Should I apply to jobs while I'm still in the main curriculum?
Learn more on our thoughts regarding this topic.
It really depends on your level when you start applying. In general, applying to jobs while you are still working on anywhere before completion of any individual Level 2 programmes is often a bad idea. Let's discuss why.
Usually, getting a job is a numbers game. For example, you apply to 200 jobs, do 10 interviews, and receive 2 job offers. If you only apply to one job, chances are that you will get rejected and will waste your precious time.
Most interview processes require you to complete a few coding challenges, several technical and behavioural interviews, and often some coding project that takes a few days to complete. Applying to a job is very time-consuming.
Interviewing well is an art -- you need to look really strong at technical and behavioural questions, and the only way to get that is with practice. The main goal of our Career Prep curriculum is to give you that practice.
Finally, getting an offer is the most important step, but you should negotiate after receiving an offer. The best leverage to negotiate is having other offers and other companies interested in you. This means that the way to maximize your opportunities (and salary), is to go all-in and apply to a lot of jobs in a short period of time.
If you apply to 1-2 jobs while you are in the Program, you will most likely end up wasting your time, getting distracted from your main goal, and having a salary below what you can really make if you play this the right way.
Unless the job opportunity is an incredible fit for you and you know the company, their application process, and they know you and can make a decision very quickly, we recommend against applying to jobs while you are still working on the main curriculum.
Instead, we recommend that you focus on finishing the main curriculum and that you leverage our career prep curriculum, career coaches, and hiring partners, to maximize your opportunities only when you are ready to go all in after finishing with the main curriculum.
However, we have a few extremely talented and driven candidates who landed internships/jobs before even completing the curriculum. So it really depends on many factors - luck, connections, social skills. But to play it safe and to summarise this article, we would recommend you to complete at least one individual Level 2 course (frontend, backend or mobile app development) before applying for jobs.
It really depends on your level when you start applying. In general, applying to jobs while you are still working on anywhere before completion of any individual Level 2 programmes is often a bad idea. Let's discuss why.
Usually, getting a job is a numbers game. For example, you apply to 200 jobs, do 10 interviews, and receive 2 job offers. If you only apply to one job, chances are that you will get rejected and will waste your precious time.
Most interview processes require you to complete a few coding challenges, several technical and behavioural interviews, and often some coding project that takes a few days to complete. Applying to a job is very time-consuming.
Interviewing well is an art -- you need to look really strong at technical and behavioural questions, and the only way to get that is with practice. The main goal of our Career Prep curriculum is to give you that practice.
Finally, getting an offer is the most important step, but you should negotiate after receiving an offer. The best leverage to negotiate is having other offers and other companies interested in you. This means that the way to maximize your opportunities (and salary), is to go all-in and apply to a lot of jobs in a short period of time.
If you apply to 1-2 jobs while you are in the Program, you will most likely end up wasting your time, getting distracted from your main goal, and having a salary below what you can really make if you play this the right way.
Unless the job opportunity is an incredible fit for you and you know the company, their application process, and they know you and can make a decision very quickly, we recommend against applying to jobs while you are still working on the main curriculum.
Instead, we recommend that you focus on finishing the main curriculum and that you leverage our career prep curriculum, career coaches, and hiring partners, to maximize your opportunities only when you are ready to go all in after finishing with the main curriculum.
However, we have a few extremely talented and driven candidates who landed internships/jobs before even completing the curriculum. So it really depends on many factors - luck, connections, social skills. But to play it safe and to summarise this article, we would recommend you to complete at least one individual Level 2 course (frontend, backend or mobile app development) before applying for jobs.
Updated on: 19/09/2022
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