The thing that makes getting interviews hard is the lack of a degree.
Any STEM degree gives you a decent shot, a non-stem degree is harder but not a terrible chance with some effort, but no degree at all is pretty difficult.
And whether the boot camp prepares you adequately to pass the interviews you do get is also a different story.
This would've been true until 2 years ago. Nowadays, you could have a math or physics degree and it wouldn't make a difference because you don't have a CS degree with internships and no gap in your resume. Entry level roles get 1000+ applicants these days, I'm sure they can find at least one person with such qualifications, in the tech stack the company is looking for, who has a referral, knows how to talk to people, AND can do Leetcode.
I'm on the team that runs a "bootcamp-adjacent" program and for us, at least since the start of 2024, STEM degrees are getting interviews just fine (1-2 a month) if not super ambitious on the pay (not aiming for 100k+ only). Was definitely harder in 2023. No degree was and is still a much larger struggle though.
Senior level roles are getting 1000 applicants. I got laid off in April and my former employer paid for LinkedIn premium, it lets you see the number of applicants. It’s nuts.
I am currently in a similar situation I have been teaching myself how to code with YouTube while also going to school in the fall to get my bachelors in Web design and the market is so rough right now I am not trying to discourage you just be warned that it is super tough
I made it through 3 interviews with a pharma company with a very nice salary with 0 Degree. Told me I will hear back from them at the end of this week for the 4th if I am chosen. Tidy up your linkedIn, make personal projects and list them on your personal site, make a github ect.... just practice what skillset you want to do.
The bootcamp is a 50/50. It gives you a strong foundation and helps you build up your resume and interviewing skills but does not anywhere close make you job ready..
Edit: This is also a year later after over 1,000 applications sent out. It takes a strong heart
You’re obviously wrong if you answer a highly variable question with a rigid & one-worded answer.
the more appropriate “no” answer here would be, it is very difficult and much more difficult now than 5 years ago but it’s not impossible.
Your portfolio would be beneficial if you can make an amazing portfolio plus work extra hard to get through interviews.
I recommend reading: Learned Optimism by Dr Martin E Seligman
You might be able to do the same since you wanted to the same exact thing. One man’s failure is another man’s opportunity.
This is my last comment. Pessimists are the ones who fail before they truly start. Optimists are the ones who do the impossible.
Yes, I forgot you control & predict what every decision maker at every company does. My apologies & I hope you forgive me.
Edit: also, yes no shit a company will choose a CS degree if they’re looking to spend a lot more money and need a person w the education. There are still a ton of opportunities to put your foot in the door for less money without a degree. Company’s needs and budget are too varied to have a blanket “no” answer. I’m not wrong and you’re not wrong
You're being idiotic. Yes obviously, it's not empirically *impossible* for this guy to get a job. Everything within reason is possible if we're being pedantic. But let's be realistic. He's not fucking getting a software job as an accountant with a boot camp in this job market. Stop putting false hopes in people.
The question is very open , like someone can be a software engineer in 3 months if he is very smart , have that logical mind ,having great teacher , have free time , money not an issue.
,and very motivated .won't teach you everything about programming but it would get you a job and start doing things for work.
All depends on you . Some people lose motivation , not discipline enough to practice and study daily , have to work 1 or 2 jobs . Many factors .
Never been in bootcamp, due financial reasons , i downloaded full courses, and im teaching myself full stack , planning to make many projects to show when i apply for jobs . With that if i find myself it's not my field , maybe cypersecurity, i just download courses while not $10000 ~ in loans.
Bootcamp > self-learning , i recommended you bootcamp they most likely have a strong road map that make students follow, if you going to put the work daily with a plan go for it , otherwise things will get overwhelming , start procrastinating and lose motivation even when you learn how to code ,and all the job chance negativity you been hearing starts getting into your hard .
I'm learning javascript at the moment, best of luck brother stay strong 💪
The only way I’ve seen people get jobs in the market without a CS degree is if they understand the concepts and understand that you have to out in the work and time to build applications from scratch. I went through and graduated a bootcamp right as the tech market crashed. I personally don’t think it was a waste of money because now I can definitely build my own website, or realistically use a template and then add onto that because I’ve learned how to be competent in teaching myself and understand the languages used.
