The Colorado guide to jumpstarting your coding career

by Elyse Kent
February 11, 2015

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So you want to be a developer but don’t know where to start? We’ve put together a brief guide for you to navigate your new career, from starting the learning process to landing that first job.

 

The learning process and deciding on the path

There are a variety of resources popping up that vary by both duration and medium. First, you need to decide on which medium is right for you. What fits your personality? A self-taught course online, an extended learning program, or an accelerated program (aka bootcamp)?

 

For those of you looking to learn in a ‘traditional’ setting and to expedite the process, immersion programs may be the best way to go.

 

But what is it like learning code and how much time does it take to master the skill? Read these reflections from local gSchool students on learning code and from a lead instructor’s perspective to get a handle on what to expect before applying.

 

Check out these Boulder & Denver coding schools: gSchool (Boulder & Denver), Turing School (Denver), & RefactorU (Boulder).

 

Deciding which language to learn

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Top programming languages

 

There are a lot of personal and outside factors that go into choosing what language you want to master. One of the most important things to consider is what positions are in demand. We suggest gaining an understanding by reading the top 10 developer positions that are in demand in Colorado before you decide.

Further reading:

A comphrensive reading list on a wide variety of coding languages by the VP of Engineering at Pivotal Labs

 

Events

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WWC Study Group

 

There are events for any language, level, and focus, so you can get connected and sharpen your skills and meet other coders as you learn. Browse our event calendar for coding-specific meetups (User Groups) and check out some of these groups who host events throughout Colorado: Girl Develop It, Refresh Denver, WomenWhoCode, & Tech Confluence.

 

Landing the job

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a Quick Left Hackfest

 

Networking is an essential part of landing the perfect job, but don't worry, you don't have to be an extrovert to do so. Companies often host Hackathons as a chance to scout new developers, so be on the look out for the chance to get in the door and prove your skills. Some of these companies include Quick Left (pictured above) and SendGrid, and there are also hackfests sponsored across the state for various purposes examples include Hack4Colorado and even a marijuana-inspired hackathon.

 

We’ve also put together list of the 5 best tech companies for new developers, based on their onboarding and training programs. Get ready to apply by starting your job search by visiting our curated job board.

 

So what's your excuse now? Get out there and start coding!

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