u/ksnyder1 wrote (the comment Michael replied to):
How would you recommend someone handle a long resume gap either after a bootcamp or between early career jobs? I've avoided any sort of "Self employed engineer" position on my resume/Linkedin but as it becomes 8-10 months since last working I'm certainly concerned the gap could b
u/michaelnovati replied · ★ FEATURED
Hi, it highly depends on your specific experience. Having a gap can be fine if you had many years of experience prior. If you left and did a bootcamp and that's why you have a gap, then I would consider putting it under education.
Honestly, it's incredibly hard and there's only so much you can do. Which is why when I surveilled Codesmith grads, like 80, 90% of people were significantly exaggerating or flat out lying. It's an ends justify the means argument that if they can do well on the job, it's wrong for them to be disqualified due to lack of experience, so fudging it a bit is fine.
I know a lot of people that choose to exaggerate as a result as well. I think there are major problems by doing that, BUT I'm more centrist on the issue.
What I'm extremely against is Codesmith not being transparent about how things are so that you can make a grown up choice. Instead it's more of a brainwashing "you arrrrrre a senior engineer, you arrre a senior engineer", so you just make a resume that reflects that without realizing what you are even doing.
WHAT I WOULD PERSONALLY DO:
1. Start a company, make an LLC, and run that from day 1 at the bootcamp even if it's a freelancing company. Build something real that you launch publicly and iterate on for 8 to 10 months. And put THIS on your resume.
2. Emphasize recent and current projects. Don't frame them as "experience" but list the dates and show that you have been working on real projects, full time.
3. Most importantly, target the right jobs and companies. Don't go for mid level jobs, don't go for FAANG jobs. Go for internships, apprenticeships, work for free or contract for YCombinator startups, etc...
4. Consider a masters degree in CS and try to get some internships ASAP.
5. Consider returning to your old field at a company that has internal pathways to becoming a SWE.