Why does nobody talk about coding bootcamps burning you out

Honestly, I did a 12-week bootcamp last spring in Austin and by week 8 I was running on 4 hours of sleep and crying in the bathroom. The pace was insane, we were supposed to learn React in like 5 days. I thought it was just me being slow, but then three other people in my cohort dropped out by week 10 from stress. I got a job after but I felt so fried I couldn't even enjoy it for the first three months. Now I'm thinking about switching to a slower online program for a second cert, but I'm worried it won't look as good on a resume. Has anyone else dealt with feeling wrecked after a bootcamp and found a better way to learn?

2 comments

2 Comments

brookerobinson23d ago

Whoa hold on, I gotta disagree a bit. I did a 12 week bootcamp in Denver and yeah the pace was rough but I think that pressure is what made me actually ready for real dev work. My boss said bootcamp grads who take it slow usually struggle more with deadlines on the job. If you need a slower pace, go for it, but don't expect employers to see it the same way as a hardcore bootcamp.

matthewh2823d ago

But don't you think the high pressure just burns people out faster... I seen a bunch of bootcamp grads in my area quit within the first year because they couldn't keep that pace going. Learning fast is one thing but surviving in the job long term is another.