TJ Boskelly
Career Path: Front-End Development
Mechanical Engineer Gets into Tech
Before Coding Temple: Mechanical / Product Engineer
After Coding Temple: Senior Manager, Sales Systems @ Datadog
What were you doing before you decided to attend Coding Temple?
Mechanical / Product Engineer at a CPG company
What motivated you to enroll in a tech bootcamp?
I really admired the Tech Industry for the innovation and the disruption of industries and I wanted to be a part of it.
Why did you ultimately decide to enroll at Coding Temple?
The connection I made with the staff. I met with the owners, teachers, and other students and it felt like the correct culture fit I was looking for.
What was the most challenging part of the program for you and how did you overcome it?
The time commitment. I was 6 years post college graduation. I have not had to dedicate myself to studying and building in awhile.
What was the most valuable lesson or skill you learned during the program?
It’s better to ship something and iterate on something then try and make it perfect.
What resources did you find most helpful during the program?
The internet: Stack Overflow, Reddit, etc.
What was the job search process like and how did Coding Temple prepare you for your current job?
Coding Temple did a great job giving you experiences and projects to present and talk about during the interview. I was relentless in my application process. I applied to 100 positions and didn’t hear back or was rejected from 97 of them. Being comfortable with that rejection process and continuing to stay positive is the key.
How has your career progressed since graduating from Coding Temple, and what are your future career goals?
Great, I am a second line leader of Enterprise Applications while after starting as a entry level IC.
How did Coding Temple compare to your expectations, and what surprised you the most about the experience?
It was a very enjoyable and eye opening experience to other forms of non traditional education.
What advice do you have for current or prospective bootcamp students in terms of preparing for and succeeding at Coding Temple?
There is no better time than the present to make a change. It will not be easy, but if you’re already exploring you’ve committed in your mind your desire. Just commit and do it.