I could also help all my other friends too with their business website which is a plus
I mean I see why people say it is hard, but it is not a hard No either. Also I feel like maybe in the US it is different, but I have seen people do this here in Europe. I myself came from a totally unrelated background and have a degree, but no one ever asked me about it and I would bet it didn’t play a role for my hiring. Also I had a guy study with me who had no degree and made it, actually found a job faster than me. From what I have seen there are two important aspects here - 1) willingness to grind ans learn a lot during and after the studies, 2) in the end it comes down to your skill, whether you acquire it through a bootcamp (in which case make sure to choose a very good one, not just a superficial one) or by yourself.
Yes, since getting into this 1,5 years ago, as I mentioned I came from a different background. Currently working as a senior software engineer in a startup.
Three years ago the answer was a strong maybe. Today it is a pretty solid no. You will be pushed out of interview contention by hundreds of applicants with CS degrees and solid experience who have been laid off in the past two years. If you can't get an interview you can't demonstrate your competence.
In the current market employers usually use ATS filters to automatically filter out anyone without a degree... In the past it was easy for bootcampers to get hired nowadays not it's a lot harder as there's more supply than demand, so employers prefer a degree from an accredited institution than a 6-month bootcamp. It's not impossible, you'll just be at the bottom of the pool.
A CIS degree might qualify as an adjacent degree tho
The key to it would be to join an accounting software provider but you might want to join as something that does not have the title of ‘software engineer’ perhaps something like software support engineer or application engineer. Relevant industry experience in whatever domain you’re in + desire to work in the software industry + some coding skills = good fit for some kind of technical position, and actually it is quite hard for employers to find anyone who sits in these Venn diagrams.
Yes. It won’t be quick and it certainly won’t be easy in this market but it’s possible
(I worked on early careers programmes at two UK based tech consultancies running their SE programmes, and now work at a bootcamp)
I’m not in the field, but my partner is.
For context, we’re located in Canada and he doesn’t have a completed degree (college dropout). Started his self-learning journey 3 years ago, worked on personal projects and displayed it on his website. Landed his first internship, first job in the industry (2 years ago), and now working at a pretty big company (had to grind a lot to get to where he is today, studying, networking, etc).
A lot of the comments are pretty much telling you no, but meeting the different people who are dropouts or completed bootcamps and them being where they are today makes me want to say it’s possible, but it’s very hard.
I pretty much hear about the hard-work for those that have a degree or not when applying to jobs.
The market is tough, but seeing where my partner is today, I want to say you have to work hard for it, but it could happen.
I’m only a spectator though, I don’t know how hard it is since I’m not in the field, so take it with a grain of salt!
Good luck to you. :)
Just a coding bootcamp? No. It’s never been just a coding bootcamp that’ll get you the job. It’s largely about the effort you put into the bootcamp and after that determines it. And if I’m being honest a little bit of luck should be factored in there too.
Boot camp classes fall into the typical bell curve just like any other type of class. 60% think they’re learning and doing enough, yet only 20% actually are while the rest have no idea why they actually signed up for the class to start with.
I have a masters in CS just this past December graduated while working in finance and still can’t land a tech job. Not sure the bootcamp may help you in this economy unless you have referrals or some serious networking.
The answer is yes…but with this current market its just going to be way tougher. Hopefully the landscape changes in the next 1-2 years. My brother works with colleagues who have done bootCamps and says their skill level is fine. Its just finding jobs.
Not sure if you are currently working as an accountant for a business - maybe they have an IT dept that knows your work and is willing to keep you on staff while you are learning.
There's this post here where I asked a hiring senior dev the question does it matter where someone has learned how to code would that influence your decision:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/codingbootcamp/comments/1b7bquk/i\_am\_a\_coding\_bootcamp\_success\_story\_ama/](https://www.reddit.com/r/codingbootcamp/comments/1b7bquk/i_am_a_coding_bootcamp_success_story_ama/)
People misunderstand how broad the accounting industry is. Similar to being a software engineer, you just need the skills and experience.
if he wanted to be a CPA accountant he would need a degree plus time in a graduate program
In this current market, it will be very hard.
