Ethan Remembers the Tips and Tricks he learned at Sabio and Carried to his Job

Ethan was in tech already in the military. But being an IT technician isn’t a direct runway for entering software development. He knew he needed a bootcamp. When a friend of his recommended Sabio, the choice was easy. “[I] talked to the administration. [They] told me everything I needed to know, felt really good about it. So joined Sabio and then no regrets. I really enjoyed it.”

Going through the 17-week program, Ethan really enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the program. It was something he was used to in the military. But probably the hardest part was identifying when he was stuck and going in circles. He recalls a piece of advice he heard from Gregorio, CTO and Co-Founder of Sabio: “Frustration can be blinding.” He held onto that phrase like a mantra and whenever he would get bogged down, he would jump on the queue and talk things out with the instructors. “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.”

Time-blocking is something they really drive home at Sabio. So the ability to step away from a problem, talk it out with instructors and classmates, all while compartmentalizing your day is essential. Those same skills carry through into the job search process.

But after Ethan “spammed” his resume out to hundreds of companies, he was shocked by the radio silence he received that first week. “There was no response, nothing. And then I got advice from a buddy of mine who is in tech as well…he said, Just wait. It goes in floods.” The next week, Ethan woke up to a packed inbox of emails and interviews awaiting.

One hiring manager was so eager to speak to him he asked to do the interview in 30 minutes from the initial outreach. That one didn’t turn into a job but it was good practice. Ethan remembers the qualities that helped him master the interview process: “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.”