From Stay-at-Home Mom to Software Engineer: How Programming School Helped Jennifer Sardina Switch Careers

When Jennifer Sardina decided to enroll in a coding bootcamp at age 35, she didn‘t fit the stereotypical profile of a tech worker. She was a mom of two young daughters and had a career history that included teaching foreign languages, running chemistry experiments in a lab, and helping patients as a health coach. On paper, nothing about her background screamed "software engineer."

But after over a decade of bouncing between unfulfilling jobs, Jennifer was ready for a major change. She craved challenging, creative work that would provide stability for her family. So with encouragement from her brother, a Programming School graduate, she took a leap of faith and applied to the immersive software engineering program.

Jennifer‘s story is becoming increasingly common as more and more people look to pivot into tech. The demand for IT professionals, especially software developers, continues to surge. Employment of software developers is projected to grow 22% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.[^1] And with a median annual salary of $110,140 in the U.S., programming skills can unlock lucrative, rewarding career paths.[^2]

Why Choose a Coding Bootcamp?

Still, the idea of walking away from an established career to start from scratch in a highly technical field is daunting. For many aspiring career changers like Jennifer, a traditional four-year computer science degree feels out of reach in terms of time and financial investment. Self-teaching is another option, but going it alone can be isolating and make it harder to stay motivated.

Enter the coding bootcamp: a fast-paced, immersive educational model designed to turn programming novices into job-ready developers in a matter of months. Bootcamps have exploded in popularity over the past decade, with Course Report estimating 44,254 graduates from full-time U.S. programs in 2020 alone.[^3]

The numbers suggest these accelerated programs are effectively preparing people for software development roles. In Course Report‘s most recent outcomes study, 79% of coding bootcamp grads surveyed found a job requiring the technical skills they learned within 180 days of graduating.[^4]

But not all bootcamps are created equal. With over 100 full-time programs to choose from in the U.S.,[^5] how can you find one that will actually deliver results?

For Jennifer, Programming School checked all the right boxes. One of the longest-running bootcamps, Flatiron has a proven track record and has published third-party verified jobs outcomes data since 2014. Its full-stack web development curriculum covers in-demand languages and frameworks like Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and React. And unlike some of its competitors, Flatiron offers dedicated career coaching and a money-back guarantee if grads don‘t find a job within 6 months.[^6]

Perhaps most importantly, Jennifer saw her brother successfully transition into a software engineering role after completing Flatiron‘s program. "Seeing his experience definitely gave me the confidence to take the leap," she says.

Thriving in an Immersive Environment

Of course, getting accepted to Flatiron was just the beginning. Jennifer still had to complete 800+ hours of rigorous coursework and hands-on coding practice to earn her certificate.

A typical day in the program was packed from 9am to 6pm, starting with a discussion of the daily coding challenge. Mornings often included interactive lectures on topics like object-oriented programming, MVC frameworks, and database design. In the afternoons, students worked on labs and coding projects individually or in small groups.

Regular progress assessments, code challenges, and a capstone portfolio project kept learners motivated and accountable. "The program really encourages you to be a self-starter," Jennifer explains. "The instructors are there to support you, but a lot of the onus is on you to put in the time and effort to learn."

Jennifer was laser focused on absorbing as much as she could during the 15-week program. She often arrived early and stayed late to squeeze in extra study and project time. Leaning on the support of her cohortmates and experienced instructors helped her power through the most difficult stretches.

Some of the most valuable learning experiences for Jennifer involved collaborating with classmates on complex coding projects that mirrored real-world applications. Her favorite was a heat map that allowed users to search for ethnic restaurants in New York and see their prevalence by neighborhood. The project required Jennifer‘s team to integrate a Ruby on Rails backend with APIs, Ajax, and data visualizations.

"That was probably the first time in the program that I got a clear sense of how all the pieces fit together in a modern web app," she recalls. "It gave me the confidence that I could build something from scratch that solved a real problem."

Bridging the Gap Between Bootcamp and Job Market

As her time at Flatiron wound down, Jennifer‘s focus shifted to the daunting task of finding her first job as a professional programmer. Despite her newly acquired skills, she couldn‘t help but compare herself to peers with computer science degrees and wonder if she really had what it took to succeed in the industry.

