Meet Our Review Sweepstakes Winner: Jen of Careerist

Jen, a graduate of Careerist’s QA testing bootcamp wrote a Verified review of his bootcamp experience and won our latest sweepstakes competition! Over 1,500 tech bootcamp graduates wrote a Verified review for their school on Course Report and went into the draw to win a $500 Amazon gift card! We caught up with Jen to hear about her bootcamp experience!

Want to win $500 in our next Reviews Sweepstakes? Write a Verified review of your coding bootcamp experience – we’ll pick the next winner on December 31st, 2023!

When did you graduate from Careerist?

I wrapped up my coursework with the Careerist program on July 28th, 2023. In about a week, I'll be finishing up my external skill-building internship and head out into the job market!

What inspired you to enroll at Careerist?

I was looking to make a career pivot into the tech field for a while, but I was at a loss at where to start. Could I afford it? How long would it take? Could I balance it without quitting my current job? I responded to a promotional invitation to a webinar about Careerist’s Software Manual QA program, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

I was able to complete the entire program with only a minimal impact on my non-work life. The strongest selling point that put the most value in the program for me is the "getting hired" support. The career counseling, resume writing, and LinkedIn profile optimization included with the program is by itself worth the price of admission. I might have been able to teach myself the skills without Careerist, but Careerist puts me where I need to be to actually land the job. 

How difficult was the Careerist application process?

The application process was extremely easy. The only snag for me was waiting to see if the financial partner Careerist used for financing the course could work with my above-average credit score. Once the financial approval came through, everything came together really quickly. If you were coming to the program with a nest egg to invest in your future, it would be even smoother (and save you a lot of money) to get started. I didn't need any coding skill or special experience to start, just basic working knowledge of using computers, the internet, and smartphones. 

Where do you work now? 

When I started the program, I was working in Customer Experience at a small online retailer and felt like there was nowhere for my career to grow. Even if a position became available in my department, I wasn't even sure I wanted to stay in Customer Service at all.

When a colleague close to me was laid off for department budget cuts, I decided it was time to pull the trigger on my career pivot. It turned out to be a really great decision because as business needs continued to take cuts over the next four months, I was eventually laid off from my job the same day my external internship at Careerist began. 

What is your advice to someone considering Careerist?

The best advice I can give anyone who is considering a bootcamp or tech training program is that there is no better time to start than today. Don't wait because your current position is "comfortable" or you like the people you work with. Don't wait because you don't know if you want to spend the money. The best person to invest in you, is you!

The only thing I might want someone to know about the Careerist QA program is that the time commitment for the training is way easier to balance than I expected it to be. You don't have to wait for a slow time of year. I was able to keep up with family and a heavy workload at my regular job (pre-layoff) over this summer with no problem. 

Congrats, Jen! Want a chance to win the next sweepstakes? Write a verified review of your coding bootcamp experience!