I better add another blog post before I forget and it falls out of habit (even though, it’s not habit, yet, to write them).
Today, I’m learning about the sprint? Essentially, on Skillcrush, we’re working with a made up client and are making changes on their pre-existing WordPress (WordPress doesn’t recognize its own name?) site and then giving it back to them for review, more changes, and ultimately, uploading the site. The length of the sprint I am being lead through is supposed to take a week per sprint. My grind is a lot more involved though and I’m pumping out these sprints almost daily.
It’s not so much that I need the money, so I’m hustling super extra hard. I mean… I do need the money because I’ve run out, but really this grind and stand is about two things. Though, above all I’d like to work for myself, since I’ll probably most likely be searching out a job before I can sustain freelancing, I want to be doing something that challenges me while enjoying my work and I want a good boss. I’m not sure web development can provide the good boss, yet, but I surely know this is something I enjoy and will always be challenged. Because of this, I am really trying to grind through these programs.
Now, this brings up an interesting idea. Most of these programs are set up to work about 0.5 to 2 hours a day, four to seven days a week. So, normally, they take up quite a good amount of time. Though, when completed, people can say something like, “I’ve been coding for a year through this course” and get to apply to jobs where companies are looking for people with a # of years of experience. How exactly do I then market myself?
I’m spending 5 to 16 hours a day doing these bootcamp/coding development courses. I’m essentially getting all the same input/value/time-spent/whatever out of these, but it’s taking me far fewer days. I finished the Web Developer’s Bootcamp (by Colt Steele) from Udemy in a month even though it’s supposed to take people 3 to 6 months. So then what do I say? If I say on my resume or to an interviewer I only have 1 year of experience, then am I technically telling the truth or technically lying? This year alone I’ve finished an Android Dev course, two web dev bootcamp courses, and now am almost done with this Skillcrush career “Blueprint”. Normally, it’s suggested this course load should take 2 to 4 years based on what the courses depict.
So what then do I do? Is what I’m doing bad? How do I describe it on paper so it’s a good thing? I like to think I’m hyper-focused with the ability to stay on task and critical think. When I get into an interview, maybe that point will be harder to explain? I guess we’ll see.
P.S. I apologize for the writing/grammar of this and future posts. This is my first legit blog, so I can only get better. I’m a decent writer (outside of this), I just need to figure out how to let that shine. So here’s to a better blog in 2018!