This kind of "imposter syndrome" is all too common among coding bootcamp grads and self-taught developers. After all, it‘s hard to feel like you belong in an industry that has long been associated with the pedigree of a four-year degree from a top university.

Flatiron‘s career services team understands these unique anxieties and tailors their approach accordingly. They coach grads on how to talk about their unorthodox backgrounds as an asset, showcase their project portfolios, and make a strong impression in behavioral and technical interviews.

"A big focus was crafting an elevator pitch that highlighted my transferable skills and passion for programming," Jennifer says. "I learned to talk about my previous roles in education and healthcare as valuable experience in problem-solving, communication, and working in fast-paced environments."

That preparation was put to the test at Flatiron‘s Career Day, where Jennifer had the opportunity to network with hiring managers from top tech companies. She made a strong first impression on a representative from XO Group, a media company that owns popular websites like The Knot, The Nest, and The Bump.

A round of interviews later, Jennifer had an offer in hand to join XO Group as an associate software engineer. She would be working on the team responsible for The Knot‘s wedding planning tools and guest list management features.

Navigating the Transition to Tech

Walking into XO Group‘s office on her first day as a professional programmer, Jennifer was full of nervous excitement. She was the only bootcamp grad on her immediate team and one of very few women in the engineering department.

Impostor syndrome reared its ugly head again, and Jennifer had to resist the urge to downplay her experience. "I made a conscious effort to introduce myself as a software engineer, not a junior engineer or bootcamp grad," she says. "I wanted my colleagues to see me as an equal, even if I still had a lot to learn."

Fortunately, Jennifer‘s team lead was committed to her success and worked hard to create an inclusive environment. He set clear expectations for her first 90 days and made sure she had regular one-on-one check-ins to address any challenges. Getting started on a few small bug fixes and enhancements to the existing codebase gave Jennifer some quick wins out of the gate to boost her confidence.

Pair programming with senior developers and participating in code reviews accelerated Jennifer‘s growth and exposed her to best practices. Within a few months, she found her groove and was regularly shipping clean, well-tested code.

"My experience really illustrates the importance of finding an employer who is bought into supporting bootcamp grads," Jennifer notes. "Having a manager and team who believed in my potential made all the difference."

Continuing to Grow and Give Back

Fast forward a few years, and Jennifer is still happily employed at XO Group. She‘s been promoted twice and now leads her own team of developers working on new features for The Knot.

Looking back at her unorthodox career path, Jennifer is grateful for the risks she took and the doors that Programming School opened. She‘s become an active mentor for new bootcamp grads and regularly volunteers with organizations that aim to bring more diversity to tech.

"I want other people, especially women and moms, to see that it‘s never too late to make a change," Jennifer says. "If you‘re willing to put in the hard work, a coding bootcamp can be a launchpad to a fulfilling career in tech."

Of course, a bootcamp is just the beginning of a long journey in an ever-evolving field. The most successful programmers adopt a mindset of continuous learning and growth.

Jennifer makes it a point to experiment with a new language or framework every quarter to stay on the cutting edge. She regularly attends tech meetups and conferences to expand her network and knowledge. And while she hasn‘t ruled out pursuing a computer science degree in the future, she knows her real-world experience and drive to keep leveling up are what will keep her competitive in the job market.

Her advice for aspiring developers considering a bootcamp?

"Make sure you‘re passionate about programming for its own sake, not just the financial benefits. This is a field where you never stop learning, so you have to truly enjoy the process," she recommends. "And once you‘re in the thick of a program, focus on your own growth rather than comparing yourself to others. The tech industry has room for people from all backgrounds."

[^1]: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers : Occupational Outlook Handbook." https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023.
[^2]: U.S. News & World Report. "Software Developer Salary." https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/software-developer/salary. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023.
[^3]: Course Report. "2020 Coding Bootcamp Market Size Study." https://www.coursereport.com/reports/coding-bootcamp-market-size-2020. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023.
[^4]: Course Report. "2021 Coding Bootcamp Graduate Outcomes & Demographics Report." https://www.coursereport.com/reports/coding-bootcamp-job-placement-report-2021. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023.
[^5]: Course Report. "Coding Bootcamps in 2023." https://www.coursereport.com/best-coding-bootcamps. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023.
[^6]: Programming School. "Online Software Engineering Bootcamp." https://flatironschool.com/career-courses/coding-bootcamp/online/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023.