u/michaelnovati replied · · edited ★ FEATURED
Hi, I think this overview is pretty fair from my understanding, and I can summarize what I can corroborate from multiple sources. I have a lot to say good and bad about Codesmith - overall a balanced view, but these specifically are things corroborated by others and the **ALL CAPS BOLD** are my **PERSONAL OPINIONS.**
1. The free lectures and courses ARE the marketing funnel so they are intentionally trying to move people through to the immersive. So they represent a more high touch experience than the actual imersive.
2. I know someone from Oxford who talks about "hard learning" and it's reputation for just meaning "teach yourself" and I think Will is bringing this approach to Codesmith intentionally. That said, it might work for some people - Oxford is a great school and I think their admission process is essentially weeding out people who won't do well in that environment. As a result of the 20 to 30% drop in people signing up, and keeping admissions opened until a few weeks before a cohort starts has resulting in more people being admitted without being as well vetted - even if their closures/recursion is at the bar.
3. Will's tone has changed recently on the midlevel senior - shockingly so - he now says Codesmith grads get "real SWE jobs" and the "title is irrelevant" so I'm hoping to see that tone change. **IT IS NOT IMPOSTER SYNDROME PREVENTING YOU FROM GETTING A SENIOR ROLE - IT'S A GENUINE EXPERIENCE GAP.**
4. Eric K sold his company to Disney and then became a semi-retired Hollywood screenwriter. In my personal, biased, opinion, he doesn't have tech industry experience to lead thousands of people into top tier tech roles. I've heard his job search and negotiation advice and it's very solid - it's similar to what industry career coaches would give, not better, not worse. I know a lot of grads worship him because they got a $140K mid level job and think they couldn't have done it without him, but they are missing the point... **A TRUE CAREER COACH WITH EXPERIENCE IN THE TECH INDUSTRY WILL HELP YOU FIND THE RIGHT ROLE AND NEGOTIATE THE BEST SALARY FOR THAT ROLE, NOT PUSH YOU TO GET THE HIGHEST PAYING MOST SENIOR TITLE.**
5. I don't think CIRR numbers are fake or unreliable, there are just a lot of games being played. "fellows" get their grad dates delayed by 3 or more months to buy time and boost placement rates. [Para.dev](https://Para.dev) "hires" alumni back and pays them like $1X0K+ run rates on 5 week/or short term contracts so those could count as placements in theory.
6. All of the Codesmith alumni I know (well the vast majority, there are a handful that use super unprofessional language towards me) are really great people and I think that's what keeps the reputation going. They are just really hard working, ambitious, awesome people and awesome people + awesome people has a snowball effect.