This document provides an overview of getting started in tech. It discusses what tech careers exist, common career trajectories like front-end developer and back-end developer, and how to break into the tech industry through learning to code, building a portfolio of work, networking, and preparing for technical interviews. Thinkful is highlighted as an option for learning coding through 1-on-1 mentorship and project-based learning to help students find jobs in tech.

1. Getting Started in Tech
August 2017
WIFI: Cartel Guest
http://bit.ly/phx-techtalk
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2. Instructor
Sean Jun
Thinkful Graduate
Software Developer, Intel
TA
Jessica Cottrell
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3. About you
What's your name?
What brought you here today?
What is your programming experience?
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4. About Thinkful
Thinkful helps people become developers or data scientists
through 1-on-1 mentorship and project-based learning
These workshops are built using this approach.These workshops are built using this approach.
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5. What is "tech"?
Tech isn’t just one industry anymore — it’s the new business
model. Every company is now a tech company.
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6. "Software is Eating the World"
“More and more major businesses and
industries are being run on software and
delivered as online services — from movies
to agriculture to national defense. Many of
the winners are Silicon Valley-style
entrepreneurial technology companies that
are invading and overturning established
industry structures. Over the next 10 years, I
expect many more industries to be disrupted
by software, with new world-beating Silicon
Valley companies doing the disruption in
more cases than not.”
- Marc Andreeson, WSJ, 2011
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7. Largest in their areas - all tech based companies
Retail
Public Transportation
Social Media
Advertising
Entertainment
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8. Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a
leading global investment banking
Lloyd Blankfein, CEO
“Goldman Sachs is a Technology Firm”
9,000 out of 33,000 employees are on
tech team
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9. The Good News
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
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10. The implications for jobs
Increased demand in for technical skills
Creation of new “software plus” jobs
Diffusion of tech organizational culture, roles, and processes
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11. One such process — career trajectory
Junior sales
Account
executive
Sales
Manager
VP Sales
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12. In “tech”, career trajectories are varied
Front End Developer
Back End Developer
Full Stack Developer
QA Developer
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13. In “tech”, career trajectories are varied
Front End Developer
Back End Developer
Full Stack Developer
QA Developer
Manager / team lead
Reliability Engineer
Growth Hacker
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Product Developer
Dev Ops
Architect

14. In “tech”, career trajectories are varied
Front End Developer
Back End Developer
Full Stack Developer
QA Developer
Manager / team lead
Reliability Engineer
Growth Hacker
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Product Developer
Dev Ops
Architect

15. Common First Jobs
Front End Developer
Back End Developer
Full Stack Developer
QA Developer
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16. Front End Developer
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17. Back End Developer
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18. Full Stack Developer
+
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19. QA Developer
Write software tests and conduct manual tests to catch bugs
before they’re shipped
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20. Next Step: Senior Developer
Everything that came before with the ability to estimate your
work accurately, handle challenging problems with less
support, and add support for junior colleagues
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21. Coding plus Roles
Coding + Product = Product Manager
Coding + Marketing = Growth Hacker
Coding + Sales = Sales Engineer
Coding + Data = Data Scientist
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22. Product Manager (Coding + Product)
Skills & ToolsSkills & Tools
Customer research
Customer development
User stories
Wireframes
Project management
Analytics
Turn business goals into product requirements. Work with
designers & developers to deliver — measure success
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23. Growth Hacker (Coding + Marketing)
Skills & ToolsSkills & Tools
Rapid prototyping
Analytics
Communication
Design & implement experiments to drive customer
acquisition and engagement
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24. Sales Engineer (Coding + Sales)
Skills & ToolsSkills & Tools
Customer Support
Communication
Sell complex technical product by helping customer
understand how it works and how they’ll use it
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25. Data Scientist (Coding + Data)
Skills & ToolsSkills & Tools
Curiosity
Statistics
Analytics
Machine Learning
Use statistics and programming to find valuable insights
from extremely large datasets
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26. Breaking In
Massive shortages in tech industry
Hiring is based on skills, not credentials
Anyone can learn with a growth mindset
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27. Anyone Can Learn How to Code
Students with a growth mindset - the belief that intelligence is not
just something that you are born with - have higher levels of success.
Neural connections grow and become stronger the more youNeural connections grow and become stronger the more you
struggle with learning and correct your mistakes.struggle with learning and correct your mistakes.
Carol DweckCarol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University
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28. Many Firms Recruit from Coding Challenge Sites
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29. Technical Interview is Cornerstone of the Process
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30. How to get in the door?
Learn the skills
Build a portfolio of high quality work
Develop a relevant network
Prep for technical interviews
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31. Learning the Skills
Build stuff + Google
Free online resources (e.g. CodeAcademy)
Flexible coding bootcamps (e.g Thinkful)
Full-time coding bootcamps (e.g. GA)
Full degree programs (Georgia Tech)
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32. Building Your Portfolio
Find a niche (based on your background)
Build a personal website
Get your portfolio on GitHub
Try and find contract work
Have professionals guide & review your work
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33. Networking the Right Way
80% of job openings are never advertised
120 average applicants per job posted
20% get an interview
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34. Networking the Right Way
Cold applications suck!
Figure out what you want (size, industry, role, etc)
Reach out to someone that works at company
Ask them about their work, genuine interest, build a relationship
Eventually (1-2 months in), ask for referral
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35. Tech Recruiters
Tech recruiters serve as your agent
Can leverage their relationships to arrange interviews
They are incentivized to find you a job
You might get less say in where, but are helpful
Can be great in getting you feedback
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36. Thinkful Students Find Jobs Through Connections
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37. The Technical Interview
Phone screen
Take home tech challenge
In-person interviews
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38. Resources
Prep sites (e.g. Interview Cake)
Books (e.g. Cracking the Coding Interview)
Mock interviews with technical friends
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39. Thinkful - Structure and Support
More Structure
Less Structure
More SupportLess Support
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40. 325+ mentors325+ mentors with an average of
10 years of experience10 years of experience in the
field
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41. Support 'round the clock
Your Mentor
Q&A Sessions
Career Coach
In-person Workshops
Slack
Program Manager
YouYou
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42. Our results
91%91%job-placement rate + job guarantee
Kaeside IwuagwuKaeside Iwuagwu
Link for the third party audit jobs report:
https://www.thinkful.com/bootcamp-jobs-https://www.thinkful.com/bootcamp-jobs-
statsstats
Frontend Developer
Sierra GreggSierra Gregg
Software Engineer
JP EarnestJP Earnest
Web Developer
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43. Take a tour!
Talk to me (or email shannon@thinkful.com ) if you're interested
Get a tour of the program to see if
project-based, online learning is a
good fit for you.
Discuss the curriculum,
mentorship, and how to create
your own learning schedule.
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