So, You Want to Be a Software Engineer (BootCamp Edition)? Learn these things first.
It’s simple! Join a coding bootcamp and make six-figures in 3–6 months!
Oh, if only. While this is the case for many people exiting a legitimate bootcamp, it’s not an easy road, especially if you’re not coming from a technical background.
Here is my (non-exhaustive) list of things you should know/research before you jump head first into a bootcamp to become a software engineer, in no particular order.
Get Used to the Lingo
TLAs or, three-letter-acronyms are abundant in software development, and tech in general. Here are some top of mind TLAs you should know.
- API
- CSS
- DNS
- HDD
- ISP
- RAM
- SDK
- SSD
- HTML
- HTTP(s)
- TLDR
And yes, I know some are more than three. That’s how tricky it gets.
Then, there’s all the different libraries and frameworks built up to support various web development.
Maybe let’s just say that you should get very good at looking things up. Anything you don’t know or recognize? Dive in. Which brings me to my next suggestion.
Learn How to Google
It’s Thanksgiving, you’re at grandma’s, and her wireless router isn’t working. What do you do?
Maybe you have to call your ISP’s technical support line, but do you make an effort before then? Where should you start? Maybe with the modem make and model. Then, try coming up with a sentence of phrase to describe the problem.
motorola MB8600 cannot connect to internet
Then, you read the first page of results.
But really knowing how to google goes beyond that. Once you get your first 3 results under your belt, can you take what you’ve read and modify your google query to be more specific?
motorola MB8600 DHCP settings
This is a large majority of what software engineers do. They encounter a problem, they google the problem, and keep refining their queries using the information they discover along the way.
I used an example of physical hardware here because it’s something most people have had to deal with. Web development simply carries these skills into the digital space.
You Need to Learn to Type
Sounds easy, but I’ve seen numerous students who have difficulty keeping up with lessons, not because they can’t understand the content, but because they can’t keep up with the typing.
I can type English, my native language, at approximately 100 words per minute (WPM, see! I told you TLAs are everywhere). When I’m writing code, that drops down to 65 WPM.
If you’re looking for practice, I highly recommend: typing.io
Typing.io gets you used to reaching for keys on the keyboard that aren’t typically used in English anymore. For example, when’s the last time you used a semi-colon in your English paper?
Use the Keyboard More
Keyboard shortcuts are essential. After typing speed, they are the best way to improve your work flow and move quickly through your workspace. Here are my favorites (Note: these are referenced using CMD since I’m on a mac. Most carry-over to CTL on Windows).
- CMD + c — copy
- CMD + v — paste
- CMD + x — cut
- CMD + z — undo
- CMD + t — new tab
Wrap Up
There is plenty more that you could know. I worked with HTML, CSS, terminal, and git before I started. But these are generic skills that everyone should have.
Did I miss something essential? Anything you wish you had known before you started bootcamp? Let me know in the comments!
