The journey into a tech career is unique for everyone. Graduates come from a wide range of industries and career goals for each person are different. There is a place for everyone in this industry. Whether you want to work at a large corporation or the startup scene is more your style — there are a ton of opportunities to fit your professional dreams.
Many prospective students are concerned that a career in this industry isn’t possible for them — maybe they don’t have a lot of professional experience, they lack a college degree or perhaps it’s because they struggle with Imposter Syndrome. The reality, though, is that if you put in the hard work and are passionate about technology, you can absolutely find a career you’ll love. Just ask our alumni!
[Bonus read: Take Their Word for It: Grand Circus Bootcamps Are Worth the Investment]
It’s important to be realistic about the time commitment necessary to make this career change. Incoming bootcamp students often need to make several lifestyle changes to support themselves until they find their first tech position. From financing the time off work to child care, many of life’s responsibilities might require a little extra help for this duration.
How Quickly Do Coding Bootcamp Grads Earn Careers in Tech?
Nearly 90% of Grand Circus graduates earn a career in tech within six months of graduation. The professional backgrounds of students don’t typically impact how quickly they earn a new career. It’s their dedication to the job search and diligence in following our Career Service team’s recommendations that often what quickens this transition.
Some Students Are Hired Before They Graduate
Support from our Career Services team starts well before graduation. We provide guidance on resume writing, LinkedIn updating, interviewing and more to ensure graduates are comfortable with real-world hiring practices. Our team talks with each student about their personal interests, short- and long-term career goals, and technical abilities. This helps us work collaboratively to evaluate career opportunities and support them in their search while they’re still in the bootcamp. In many cases, students meet their future employers at a company visit or demo day hosted by our team.
“I earned a job at Tyler Technologies about 3 ½ weeks before I finished bootcamp. I actually never applied to the job I got; I got it through contacts I met at Grand Circus. The career services had great advice about how many jobs to apply for and other soft skills. I actually had 3 more interviews lined up when I got my current position.”
– Kristy Currier, 2019 C# .NET After-Hours Grad, Software Developer at Tyler Technologies
“I was hired by United Shore before I graduated the bootcamp. I’d been interviewing with them a week or two before graduation and got my offer a few days later, so I was really lucky.”
– James J Burger, 2017 Java, Developer 1 at Dominos
“I had two employment offers before graduating. Each company offered competitive compensation and benefits worth bragging about. I, however, chose to align myself with a mission and not an organization. With doing that, I conceived Bearly Articulating.”
– Jeannette Washington, 2017 Java Grad, Chief Academic Officer
The Work Continues After Graduation
Leading up to graduation, most students have a strong momentum going with the career search. Demo Day provides them with an opportunity to meet local employers, showcase what they’ve learned in the bootcamp, and further evaluate job opportunities. From there, we recommend every graduate follow up with their new contacts, continue following our career-search advice, and dedicate themselves daytime to finding a new job.
“I was hired at Oplogic 53 days after graduation… It’s okay if you don’t get the job before bootcamp or two weeks after you graduate… Be patient and focus on yourself.”
– George Almonte, 2019 Front-End After-Hours Grad, Development Support Intern at Oplogic
“I was fortunate enough to find employment at United Shore pretty much right out of my bootcamp. I will say that the first week out of the program was my hottest week ever. I think I went to four in-person interviews and had multiple calls and emails. I made securing a job my new daytime job.”
– Samantha Mazzola, 2018 C# .NET Grad, Software Developer at United Shore
“I was hired within two months of graduation at PCE systems, a company that makes mental health software.”
– Travis Brindley, 2017 Java Grad, Full Stack Software Engineer at Ford Motor Company
“After graduation, I got my first internship as a Front-End intern one month after bootcamp. Two months later, I got hired at Hello World as an Associate Software Engineer.”
– Chandler Keyes, 2017 Java Grad, Fullstack Software Developer at Interaction Gaming
It Doesn’t Happen Right Away for Everyone
More than 60% of graduates find their new careers within 60 days. Career support continues even after that for grads that might take longer than that. Whether it’s answering questions about a company’s culture or continued resume advice, our team regularly connects with alumni to ensure they have everything they need to be successful.
“I got a job with GE Digital three months after graduation. My advice to graduates is to be selective and really look for a place that offers the most benefits.”
– Shanita Scott, 2016 Front-End Graduate, TEALSK12 Regional Manager
“I was hired at Perficient in December of 2017, started January of 2018. It took about 3 months of interviewing before I got my job.”
– Michael Gleeson, 2017 Java Grad, Software Quality Assurance Analyst at Detroit Labs
“I started working with Nexient 8 months after I graduated. The Grand Circus team motivated me to keep going and never give up. Pressure will come, how you handle it makes the individual. ”
– Jonah Wooten, 2018 Java Grad, Developer II at Nexient
For many of our students, making a complete career change can happen in less than a year. From zero coding experience to earning that first position, we support students throughout each step in their career transition. We offer free and affordable workshops to help students get acquainted with programming, Info Sessions to answer any of your questions, and several other events to connect you to the tech community.