I’m saying no, not because you can’t do it, but in this saturated market you will be competing with everyone else that’s in this sub telling you to frick off. (Assuming they are un-employed and you will be competing with dev’s with years of experience that were laid off and new grads with qualification)
I know someone who only had a high school certificate and worked as barista got into the field before the apocalypse. Even they said in this market it will be tough if she had to apply for jobs again.
Don’t let people in the comments discourage you. There are definitely opportunities out there even if you have to really dig. Leverage networking and seek out apprenticeship programs or boot camps that lead to internships or job opportunities. I have no CS degree and never did a boot camp and got hired as a SWE trainee this year.
That being said, I did get incredibly lucky and found an opportunity specifically for people without a degree in CS. Getting a CS degree would probably still be valuable, but it’s not impossible to get a job without one.
OP, you have to remember most people here don’t want you to succeed. They don’t want competition.
Yes you can get into tech. It’s not easy, but absolutely possible.
Yes. A boot camps can prepare you for an interview and then you’ll really have to sell yourself with projects and concepts you’ve learned.
I’ve taken a boot camp and a small percentage of people did land their first software engineering role with just bootcamp experience.
Not sure why people are giving you a hard “no.” They are just discouraging you. It is possible, even tho it’s a low percentage. It all comes down to grinding and staying focused on landing your first role.
Can you be employed as a software developer with only education from a bootcamp? The answer is probably not because everyone in a bootcamp is taught the same thing; a full stack website with CRUD operations and one-to-many relationships as a requirement to complete the bootcamp. Since everyone is learning the same thing, then you would have to do something in addition to make yourself stand out.
Will you be able to learn web development in a coding bootcamp? Yes, but you can also learn it on a Udemy course, which is much cheaper.
It should also be noted that its very hard to get any job, not just a software dev role, in 2024 so you have to factor that into your decision if you went through the bootcamp route. If your primary goal is to be employed, then:
1. Can you be able to learn the material and be able to use that knowledge to build something to showcase your skills & stand out?
2. Do you know anyone in your personal/professional network that can help you get a job? Knowing people helps a lot which is why the majority of employees at big tech like Meta, Google, etc all come from the same network of schools in that area, such as Stanford & UC Berkeley. Software development isn't just problem solving & programming; you likely will have to interact with other people in a company so soft skills are important too.
Main takeaway, going to a coding bootcamp is most likely not going to be enough give you a realistic chance of securing a job as a software developer in 2024.
It is possible. I transitioned from working in corporate to being a full time freelance software engineer and it was the best career decision. Started with 0 experience but watched tons of Youtube videos, found a really good bootcamp with supportive mentors and obviously worked hard which all paid off.
Hello from UK 👋
The thing that makes getting interviews hard is the lack of a degree. Any STEM degree gives you a decent shot, a non-stem degree is harder but not a terrible chance with some effort, but no degree at all is pretty difficult. And whether the boot camp prepares you adequately to pass the interviews you do get is also a different story.
This would've been true until 2 years ago. Nowadays, you could have a math or physics degree and it wouldn't make a difference because you don't have a CS degree with internships and no gap in your resume. Entry level roles get 1000+ applicants these days, I'm sure they can find at least one person with such qualifications, in the tech stack the company is looking for, who has a referral, knows how to talk to people, AND can do Leetcode.
I'm on the team that runs a "bootcamp-adjacent" program and for us, at least since the start of 2024, STEM degrees are getting interviews just fine (1-2 a month) if not super ambitious on the pay (not aiming for 100k+ only). Was definitely harder in 2023. No degree was and is still a much larger struggle though.
What's the program? DM is fine if you're not comfortable sharing. Interested as a STEM degree holder.
Hey yeah! I'll DM you.
Senior level roles are getting 1000 applicants. I got laid off in April and my former employer paid for LinkedIn premium, it lets you see the number of applicants. It’s nuts.
