Thats not to say coding bootcamps are bad.
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In my experience, not all bootcamps are created equal.
They vary widely in acceptance processes, curriculum, program structure, and quality of instructors.
Theyre designed to push candidates through courses that will have them writingsomecode fairly quickly.
This doesnt mean your startup should write off coding bootcamp graduates altogether.
Heres how to hire a software developer straight out of bootcamp without getting burned.
Look for bootcamp grads with personal projects
The best bootcamp grads are those who already considered themselves hobbyists.
They didnt enter a program expecting to learn everything they needed to know in 12 weeks.
Taking something youre passionate about and figuring out how to make it work is the best way to learn.
Instead of working on fixing small snippets of someone elses code in isolation, its all your code.
That experience is invaluable.
It forms a strong base for bootcampers to build their skills upon.
If a recent bootcamp grad doesnt have any personal projects, that might be a red flag.
Hire natural problem solvers and nurture their intellectual curiosity
All engineering is problem-solving.
She kept working to build her framework of knowledge while understanding the why behind tasks.
By the time she had a good grasp of the fundamentals, she was also an excellent problem-solver.
Mentoring new hires helps keep imposter syndrome at bay.
You should be prepared to thoroughly vet bootcamp grads and invest in developing new hires.
