, it’s essential to have keywords in a number of areas:
Examples of keywords: JavaScript, HTML, SQL, databases, React, etc
Proof You Don’t Need Experience: Ceren says it’s not mandatory to have a background in tech. One Fullstack Academy graduate was an actor before coding bootcamp, and had no technical background. Today he is a developer at Amazon. He got the foundational tech skills he needed, studied for his interviews, and aced the interview process.
Your projects will be on Github, where employers can see your raw code.
Other ways to make your Github stand out:
Ceren says anyone can build their own LinkedIn, resume and Github, but the job interview process is really frustrating. The Careers Services team at a bootcamp like Fullstack Academy helps you with:
Find out more and read Fullstack Academy reviews on Course Report. Check out the Fullstack Academy and Grace Hopper Program websites.
Imogen is a writer and content producer who loves writing about technology and education. Her background is in journalism, writing for newspapers and news websites. She grew up in England, Dubai and New Zealand, and now lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Sabio instructor Zach walks us through how to learn JavaScript!
LearningFuze instructor Robert walks us through React Classes and Hooks!
Coding Temple CEO Evan Shy shares his predictions for tech jobs in 2023!
Intro to AI courses aimed at tech and non-tech professionals!
Find out how QA Testers could use AI in 2023!
5 greentech jobs you can land after a coding bootcamp!
Find out what makes up a processor and how they're used on the job!
Plus, how to learn Product Design at Flatiron School!
Plus, insights from former medical pros who made a career change into tech!
Learn how to set up your own data analytics environment!
Just tell us who you are and what you’re searching for, we’ll handle the rest.