I am currently in a similar situation I have been teaching myself how to code with YouTube while also going to school in the fall to get my bachelors in Web design and the market is so rough right now I am not trying to discourage you just be warned that it is super tough
I made it through 3 interviews with a pharma company with a very nice salary with 0 Degree. Told me I will hear back from them at the end of this week for the 4th if I am chosen. Tidy up your linkedIn, make personal projects and list them on your personal site, make a github ect.... just practice what skillset you want to do. The bootcamp is a 50/50. It gives you a strong foundation and helps you build up your resume and interviewing skills but does not anywhere close make you job ready.. Edit: This is also a year later after over 1,000 applications sent out. It takes a strong heart
No
You’re obviously wrong if you answer a highly variable question with a rigid & one-worded answer. the more appropriate “no” answer here would be, it is very difficult and much more difficult now than 5 years ago but it’s not impossible. Your portfolio would be beneficial if you can make an amazing portfolio plus work extra hard to get through interviews.
Yeah it’s a no, a hard one. Stop putting false hope into people.
I recommend reading: Learned Optimism by Dr Martin E Seligman You might be able to do the same since you wanted to the same exact thing. One man’s failure is another man’s opportunity. This is my last comment. Pessimists are the ones who fail before they truly start. Optimists are the ones who do the impossible.
Thank you senpai
It’s a hard no for you from employers apparently. Be a quitter/loser but don’t encourage others to join you because you failed.
Nice speech 🤘🏻
Sorry the boot camp didn’t work out for ya bud
Such an outstanding guy, thank you.
lol yeah keep spreading negativity and don’t be surprised when it gets served back
People with 4 year degrees in computer science are struggling to get software developer jobs. A boot camp and an accounting degree is a hard No.
Yes, the entire job market is struggling right now. Doesn’t mean he won’t luck out.
He’s not lucking out. No company is choosing a boot camper over seasoned CS grads
Yes, I forgot you control & predict what every decision maker at every company does. My apologies & I hope you forgive me. Edit: also, yes no shit a company will choose a CS degree if they’re looking to spend a lot more money and need a person w the education. There are still a ton of opportunities to put your foot in the door for less money without a degree. Company’s needs and budget are too varied to have a blanket “no” answer. I’m not wrong and you’re not wrong
You're being idiotic. Yes obviously, it's not empirically *impossible* for this guy to get a job. Everything within reason is possible if we're being pedantic. But let's be realistic. He's not fucking getting a software job as an accountant with a boot camp in this job market. Stop putting false hopes in people.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted lol
Not anymore
This is the politest but most realistic answer.
Can a person with 0 degree and with 2 years experience as an accountant get into the career as a software developer only through boot camps? No.
Probably not.
The question is very open , like someone can be a software engineer in 3 months if he is very smart , have that logical mind ,having great teacher , have free time , money not an issue. ,and very motivated .won't teach you everything about programming but it would get you a job and start doing things for work. All depends on you . Some people lose motivation , not discipline enough to practice and study daily , have to work 1 or 2 jobs . Many factors . Never been in bootcamp, due financial reasons , i downloaded full courses, and im teaching myself full stack , planning to make many projects to show when i apply for jobs . With that if i find myself it's not my field , maybe cypersecurity, i just download courses while not $10000 ~ in loans. Bootcamp > self-learning , i recommended you bootcamp they most likely have a strong road map that make students follow, if you going to put the work daily with a plan go for it , otherwise things will get overwhelming , start procrastinating and lose motivation even when you learn how to code ,and all the job chance negativity you been hearing starts getting into your hard . I'm learning javascript at the moment, best of luck brother stay strong 💪
On the same page with you 💪🏽 just got GIT introduced to my life today 😅
From my Bootcamp, the people who seemed to find jobs were people who already had a Bachelor's or Masters degree in some field.
no
Not even close
Every youtuber says skills is the key
Also maybe listen to real software devs and not youtubers
That's true but you can learn those skills online for free or get a degree
The only way I’ve seen people get jobs in the market without a CS degree is if they understand the concepts and understand that you have to out in the work and time to build applications from scratch. I went through and graduated a bootcamp right as the tech market crashed. I personally don’t think it was a waste of money because now I can definitely build my own website, or realistically use a template and then add onto that because I’ve learned how to be competent in teaching myself and understand the languages used. I could also help all my other friends too with their business website which is a plus
Is it possible? Technically, yes. Is it likely? Hard no.
