Ethan E Alumni Spotlight

ETHAN:

If you're starting out in the bootcamp, really get used to utilizing the queue as frequently as possible. Instructor feedback is invaluable, but prioritizing my day was probably my best advice, especially when you're starting out. 

I was in the Navy, had spent six years there. I was an IT technician so I've always kind of been in tech. Right before I separated, I had a buddy of mine who was also separating and introduced me to VET TEC. He said, Look at this program. If you're wanting to really transition into software development, we have a lot of cool bootcamps to try out. So I basically went down the list and then found Sabio and then talked to the administration. Told me everything I needed to know, felt really good about it. So joined Sabio and then no regrets. I really enjoyed it. 

Q: Which Sabio program did you choose and how was it?

ETHAN:

So I did the 17 week program. It was a great experience, very fast paced. But being military, that's kind of the training environment I was used to so I actually really enjoyed that. Every day, something new, something to learn. 

Q: What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

ETHAN:

For me, it was mostly recognizing when I'm overly frustrated and learning when I need to step away and then come back. I remember one of--I think it was a video call with Gregorio, and he said, frustration can be blinding. And that kind of like really struck with me, just recognizing that, because I can't say how many times where I've been so frustrated with an issue thinking, it was something else. And then I come back to it later and it turns out to be a really, really small thing, whether it be just a small spelling error, something that should not have happened, but it did. And most the time I just learned to, when I was getting really, really frustrated, couldn't figure it out, hop on the queue, talk to the instructor, talk it out. And that was a lot of time. The best way I got to solve it because would help me work through that problem. 

Q: How was the job search process?

ETHAN:

The first week it was 100% dead. There was no response, nothing. And then I got advice from a buddy of mine who is in tech as well, but he said, Just wait. It goes in floods or you'll have one week where nothing, you won't have anything. But then you wake up Monday morning and you have an inbox of 30 some emails. You have recruiters trying to call, you have voicemails, and just like -- what in the world's going on. 

Q: What were your job interviews like?

ETHAN:

When I finally got my first interview, it was very much, Hey, we want to interview. I was like, Cool, when do you want to set it up, how about in 30 minutes? The big key is when you're talking to people, just be good at communicating and expressing yourself. Just don't be timid. Be as passionate about your technology as you can possibly be.

Q: What’s your job like now?

ETHAN:

My job is 100% remote. 8:00 to 5:00 Monday to Friday. Really, really good benefit package. Original offer that came in was $80,000. I kind of verbally took it on because I was kind of surprised because they were already kind of going above what my kind of baseline price was. I got some advice from someone very close to me and they said, See if they'll go to $85,000.

So I shot them an email and said, Hey, would you be willing to go up to $85,000 or a $5,000 sign-on bonus? And next thing I know, the next morning I got an email with the offer letter. “We're offering you $85k for your position.” So I was like, I was kind of dumbfounded for a second. Was not expecting them to get back.

But yeah, my advice is even if you get an offer that they meet all of your check boxes, don't be afraid to negotiate. Just say -- go up. Don't, don't go crazy with it. Don't try to -- like they offered me $80,000. I'm not going to go -- Would you say $90k, $95k? That's a little too much. But try to bump up an extra $5k.