Ask HN: Why wouldn't you hire a programming boot camp graduate?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5944468

by jmsbrwr • 13 years ago

9 8 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Seeing as I am about to finish such a program, this could be very useful information!

jakejake2• 13 years ago

Just like any other candidate, I wouldn't hire them if they didn't seem qualified, they had no projects to show me or they seem like a bad fit, personality-wise.

If you have no previous experience and your only education is a boot-camp, then I would recommend getting some projects up on github. If you have nothing then just make up some stuff for fun. I generally won't hire somebody if they have no code to show me.

Good luck!

jmsbrwr3• 13 years ago

If you have the time, a link to my Github account can be found in my profile and I would enjoy hearing your opinion on what I have there.

Cheers!

jakejake2• 13 years ago

I think your profile looks good. You look like somebody who likes a combination of real, working code and fun projects to tinker around with. That's pretty much the type of person I look for. I'd say just keep doing more of the same!

tnt128• 13 years ago

We hire good programmers and couldn't careless where they come from.

That being said, bootcamp has gone a few rounds now, and many companys' junior positions have been filled by previous graduates. so the demand(for entry level) may have gone down.

jmsbrwr3• 13 years ago

That is actually my biggest concern. I'm confident that my skill (read: lack of?) will get me hired, but if there are no companies looking for junior devs, what can I do?

codeonfire2• 13 years ago

A boot camp graduate may be able to do a copy paste job on some existing code or do the limited tasks that they taught in the boot camp, but the person isn't going to be very versatile. It's the difference between a musician who can improvise and one who can play what's on the sheet. Often, companies like to portray development types as all having the same value, but the copy and fill in the blank style tasks are actually not that valuable. Investors don't know the difference though, and that's why boot camps make their money. If I was a startup looking for funding, i would hire a boot camper. If I was someone desperate to get a complex project finished I wouldn't hire a boot camper, but instead someone with 10+ years of what I would call graduate school level work.

jmsbrwr3• 13 years ago

Has this been your experience with boot camp graduates so far? Because even I will admit that is pathetic.

codeonfire2• 13 years ago

No, but that's the only way boot camps can guarantee a job. The person is worth their 'warm body' value.

Ask HN: Why wouldn't you hire a programming boot camp graduate?

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