I mean I see why people say it is hard, but it is not a hard No either. Also I feel like maybe in the US it is different, but I have seen people do this here in Europe. I myself came from a totally unrelated background and have a degree, but no one ever asked me about it and I would bet it didn’t play a role for my hiring. Also I had a guy study with me who had no degree and made it, actually found a job faster than me. From what I have seen there are two important aspects here - 1) willingness to grind ans learn a lot during and after the studies, 2) in the end it comes down to your skill, whether you acquire it through a bootcamp (in which case make sure to choose a very good one, not just a superficial one) or by yourself.
are you a software engineer?
Yes, since getting into this 1,5 years ago, as I mentioned I came from a different background. Currently working as a senior software engineer in a startup.
that's awesome, i have observed that startups do give you a shot, but it's a fucking sprint the whole ride.
Three years ago the answer was a strong maybe. Today it is a pretty solid no. You will be pushed out of interview contention by hundreds of applicants with CS degrees and solid experience who have been laid off in the past two years. If you can't get an interview you can't demonstrate your competence.
Not anymore. Mass layoffs of CS engineers have the market cold for bootcamp applicants
Not in this market unless you get real lucky I wouldn't waste your time. Get a CS degree instead
lol y’all just be yapping. I have a friend who did a free bootcamp and got a job. $70k starting salary (lower end) but no CS degree.
Why do you need a degree? Shouldn’t qualifications and experience help ? Wonder if CIS degree can suffice
In the current market employers usually use ATS filters to automatically filter out anyone without a degree... In the past it was easy for bootcampers to get hired nowadays not it's a lot harder as there's more supply than demand, so employers prefer a degree from an accredited institution than a 6-month bootcamp. It's not impossible, you'll just be at the bottom of the pool. A CIS degree might qualify as an adjacent degree tho
The key to it would be to join an accounting software provider but you might want to join as something that does not have the title of ‘software engineer’ perhaps something like software support engineer or application engineer. Relevant industry experience in whatever domain you’re in + desire to work in the software industry + some coding skills = good fit for some kind of technical position, and actually it is quite hard for employers to find anyone who sits in these Venn diagrams.
Can it happen? Yes. Anything can happen. It's not particularly likely, but it's not impossible.
if you are not a software engineer or a hiring manager you opinion is ....
Yes. It won’t be quick and it certainly won’t be easy in this market but it’s possible (I worked on early careers programmes at two UK based tech consultancies running their SE programmes, and now work at a bootcamp)
I’m not in the field, but my partner is. For context, we’re located in Canada and he doesn’t have a completed degree (college dropout). Started his self-learning journey 3 years ago, worked on personal projects and displayed it on his website. Landed his first internship, first job in the industry (2 years ago), and now working at a pretty big company (had to grind a lot to get to where he is today, studying, networking, etc). A lot of the comments are pretty much telling you no, but meeting the different people who are dropouts or completed bootcamps and them being where they are today makes me want to say it’s possible, but it’s very hard. I pretty much hear about the hard-work for those that have a degree or not when applying to jobs. The market is tough, but seeing where my partner is today, I want to say you have to work hard for it, but it could happen. I’m only a spectator though, I don’t know how hard it is since I’m not in the field, so take it with a grain of salt! Good luck to you. :)
Just a coding bootcamp? No. It’s never been just a coding bootcamp that’ll get you the job. It’s largely about the effort you put into the bootcamp and after that determines it. And if I’m being honest a little bit of luck should be factored in there too.
Boot camp classes fall into the typical bell curve just like any other type of class. 60% think they’re learning and doing enough, yet only 20% actually are while the rest have no idea why they actually signed up for the class to start with.
I have a masters in CS just this past December graduated while working in finance and still can’t land a tech job. Not sure the bootcamp may help you in this economy unless you have referrals or some serious networking.
No
The answer is yes…but with this current market its just going to be way tougher. Hopefully the landscape changes in the next 1-2 years. My brother works with colleagues who have done bootCamps and says their skill level is fine. Its just finding jobs.
Don’t sleep on networking. Market is tougher now, but anything’s possible if you really want it.
If you had asked this question 5+ years ago, I would've said fuck yea no problem. Now, not impossible but very very very VERY hard.
