New Software Bootcamp grad seeks job self-marketing help
March 1, 2016 7:48 AM Subscribe
Asking for a ...spouse, who has recently attended a software bootcamp as a means to launch his second career. He's 43 and is having trouble with getting pigeonholed as "overqualified" for entry-level roles, but doesn't have the coding chops for dev management roles. What can he do to make himself more competitive? What boxes should he be making sure to check?
Some details:
This is in Cleveland, OH, so there are a bunch of jobs advertised but it's hardly a tech hub.
He specialized in Java but sees himself as relatively language flexible.
He has several advanced degrees, and is experimenting with leaving them off the resume, and leaving years for even his BA off the resume.
The bootcamp is locally well-regarded and boasts a 95% placement rate at 90 days out. He's at day 75 or so.
Some details:
This is in Cleveland, OH, so there are a bunch of jobs advertised but it's hardly a tech hub.
He specialized in Java but sees himself as relatively language flexible.
He has several advanced degrees, and is experimenting with leaving them off the resume, and leaving years for even his BA off the resume.
The bootcamp is locally well-regarded and boasts a 95% placement rate at 90 days out. He's at day 75 or so.
How is he going after jobs? Is he only sending in traditional job applications or is he actively going to meet ups and networking things? I think in-person interactions give a non traditional applicant more opportunity to demonstrate "hunger" and a way to tell your story.
Even in a traditional job application he needs to be thinking about how to tell the story of how he's going to do great in an entry level position. And why this career change is going to stick (unlike his previous advanced degrees).
posted by mskyle at 8:11 AM on March 1, 2016
Even in a traditional job application he needs to be thinking about how to tell the story of how he's going to do great in an entry level position. And why this career change is going to stick (unlike his previous advanced degrees).
posted by mskyle at 8:11 AM on March 1, 2016
Response by poster: (Additional detail: has a 15-year career of progressive responsibility behind him, but in a field so specialized that when he was laid off, his chances of landing a similar role were virtually nil. This is his first career change.)
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:15 AM on March 1, 2016
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:15 AM on March 1, 2016
Best answer: "Over-qualification" is two things:
Actual over-qualification. This is a real thing. Hiring someone with too much experience or education for a role rarely works out. Person will be unhappy with their duties and their pay and hard to deal with laterally (by colleagues) or vertically (by supervisors and subordinates). In the very best case, an overqualified person is a challenge because he's extremely focused on getting back to where he was and will be impatient for promotion, raises and quick to leave the company. You solve this by making clear that you have a real zeal for the current duties of the job AND appreciate that the job is a re-start and not a lateral move.
A polite way of saying "you're too old." It's illegal (if over 40) but the illegality is hard to prove. You get around this by being face-to-face with people and implicitly assuaging their fears that you are a poor fit with colleagues 15-20 years younger than you and supervisors 10+ years younger than you. It probably helps to be fit, not grey / bald, stylishly (but not silly youthful) dressed and coiffed. BEARDS add 5-10 years to a man's visual age; shave that beard.
posted by MattD at 9:08 AM on March 1, 2016 [6 favorites]
Actual over-qualification. This is a real thing. Hiring someone with too much experience or education for a role rarely works out. Person will be unhappy with their duties and their pay and hard to deal with laterally (by colleagues) or vertically (by supervisors and subordinates). In the very best case, an overqualified person is a challenge because he's extremely focused on getting back to where he was and will be impatient for promotion, raises and quick to leave the company. You solve this by making clear that you have a real zeal for the current duties of the job AND appreciate that the job is a re-start and not a lateral move.
A polite way of saying "you're too old." It's illegal (if over 40) but the illegality is hard to prove. You get around this by being face-to-face with people and implicitly assuaging their fears that you are a poor fit with colleagues 15-20 years younger than you and supervisors 10+ years younger than you. It probably helps to be fit, not grey / bald, stylishly (but not silly youthful) dressed and coiffed. BEARDS add 5-10 years to a man's visual age; shave that beard.
posted by MattD at 9:08 AM on March 1, 2016 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: MattD are you spying on my stylish but grizzly-bearded husband?
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:53 AM on March 8, 2016
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:53 AM on March 8, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
Memail me if you want and I'll touch base with my contacts there. Java is hugely popular with the Big 3.
posted by getawaysticks at 8:04 AM on March 1, 2016 [1 favorite]