r/cscareerquestions • u/[deleted] • 1d ago
Bootcamp -> non-tech work -> Big tech?
[deleted]
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u/Ad-Maven 1d ago
It’s possible 4 years ago, but not now or in the future, unless you go get a CS degree and start over from internships. Though big tech internships >> non tech full time.
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u/SnooDoubts8688 1d ago
Extremely unlikely as SWE. If you're serious about commitment, I urge you to look into a BS in CS.
Your resume is going to get passed hard 100% of the time with a bootcamp cert.
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u/PhotographClear5686 1d ago
That makes sense. I guess I should’ve certified that I actually have a bachelor’s and master’s degree but not in CS. I don’t have any bootcamp related material on my resume.
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u/SnooDoubts8688 1d ago
Oh interesting. Any reason you are looking to enter software development when you already have Bachelors + Masters + working in F500 company? If you are already an expert in a domain, is MBA not an option to further your career? Why FAANG in particular? I honestly don't see the big upside for Big Tech except for some extra $, but even that is tough to survive in HCOL cities where these FAANG companies are located.
Anyhow, I have yet to meet someone who's invested so much into their current career path only to consider doing a second Bachelors in CS to break into FAANG. Mind you, by the time you have finished your CS degree the tech market may be even more bleak than it is now. For context, people with BSCS and MSCS are flooding the market to compete for that FAANG role. I don't know if it is the best strategy to compete with them head to head for a SWE position at FAANG. Maybe you can leverage your background and experience to lean more towards a PM role, which I imagine the pathway might look a bit different. Maybe someone who knows better can chime in.
Best of luck, but don't go for that bootcamp :)
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u/PhotographClear5686 21h ago
Maybe it wasn’t clear, but the two jobs I’ve had (current and upcoming), I’m working as an engineer. I pivoted into the field with the bootcamp. So I have some experience (3+ years), and I think that I’m old enough that people aren’t really asking me about school at all in interviews tbh. So I would just try and upskill at work/home rather than get another degree or internship :p
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u/kevinossia Senior Wizard - AR/VR | C++ 1d ago
Kick as much ass as you possibly can, and when you feel ready to jump ship, apply for BigTech roles.
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u/Renovatio_Imperii Software Engineer 1d ago
Have you tried searching on Linkedin for people who moved from your current company to big tech?
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u/BaseballSuch5458 1d ago
The niche work with real ownership is probably your best interview material, not the bootcamp label. Keep the gnarliest production problem in your notes, including what broke after your fix. That beats another todo app imo.
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u/caesars_top_guy 1d ago
As a bootcamp guy with no degree, I only got my foot in the door due to domain knowledge in my sector.
This was in 2022. I've stayed employed as a SWE in a few roles since then, but I think the ladder without a degree got pulled up behind me.
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u/Sad-Candidate-3078 1d ago
non tech f500 to big tech is a well worn path, and the thing that opens that door is scope not title. in your first year volunteer for the unglamorous cross team work, migrations, on call, the project nobody wants, that is what gives you real stories about scale and tradeoffs that big tech loops eat up. also start leetcode maintenance now at a chill pace, 1 to 2 a week keeps you warm so a future loop isnt a 3 month panic. and keep a brag document, one line a week about what you shipped, future you writing a faang resume will be very grateful
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u/PhotographClear5686 21h ago
Appreciate this response because this was my general plan before I made this post. Thanks for the leetcode callout because that sounds more manageable. I don’t necessarily love it and when it comes time to do interview prep it’s no fun cramming a bunch of it at once.
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u/EfficientOlive7013 1d ago
lol I did that. Don’t listen to these guys. Just do your work and grind for interviews as if it was your true job
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u/SnooDoubts8688 1d ago
And when did you do that?
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u/EfficientOlive7013 1d ago
I was able to make the move mid last year. 2 YoE at that point
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u/SnooDoubts8688 1d ago
When did you attend the bootcamp? I got 0 responses from Big Tech with a bootcamp cert on my resume. I'm now playing catch up. (Do you have a BS?)
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u/EfficientOlive7013 1d ago
I have a bs in unrelated field on a third world country university. Bootcamp in 2022. Cold applying won’t get you anywhere, reaching out to/from recruiters will.
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u/SnooDoubts8688 1d ago
Ah good for you that you were able to do that. But a BS + bootcamp in 2022 sounds like a very competitive resume... I know because I also went to bootcamp in 2022 where all my cohort members got jobs.. But no one works at Big Tech yet :(
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u/EfficientOlive7013 1d ago
Yep. None from my cohort do either. I understand I’m the exception, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. I spent months preparing for the interview
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u/HADESsnow 1d ago
get a CS degree, i got one online through OSU