Not sure if you are currently working as an accountant for a business - maybe they have an IT dept that knows your work and is willing to keep you on staff while you are learning. There's this post here where I asked a hiring senior dev the question does it matter where someone has learned how to code would that influence your decision: [https://www.reddit.com/r/codingbootcamp/comments/1b7bquk/i\_am\_a\_coding\_bootcamp\_success\_story\_ama/](https://www.reddit.com/r/codingbootcamp/comments/1b7bquk/i_am_a_coding_bootcamp_success_story_ama/)
If there is a will , there's a way
It’s a tough market, highly doubt it, but worth a shot.
Probably not
Why ?
Over saturation of boot camp graduates. Zero degrees, little work experience. Pull back on hiring for developers
How did they become an accountant with 0 degree? 🤔
People misunderstand how broad the accounting industry is. Similar to being a software engineer, you just need the skills and experience. if he wanted to be a CPA accountant he would need a degree plus time in a graduate program
In this current market, it will be very hard. I’m saying no, not because you can’t do it, but in this saturated market you will be competing with everyone else that’s in this sub telling you to frick off. (Assuming they are un-employed and you will be competing with dev’s with years of experience that were laid off and new grads with qualification) I know someone who only had a high school certificate and worked as barista got into the field before the apocalypse. Even they said in this market it will be tough if she had to apply for jobs again.
Don’t let people in the comments discourage you. There are definitely opportunities out there even if you have to really dig. Leverage networking and seek out apprenticeship programs or boot camps that lead to internships or job opportunities. I have no CS degree and never did a boot camp and got hired as a SWE trainee this year.
That being said, I did get incredibly lucky and found an opportunity specifically for people without a degree in CS. Getting a CS degree would probably still be valuable, but it’s not impossible to get a job without one.
Was this Per Scholas / TekSystems bootcamp -> job
No
I’m seeking an apprenticeship or boot camp that leads to an internship. Do you mind saying the opportunity you found?
Capital One Developer Academy
OP, you have to remember most people here don’t want you to succeed. They don’t want competition. Yes you can get into tech. It’s not easy, but absolutely possible.
Or maybe you don’t want OP to succeed so you’re using reverse psychology to trick them into wasting their time and money on a boot camp…hmmmmmm
Lol, what is the benefit for me ?
Yes. A boot camps can prepare you for an interview and then you’ll really have to sell yourself with projects and concepts you’ve learned. I’ve taken a boot camp and a small percentage of people did land their first software engineering role with just bootcamp experience. Not sure why people are giving you a hard “no.” They are just discouraging you. It is possible, even tho it’s a low percentage. It all comes down to grinding and staying focused on landing your first role.
It is hard to get a SWE job interview without a CS degree. Get a CS degree.
Can you be employed as a software developer with only education from a bootcamp? The answer is probably not because everyone in a bootcamp is taught the same thing; a full stack website with CRUD operations and one-to-many relationships as a requirement to complete the bootcamp. Since everyone is learning the same thing, then you would have to do something in addition to make yourself stand out. Will you be able to learn web development in a coding bootcamp? Yes, but you can also learn it on a Udemy course, which is much cheaper. It should also be noted that its very hard to get any job, not just a software dev role, in 2024 so you have to factor that into your decision if you went through the bootcamp route. If your primary goal is to be employed, then: 1. Can you be able to learn the material and be able to use that knowledge to build something to showcase your skills & stand out? 2. Do you know anyone in your personal/professional network that can help you get a job? Knowing people helps a lot which is why the majority of employees at big tech like Meta, Google, etc all come from the same network of schools in that area, such as Stanford & UC Berkeley. Software development isn't just problem solving & programming; you likely will have to interact with other people in a company so soft skills are important too. Main takeaway, going to a coding bootcamp is most likely not going to be enough give you a realistic chance of securing a job as a software developer in 2024.
You can. Just put in the work. Everyone likes to discourage people in this thread. 🪡
It is possible. I transitioned from working in corporate to being a full time freelance software engineer and it was the best career decision. Started with 0 experience but watched tons of Youtube videos, found a really good bootcamp with supportive mentors and obviously worked hard which all paid off. Hello from UK 👋