Deciding on whether or not to take a coding bootcamp can be overwhelming. I considered joining a coding bootcamp for years but wrestled with so many questions. First there was the question of whether or not this is the right move for me. Am I ready to change careers or should I just stay in my comfort zone? Am I really ready to drop everything else going on in my life and enroll in a coding bootcamp. Then came the self doubt. What if I’m not cut out for this? What if it’s too hard? Can my brain even do that?!
Decisions, Decisions
Prior to Flatiron, I worked in advertising technology so a coding bootcamp was a good next step for me. As a Support Engineer at Amazon Advertising, I was embedded within a development team but always had to hand off work when it came to making code changes. I would look at the code base and feel like I wanted to know more and do more. My team was great, but out of a team of 20+, I was the only woman and only non-developer. A daily reminder that women are underrepresented in tech. The factors that ultimately made me decide to join a coding bootcamp were:
- Lots of Jobs - Every industry, everywhere needs developers.
- High Paying Job Potential - The cost and time to complete a bootcamp is pretty great considering the earning potential.
- Building stuff - I can’t count the number of times I’ve said, I wish there was an app that…
- Bridging the Gender Gap - While I’m unsure if my days of being the only woman at the table are over, it’s important to be at the table.
Quitters sometimes prosper
After a lot of soul searching, I finally decided to take the plunge and apply to coding bootcamps. I resigned from my job and got a lot of really great and supportive feedback from management and my team on my decision. I’m just starting out and I’m sure that there will be moments of doubt ahead, but I’m positive that it’ll pay off in the long run.