Jobs

What Does a Web Developer Earn?

Sep 13, 2023 by Natalie Schooner

As always, the short answer is easiest: On average, according to Indeed, an American web developer earns $81,034 per year.

Which is More Important: Hard or Soft Skills for Programmers?

Apr 22, 2023 by Lane Wagner

You’re waiting at the front-desk of Google’s campus in Boulder, Colorado, waiting for your coding interview to start. Across from you in the lobby sit two other candidates:

Do You Need to Blog to Get a Coding Job?

Apr 17, 2023 by Lane Wagner

As the founder of Boot.dev, I’ve worked with countless students who are eager to break into the tech industry. And time and time again, I see the same question pop up: “Do I need to start a blog to get a coding job?”

It's Not About the Job Openings

Mar 30, 2023 by Lane Wagner

I talk to boatloads of students who are starting to learn to code, and invariably they are hyper-concerned about which programming languages and technologies they should be learning.

How can I Get a Job as a Python Programmer?

Mar 27, 2023 by Natalie Schooner

How to Get a Job as a Python Programmer 🔗 “How much Python do I need to know to get a job? Do I need a degree?” I asked Jo, a hiring manager I’d met at a Python networking event, nervously.

How to Get a Job as a Golang Developer

Mar 20, 2023 by Natalie Schooner

Step 1: Learn Golang. Step 2: Apply for jobs. Step 3: Get accepted. When I started researching this article, that was the first answer that came up on Reddit. It’s short and punchy, but it’s not very useful, is it? (The second answer was a joke that because “Go” only has two letters, some search bars don’t accept it since they need three or more characters to search.)

Add Libraries and Packages to Your Coding Portfolio

Nov 13, 2022 by Lane Wagner

Building a job-ready portfolio of coding projects doesn’t happen overnight, but if you’re like most self-taught developers, you’ve likely built up a nice collection of todo apps, calculators, and other toy programs. Here’s the thing, applications for end-users are great, but I’m here to convince you that adding a library to your portfolio will make you much more hireable.

Trends in Developer Jobs: A Meta Analysis of Stack Overflow Surveys

Oct 24, 2022 by Lane Wagner

I’m really interested in the trends we see in the software engineering job market. Sometimes it’s really hard to tell a cohesive and accurate narrative about what’s happening because it just happens so dang fast, and very few people are collecting data on the matter.

Do Better in Coding Interviews by Being Confident and Humble

Sep 20, 2022 by Lane Wagner

I think we often do a great job of flogging the dead horse of whiteboarding problems when giving coding interview advice. Heck, that’s what I’ve dedicated the entirety of Boot.dev to. While the hard skills you’ll need to be able to solve technical interview problems are necessary, it’s also critically important to work on your soft skills.

What is a Computer Scientist, and What Do They Do?

Sep 12, 2022 by Lane Wagner

At work, computer scientists build and deploy programs, algorithms, and systems to solve real-world problems. In most tech jobs, they spend the majority of their time working in teams on new software products. Some computer scientists are more research-oriented however, and may spend time developing new algorithms or pushing the boundaries of what academia knows about certain CS questions.

How to Use the Best Software Engineering Job Boards

Aug 05, 2022 by Lane Wagner

With so many job boards out there, it can be terribly confusing to know where to start when you’re looking for a programming job - especially if you’re looking for your first programming job. I’ve found that where you search for jobs is just as important as other key preparation steps you should take in your job search, like building a great resume and GitHub profile.

What Are the Career Options in Computer Science?

Aug 01, 2022 by Winston Wagner

The future is bright for career options in computer science with remote work opening up doors that weren’t present before. Trying to navigate through computer science career options can be overwhelming what with all the options at your disposal. While we won’t go through every job option in the field today, we have a list of common yet crucial jobs to help you get started on finding the career that’s right for you. But first…

6 Pros and Cons of Online Coding Bootcamps

Jul 18, 2022 by Natalie Schooner

If you want to learn to code, there are many strategies to get your coding skills from non-existent to employable. Some folks might go back to university and get a formal education in computer science. Others prefer to teach themselves. And of course, you can always choose to put yourself through coding bootcamp.

