Danielle Mizrachi
Nov 1 · 4 min read

Tips for Staying Sane While Applying for a Software Engineering Role

After I graduated from Flatiron school’s immersive software engineering program, I felt on top of the world. I was one of the few people from our cohort that had made it through the program and graduated on time. I felt confident and proud that I could build an app, and that I took the risk of trying something unrelated to my past experiences to find something I love doing.

Feeling accomplished!

I started optimistically applying for jobs and …

So for anyone who has recently graduated from a coding bootcamp, here are some tips on how I have been staying sane while job hunting:

  1. Decide on what you really want

Do you want to be a front-end developer or a full-stack developer? Do you want to join a baby startup or a more established company? Deciding on what size company and type of role I wanted helped me focus. Initially, I was applying for all different types of jobs at many different sized companies and industries, but it quickly became too much.

2. Free yourself of any time expectations

Every week after I graduated I would stress myself out with: it has already been two weeks since I graduated and I don’t have a full-time job yet!? Finding a job is already a long process, finding a job AND making a career change is an even longer process. I connected with and spoke to many bootcamp grads that successfully found jobs after graduating; for some of them it took 5 months and for others it took 2. You will get to where you want to be, but it takes time, patience, and consistency. Once I let go of any expectations around how long it would take me to find the right fit, I was a lot less stressed. If you still want some source of income during the search, create a profile on upwork or fiverr and apply for some freelance work.

3. Stick to a schedule

I LOVE working more than anyone else I know. I love waking up and going to an office, meeting with a team, and working towards a common goal. I hadn’t been truly (f)unemployed since I was 14 (which, by the way, is the minimum age to legally work in CT). This is why sticking to a routine has been so important for me. I still wake up early everyday, go to the gym, have phone interviews in the morning, and then head to the library to spend the rest of the day on whatever project or studying I need to do. Which leads me to my next point on prioritizing your time.

4. Prioritize

If you’re a programmer, you know how much there is to learn — it is truly never ending! This is part of the reason why I decided to pursue learning how to code. There was one week where I was trying to practice complex algorithm problems, teach myself Java, complete a project, take a technical test and complete phone screenings. This was not sustainable. Now, I establish 3 goals I have in mind for the day, and plan my schedule accordingly.

5. Learn to let go and rest when you need to

Try not to get too caught up on a company or role — although it may not feel like it, there will always be another job opening and company. Engineering is still one of the most in demand skills out there. If you are feeling burnt out and unmotivated, take the day off and enjoy some of the nice things about unemployment like line-free grocery stores and long walks outside. The day is yours!

6. Find a passion project

The coding interview process is brutal and can sometimes make you forget how wonderful programming is. I like to set some time during the week to work on a “passion project.” Don’t take the name too seriously… it just means a project you can get excited about building. I recently took design inspiration from poolside.fm to start building an app that I could use to organize myself with a calendar, my notes, to dos, priorities, and some zen music.

7. Know your value

It can be tempting to accept the first job offer you get, but you didn’t work this hard to get a position that wouldn’t help you towards reaching your goal. Write down all of the things that have made you a valuable employee or teammate in the past; these skills, in addition to your technical know-how, make you a great candidate.

8. Find a coding community in your area

Many of the things I’ve listed here I learned from talking to people. Finding a community has helped me stay engaged and motivated during the process. And who knows? Somewhere down the line someone might think of you for a job opening. People are nice and want to help, especially those who have been in this position before.

In conclusion,

Danielle Mizrachi

Written by

Coffee addict, marketer turned software engineer. Can tell you at least 3 facts learned from podcasts on the fly.

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