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RubyConf 2016 - You graduated from bootcamp, now what? by Melanie Gilman Throughout bootcamp, your biggest worry was finding a job. Now that you’ve found one and you’ve started your career as a developer, what comes next? In this talk, we’ll explore what the career of a bootcamp graduate looks like a few years after the program. We’ll talk about the good and not-so-good parts of being a newly-minted developer. We’ll come away with actionable steps we can take to continue to grow as developers post-bootcamp and be happy and successful, even when we don’t have the mythical perfect job.
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In the talk "You Graduated from Bootcamp, Now What?" presented by Melanie Gilman at RubyConf 2016, the speaker reflects on her personal journey as a bootcamp graduate and shares insights on the next steps in a developer's career after leaving bootcamp. The presentation addresses the challenges and opportunities that new developers face, as well as actionable strategies to continue growing in their careers. ### Key Points: - **Career Transition:** Gilman discusses her initial struggles in finding her path after graduating from law school, which ultimately led her to enroll in a coding bootcamp, Hungry Academy, where she trained in Ruby on Rails. - **First Job Experience:** After graduating from the bootcamp, she secured a position at LivingSocial, where she faced initial challenges transitioning from bootcamp to a formal work environment. She highlights that it took around six months for her to feel comfortable and productive in her role. - **Support System:** While working at LivingSocial, she enjoyed being part of a large engineering team with diverse talents but noted the challenges of support and feedback during her early days. She lacked regular code reviews, which impacted her development process. - **Learning from Mistakes:** Gilman emphasizes the importance of learning from errors and experiencing failures as a necessary part of growth, which she practiced during her time at LivingSocial. - **Mentorship:** Gilman credits a mentor who helped her navigate her career post-LivingSocial by connecting her with job opportunities at Thoughtbot, where she pursued a consultancy role and explored clean coding practices. - **Career Progression:** At Thoughtbot, she gained significant experience across various projects, benefitting from a strong mentorship culture and learning opportunities. However, she eventually left when she found her learning plateauing and sought deeper product ownership. - **Personal Reflection:** The talk concludes with reflections on the various career trajectories of her fellow bootcamp graduates. It emphasizes that no job is perfect, and it's essential for individuals to identify their priorities and seek roles aligning with those values as their careers progress. ### Conclusions/Takeaways: - Every job has its pros and cons; finding fulfillment involves understanding what matters to you as a developer. - Continuous learning is vital post-bootcamp to adapt and thrive in different roles. - Engaging with mentors and seeking feedback can significantly influence career growth.
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