Coding boot camp

Hi! I went to a code school five years ago and have been working as a Software Engineer ever since! I learned so much during the process…* Deciding what and how much to learn is really, really hard. There’s tons of opinions out there on stacks and languages. This is an advantage of code schools and online programs; since they lay out the curriculum for you. But, you’ll need have in mind what kind of career you are going for so that you are on the right track (backend, front end, web, mobile, AI, ML, etc.).* Learn how you learn best. It took me a long time to realize just sitting and reading text isn’t my ideal way to learn; in fact, I learn best by watching videos and coding along. If you struggle learning, it may be a mismatch in your learning style and the format. I recommended trying out different formats, to see what is easiest for you. One of my video favorites is zerotomastery.io. Jeanett186‘s suggestion of freecodecamp is also great. I personally know two engineers that learned on freecodecamp and got hired.* Self-paced / solo learning may only get you so far. At some point you’ll need to work with other people to build a project in order to understand what software development is really like. You’ll learn tons and (hopefully) make some friends. Code schools usually have a lot of group or pair learning (which is a big reason why I decided to go to one). But you can also get this experience by joining tech meetups or groups like Women Who Code and participate is Hackathons or find a study group of similar people who you could work with. Look on Meetup to find a local group in your area. These may also be good places to find a mentor.* Code schools are expensive, and curriculums vary widely, and so do their results. Make sure you do your research. Find out their most recent cohort’s hiring/salary numbers. You can even ask to talk with a recent grad to get their experience. Ask lots of questions: How do they select applicants? What career resources do they offer? What level are their students getting hired at (apprentice? junior/entry? mid?)? What is the previous job experience of their instructors? Why did they pick this specific tech stack? How are they funded? How are they fairing during this recession etc.I hope this helps! Good luck on your coding journey!