Why Bootcamps Don’t Deliver Jobs (Even After You Graduate)
Zubin Pratap
How to Avoid the Bootcamp Trap That Leaves Most Career-Changers Jobless
I'm going to explain why so many people go through coding bootcamps… and still end up stuck.
How do I know this?
Because almost half the students in the Inner Circle Program are ex bootcamp grads.
And the reasons they’re not able to get jobs is exactly why I quit my “top rated” silicon valley bootcamp just 1 week into it.
If you're pivoting into tech, a bootcamp “seems” like the fastest, most efficient way in.
And to be fair, some people do get jobs after. Often at the bootcamp as an “instructor”.
But for most mid-career professionals, it’s not even close to enough…
Unfortunately, what bootcamps teach you is how to learn code. That’s it.
They don’t teach you how to out compete an established market of seasoned engineers.
They do not teach you how to get hired.
Here’s the real problem.
Bootcamps are designed for scale, not personalization.
They push everyone through the same pipeline—even though your story, strengths, and challenges are completely different.
Other reasons people don’t land jobs after bootcamps?
Reason #1: No support in translating bootcamp projects into career capital - don’t panic if you don’t know what this means. The bootcamp “career counsellors” don’t either. They’ve never actually changed careers themselves…
Reason #2: No training on how to yourself before interviews and without resumes. If your strategy for getting noticed is your resume—well that has not worked for anyone since the 1980s.
Reason #3: Bootcamps don’t train you on how hiring managers actually think. Why? Because they’re not actually hiring managers, let alone hiring managers in tech.
Reason #4: Most programs end before your real struggle even begins—job search execution. Learning to code is the easy part. JavaScript or Python or whatever have identical rules no matter which country you’re in, or how crowded the competition. But the labor market has wildly different rules and dynamics, even between cities in the same country!
Here’s how to actually make the leap after your bootcamp (or instead of it)
Step 1: Stop waiting to feel “ready.”
Hiring doesn’t reward the most prepared person. It rewards the one who signals readiness and ability. Build the ONE thing that will prove you know how to code. Then apply before you feel perfect. Confidence is built and proven whilst in motion.
Step 2: Learn to reframe your story.
Your advantage isn’t just code—it’s everything you bring from your previous career. But if you talk like a bootcamp grad with 0 experience, they’ll treat you like one. Even worse, if you focus on the “learning to code” part of your story they’ll treat you like a 21 year old college grade with no “real world” experience. Learn to position yourself like a peer. Not a “junior developer” or intern.
Step 3: Join a smaller tribe with deeper support.
If the program you’re doesn’t spend a LOT of time getting to know you and your life, how can they give you the instructions you need? In other words, if you’re just a number to them, then they can only give you generic guidance. ChatGPT can do that too. They’re both equally useless when you REALLY get stuck.
You don’t want to be the meat in someone else's nugget factory.
You don’t need more tutorials. You need a plan, accountability, structure, and support tailored to where you are in life.
Every week I break down all these angles to career change to coach. I know life gets busy. Life also gets shorter every day.
So invest your time in what makes sense for your future, not what makes today more “entertaining”
If you want guaranteed zero BS reality doses on learning to code then check out
👉 My podcast here: YouTube | Spotify
👉 Check out the Parsity Inner Circle here: https://parsity.io/inner-circle
Three ways we can help you:
1. Wondering what learning to code actually means?
Becoming a coder is much more than just "learning to code" some languages. When I got hired at Google, for example, I didnt know 3 out of the 4 languages I had to write every day.
Check out
My FreeCodeCamp Course --> Before You Learn To Code (Video).
Updated version (including Google and other big tech experiences)
2. Inner Circle (Free Preview Included)
Our personalized, intensive mentorship program designed to help career changers go from zero to software developer—and actually get hired. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re ready to commit, we’ll walk with you every step.
Preview the Inner Circle Program -> free preview.
Apply for Inner Circle → parsity.io/inner-circle
3. Dev30
Want to learn the basics, but not quite ready for the Parsity Inner Circle? No problems - Try the Dev30 challenge!
It’s our 30-day JavaScript sprint focused on building real projects, learning in public, and creating a network in tech.
Join dev30 → dev30.xyz
Career Change To Tech
Career change to code? Learning to code is not enough. Not even close. Just like learning how to dribble doesn't make you a pro ball player. There are 7 steps. So you need 7 campaigns. My newsletter is your unfair advantage on each. You also get access to my Podcast and other free resources - each of which help you understand exactly how I went from 37yo lawyer to Google Engineer.
