How to prepare for coding bootcamp?

Does it even make sense for you to prepare for a coding boot camp?

You need to start with the “Why” before you take action on anything.

Hence, if you are still on the fence of deciding whether you want to become a software developer, check out my last blog post about the 10 Reasons Why I Changed from Software Sales to Software Development in 2019.

The blog is written as a self-qualification design to help you make that decision to take the next step if you resonate with 7 out of the 10 reasons and arguments provided.

I highly recommend going through my last blog post where I scope out the most powerful question you ask yourself, “Why”.

Not only do I provide the “Why”, but I also list out arguments that support each of these “Whys” and illustrations to bring the “Whys” into life.

It’s a comprehensive read for a good reason: for you to self-qualify yourself as a person who, based on reason, should take solid steps towards actions.

After you do that, this blog picks up on that to help you prepare for future execution.

Who Is This Message For?

This blog is a reflection of myself 2 years ago, who was in the process of making this decision and preparing to execute on a plan for the future. That future, is happening now.

I’ve also added extra insight on how I could have improved during that 1-2 year preparation period to potentially help you shrink that preparation time closer to 6 months.

Hindsight is 20/20 applies extremely well during my self-reflection. The value of this reflection for you is to help you save time if you intend to make this journey for yourself also.

How Should You Use This Blog?

You have to take this preparation period seriously and treat it as a mini-coding-bootcamp for yourself.

Take action. I’ve laid out action steps per category of discipline to help you prepare for a coding bootcamp.

Commit to taking action on this content versus content shopping around the internet. Granted, this probably isn’t perfect content and I’ve missed including other valuable insight.

However, for what it’s worth, the indexed content presented in this blog will help you make your first steps.

4 Best Ways To Prepare for Coding Bootcamp

#1 Self-Preparation: Starting With You

(A) Start With Your Why Story: The 5 Ws and 1 H

Simon Sinek champions the argument to always start with the “Why”. This is coupled with the other 4 “W”s and eventually into the the iterative “H” or the “How” aspect of your story.

Frame your Who, which should be you in your own story narrative.

Then write out What happened? When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

And the most powerful “W” (in my opinion), Why did it happen?

Lastly, from all these, you can scope out your How and take action.

Here is my rendition on this exercise:

(Who) I am looking to switch careers in the future into software development because I think it’s a better fit for me.

(What) I came to this conclusion based own my dissatisfaction in my current career (Sales), and it was a painful experience.

(Where) In my last several sales jobs, I’ve personally experienced and witness both the negative and pros of this career in myself and my co-workers and decided in 2019 (When) to make a decisive career change.

The main reason I’ve decided to do this (Why) is because I’ve experienced enough pain and challenge in my current career to catalyst a movement towards change to switch to software development.

(How) I plan to take solid actions towards this goal of mine by preparing for and joining a coding bootcamp.

When you have this small paragraph that defines these 5 Ws and 1 H, then you have complied a strong basis to support you through your change because all of these points empower your “Why” for change.