Top 9 Habits of a Successful Coding Bootcamp Student

When planning your future career, there are several things that you simply must have in mind. You commit to something that you can envision yourself doing for the rest of your life. Even though this factor can be extremely important, it should never be a determining one on its own.

Keep in mind that you also need to set for yourself on a path that will take you somewhere professionally. We are, of course, speaking about a promising job that is in demand and pays well. It offers you a chance for advancement and constant upgrade. In this field, IT as a branch is second to none.

Still, becoming an IT expert is far from easy. Most prestigious IT schools are extremely hard to get in, and that is the easy part. For this reason alone, it would be for the best if you were to enlist in a bootcamp that will prepare you for all that is to come. In order to increase your effectiveness in a coding bootcamp, here are the top 9 habits that will help you succeed.

1.  Google is Your Best Friend

Our favourite search engine will be your best friend in the bootcamp. If you phrase your question correctly, you are most likely to get good answers and references straight off the first page. Your software developer career will depend heavily on successful searches, as there are plenty of useful resources already stacked in the internet database. If you use Google on a daily basis, you will become a proficient user and learn how to combine it with other useful software.

2.  Know Your Limits

Before you even start, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. This will enable you to know exactly what areas of your knowledge need further polishing and what you can safely rely on. Being realistic about your abilities and capabilities will help you avoid disappointment and enable you to set some achievable goals in your future.

3.  Visualize Your Goals

The easiest way to see for yourself if the camp is effective enough, is to set some goals and work towards achieving them. By managing to fulfill these goals you be able to rest assured that you did all that was in your power. However, it might take time for you to achieve what you visualized, so try to set some milestones and checkpoints along the way. This will allow you to constantly monitor your progress.

4.  Always Question Things

Questioning constantly the methods that you use and that others use will most certainly get you places. Try to figure out what are the characteristics that are required for success and then act accordingly. You can either evaluate the success of your own efforts or undertake to pinpoint what it is that brings success to the people around you. There is nothing nobler than constantly looking for a way to improve yourself.

5.  Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

Although it is always wise to borrow good habits from other people, you should never compare yourself to them or try to compete. This will only sidetrack you and take you off the right course. The only person you should be competing with and try to impress is yourself. Persevere in endeavor to outdo yourself on every next challenge since this the most important thing in building a winner personality.

6.  Balance Independence and Teamwork

One of the most important things in life is learning how to become self-reliant. This means that whenever you can, you should definitely try to be the maker of your own success. One effective way to achieve this goal would be to develop your professional skills through one of the information technology Upskilled courses.

Of course, there will be times when you will not be able to carry all the weight by yourself. Sometimes you will have to team up with your peers in order to succeed. This is why it is essential for you to get accustomed to working in teams as early as possible. As they say in the army “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” Try to find your method for working in a group, either by doing your part of the job flawlessly, or by coordinating.

7.  Don’t Hesitate to Ask Questions

You did your best to get into this bootcamp. Chances are, even with all the trouble you went through, entry fees are quite serious. It is for this reason alone that you need to use the chance and privilege you have here so, if all else fails do not be afraid to ask your instructors for help. After all, they are here to help you become a genuine and successful software developer. Always keep in mind that they are there for you.

8.  Build Side Projects

Now, building side projects is essential in order to demonstrate your entrepreneurship. Furthermore, here, everything you have learnt, in theory, will come to test. Because of this, it is absolutely vital that you engage in a side project or two while in the bootcamp. This is definitely something that will prepare you for your later workplace.

9.  Get Enough Sleep

Quality sleep is what is vital for any student. Even though it may often seem as if you have no time to “waste” on things as trivial as sleep, this can have a devastating effect on your mental health. Getting a good night’s sleep will make you more prepared to deal with various tasks at hand. Being in a state of alertness is always essential when dealing with things that require a lot of focus and concentration.

In the end, going to a coding bootcamp can mean a world for your future career. If you look at it this way it is definitely worth your while. However, the thing that will determine the successfulness of this bootcamp the most are some of your own personal habits and the way you approach this whole situation. Seeing as your future is at stake here, this is not something that you should take lightly.

About the Author

Oscar Waterworth is an aspiring blogger and a tech enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. Being a father of two and a working man, he somehow manages to find the time to write up an occasional post. He usually writes about technology and marketing. In his free time he likes to travel and play futsal with his kids.