Bootcamp as a CS grad

I wouldn't recommend a bootcamp right now. Codesmith is a program that markets to CS grads and people with more experience and even their placements rates as reported from recent alumni have dropped drastically since last reported. I have a few recommendations to look at... what works for you is ultimately a personal choice, but just things to consider: 1. Consider career accelerators: Formation.dev (disclosure: co-founder), Interview Kickstart, Outco, Pathrise, Coachable.dev, Scaler, are main ones to look at. These are all very different programs but they focus on fine tuning and enhancing existing skills and focus entirely on the job hunt. They pick up where bootcamps end basically. 2. Consider doing volunteer work at places like Hack4LA, or other Code For America branches. This is a way to get more realistic "volunteer work experience" that is a notch above a group project that you would do at a bootcamp. 3. If you are really stuck, proactively reach out to startups that you have a GENUINE connection to and offer to work for free for a month to show them your value. 4. Put a page on Upwork and try to do some small contract projects to put on your resume. 5. Consider consulting companies, like Revature, Cognizant, Infosys, etc... these companies might have weird terms (e.g. Revature has a 2 year contract where you have to PAY THEM if you leave before then) and with all these companies you might end up idle "on the bench", getting a paycheck but not really doing anything day to day. But it can be a paycheck and SOMETHING to put on your resume while you continue to look for a more long term job (and perhaps do option 1 in parallel)

I haven't seen that many people do it, which is why I said it's a bit of a last resort option. I would say it works more the other way around - if the option presents itself to you, consider it, rather than go out seeking them. There are a lot of scams out there. You want a genuine "contract to hire" relationship and not someone stringing you along to help them with their unfunded project for as long as they can get you to work for free. And yeah smaller companies/very small startups tend to hire senior engineers because they don't have the bandwidth to manage and train junior engineers, that's the downside, but for the right person it can drastically accelerate your career because you can quickly get to a scope of responsibility you wouldn't get elsewhere.

Can you elaborate more? I don't recommend any specific programs but rather recommend someone do research, but if you have strong examples of why they are not a legitimate program I would remove it yeah.

Thanks for sharing yeah I have heard similar complaints about Interview Kickstart as well. I think it's worth it for people to research and consider but they should be very concerned about some of those factors.