u/sheriffderek wrote (the comment Michael replied to):
If they didn’t have so many layers to start in the first place, I’d be happy they had 10%. But when have the pre courses and the testing and the bootcamp and the help after and the supposed connections (and having filtered so many people out to begin with) - and they get less
u/michaelnovati replied · · edited ★ FEATURED
Yeah exactly, and on my side with my work hat on, I see a number of Codesmith grads (but really bootcamp grads more broadly) who still fell lost a few years into their careers.
Maybe there is a layoff, maybe you changed companies three times but aren't progressing to 'Senior', etc...
Codesmith in particular has some people in their career support that market themselves to grads as industry experts who are all you need for the rest of your career, and it's like two people who have reasonable points of view but FAR FROM 'all you need' and it's really HARMING GRADS I TALK TO.
Things like:
1. Someone told me today that a leader was telling people about a special deal to sell options to Codesmith's partner if you leave your startup and can't afford to exercise them when you leave.
This is something companies help with for 10 to 15+ YEARS, since the 2000 bubble, and there are all kinds of loans and different options here but the person who flagged this felt like the leader made it sound like you have to do this through Codesmith to be able to and it's a special options.
2. Bad negotiation advice resulting in withdrawn offers for companies that do not negotiate for real
3. Mock interviews but there are like only a handful of people who do them and those people are only a couple years into their careers.
4. Career Support Engineers telling you to "work on your buzzwords more" and helping people exaggerate their resumes.
5. Texting someone to not go to my company because it's a waste of money and the leader will give them 'all they need' through Codesmith alumni services.
Don't get me wrong. I REALLY appreciate a bootcamp TRYING to offer lifelong support, they just are offering barely minimal superficial support and calling it a Picasso. They should just be more realistic and let their grads free.
It's a really weird control mechanism - like they want people to believe that they can get everything they need from career services so that the people never leave? or just so they feel needed and valuable and good about themselves like out of enjoyment of feeling useful?
I'm not sure, I'm not a psychologist, but it might be better if they just didn't offer these things and let their alumni free to explore the outside world and get the help they need, be it with open source, companies, other bootcamp grads, paid programs, online programs, etc...