How to Build the Best GitHub Profile for Your Job Search

Mar 04, 2022 by Lane Wagner

I’ve reviewed a lot of resumes, both as an engineering manager and in the monthly resume workshops we do in the Boot.dev Discord group. I’m convinced that these days a developer’s GitHub profile is just as important as their resume itself. If you haven’t started your first job yet, this advice is doubly important. Anyone looking to hire an entry-level developer is going to be diving into your public GitHub presence looking to get an idea for where your skill level is at.

Coding Interviews - Why you shouldn't give homework

Nov 18, 2021 by Lane Wagner

A while back I went through the interview process at a company I won’t name here. The first interview was basically just a phone screen, where I was able to chat with my would-be manager about things like compensation range, tech stack, work duties, etc. It went well! The guy was delightful.

Which is Worth It, Coding Bootcamp or a Computer Science Degree?

Mar 29, 2021 by Zulie Rane

When you’re in a position of wondering, “Is a coding bootcamp worth it?” you should look at several factors. Coding bootcamp costs, on average, around $13,000. This holds true no matter if you choose to attend coding bootcamp in person or online, though there’s a lot of variance in how much coding bootcamp costs, ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 depending on the language, the length, and who’s running it.

Can You Get a Programming Job with Just an Associate's Degree?

Mar 22, 2021 by Lane Wagner

Changing majors is a tale as old as time. A degree that would normally require four years to complete can quickly turn into a more expensive endeavor that takes five or six years for a student that can’t decide what they want to study. The interesting thing about programming jobs is that they don’t require a degree at all, but if you at least complete an associate’s degree, you’ll have a better chance of landing that first job.

Where Can You Get a Programming Certificate Online?

Mar 14, 2021 by Zulie Rane

There are two main options to get a programming certificate online - online courses and universities. 🔗 There are two ways to get a programming certificate online - universities and online courses. In the simplest possible terms, a programming certificate is something that lets you walk up to an employer and say, “Hello, yes, I know how to SQL. Here’s a piece of paper that proves it. You should hire me.”

The Two Classes of Software Engineer

Mar 05, 2021 by Lane Wagner

“Software engineer” has become a ubiquitous term for people who write, deploy, architect, or sometimes even simply test code. In reality, I think there are two classes of “software engineers”; those who understand computer science well enough to do challenging, innovative work, and those who just get by because they’re familiar with a few high-level tools. The laziness with which the tech industry has adopted the term “software engineer” has made it harder for us to distinguish between the two.

Top 8 Tricks to Learn Coding Fast

Feb 22, 2021 by Lane Wagner

The journey to becoming a gainfully employed software engineer can feel long. The good news is, you can learn smarter not harder. Apply these eight tricks and you’ll be learning to program a lot faster than the average bear.

Is There a Case for Programmers to Unionize?

Feb 15, 2021 by Lane Wagner

I’ve seen a lot of buzz recently about software developers wanting to form unions. I’m particularly interested in this topic while I’m #indiehacking boot.dev, where my goal is to provide a free-to-audit university-quality CS education. I also want to point out that at the time of writing I’m a full-time software developer working for a separate company (not boot.dev). I’m not a manager and boot.dev is just a side-project. As of right now, I’m pretty sure I’m a member of the proletariat.

The 8 Crucial Mistakes Holding You Back From a Programming Job

Jan 18, 2021 by Zulie Rane

If you’re reading this article, you’re well aware of the great benefits that come with a programming job - high salaries for programmers, an expanding job market, exciting opportunities.

The Best Ways To Get a Programming Job with No Experience

Jan 06, 2021 by Winston Wagner

It sounds like a pipe dream. A well-paid programming job, with no experience? Get out of town. Well, as it turns out, it’s both just about as difficult as you believe, but probably easier than you think. As with most things, the main obstacle standing in the way of you getting a programming job with no experience is yourself.

Why Students Struggle Getting a Job After Coding Bootcamp

Nov 19, 2020 by Zulie Rane

Imagine, like so many folks, that you decide what you want to study when you’re just 18. You go to college, finish a four-year degree in mechanical engineering, and then realize what you actually want to do is get a job in coding. There are tons of benefits - pay, flexibility, personal satisfaction. It’s a no-brainer.

How Long Does It Take To Learn To Code?

Nov 10, 2020 by Zulie Rane

There are so many obvious reasons to learn to code: freelancing opportunities, career advancement, salary increase, and personal satisfaction among others. The advantages are so many that it’s worth the investment, no matter how many obstacles you might encounter.