2 Qualities that Set Students Up for Bootcamp Success (and 3 Habits to Avoid)

When we set goals, we don’t just have to make decisions for how to achieve those goals — we also get to choose the kind of person we want to be in service of them.

Take signing up for a bootcamp: It’s one thing to write a check or attend that first class. It’s completely another to have a disposition that enables you to make the most of the experience from start to finish — and beyond.

Daniela Ruiz, a career coach_{Career Coaching at TripleTen: What It Is and How It Helps You Land a Job} at TripleTen and former career changer, says she can frequently tell from the first meeting whether someone has the qualities of a successful bootcamp student and job seeker. Here are the traits that will help you not only graduate_{The 3 Tactics That Will Ensure You Graduate a Bootcamp,} but also land your dream role and thrive in it once the program wraps up — plus, the habits to avoid in the process.

The 2 qualities that lead to success for bootcamp students

People who find success during and after a bootcamp tend to have these two qualities:

1. Commitment

Students who are committed to their education and their careers are going to learn, retain, and benefit the most from a bootcamp. That drive, Daniela notes, will also keep them going when challenges arise. “They’re not discouraged by failure. They don’t see it as failure — they see it as a stepping stone in the direction of their goals,” she said.

Commitment, she adds, is a mindset shift more than it is a skill — it’s about being 100% focused on what you want, and willing to put in the work for it. Students she’s assisted with this trait “show up for themselves.”

They’re also not afraid to ask questions and pivot on a dime. “They’re being creative,” she said. “They’re not taking no for an answer — they’re just trying the usual route, and if that’s not taking them where they want, then they come up with side ideas to approach the topic.”

2. Clarity

You can’t have commitment without clarity as to what you want to commit to — not just the type of bootcamp or training, but the greater career ambition that program may be tied to.

“Some people will get into it just for the money, or just for the flexible schedule or the remote environments,” Daniela said of tech careers. “And they don’t really put the thought into, do they actually like what they’re going to be doing? Are they passionate about it?”

That lack of self-awareness or strong headspace, she added, will make it harder to develop a new skill set — or make good use of those skills once you’re out of the classroom. 

For example, networking can be daunting or tedious if you have no clear incentive for doing it. On the contrary, “when you’re really focused on something, you start seeing opportunities that you didn’t see before,” Daniela said. “So you may find yourself having a networking conversation in line at the grocery store, or at a baby’s birthday party, or anywhere really…with people that you didn’t think of as tech contacts.”

3 bad habits to avoid to succeed in a bootcamp

To remain committed and clear while in a bootcamp, avoid falling into these nasty traps that can quickly throw you off-course:

1. Being closed-minded

Standing by your purpose is important — but make sure you’re not so stubborn that you’re unable to take feedback, be open to other approaches, or innovate.

“I can give my advice all I want and I can continue to repeat the same things over and over, and then they just get nowhere,” Daniela said of students she’s partnered with who have struggled to turn their bootcamp experience into a job prospect or other opportunity.

Combat this by embracing curiosity. Consider, too, how aspects of your life outside of work could serve you. “Thankfully, tech is in everything that we do nowadays. So there will be an intersection between tech and that thing that you’re passionate about,” she noted. 

“If you can be clear about what you want and get creative about how to get there, life can surprise you, and this can take you to some really awesome places that you didn’t anticipate,” she added.

2. Making excuses

Life will occasionally get in the way of your goals, and that’s OK when it does (which is why our programs have flexibility built into them_{Yes, Our Bootcamp Is Flexible. Here’s Why That Matters for Students.}). But if you’re constantly making excuses for why you weren’t able to complete a bootcamp assignment or land a job interview, you will not only continue to miss out on key perks, but you’ll diminish your confidence and drive over time.

“I have people who are like, ‘I didn’t have time last week because I had family visiting.’ And then I have other people who are doing a master’s degree, they have family at home, they’re doing the bootcamp, and they have a full-time job — and on top of that, they always have time to complete their tasks. And so it’s not about the time: It really is about how you organize yourself,” Daniela said. 

She added that it’s not necessarily a one-person job to overcome these obstacles. Often, her role is to help individuals develop systems to track tasks and maintain good habits — so long as they take responsibility for their actions. “I don’t expect them to have them from day one, but I think the good news is that they can be learned in practice,” she said.

To become more organized and diligent, first figure out how you like to get stuff done and what’s realistic for you and your unique situation.

If you’re a person who works better with setting aside one hour a day to do your job-searching activities, that’s okay. If you would rather work in chunks, and so you want to give four hours on Mondays where you can really focus, then do it that way. Daniela Ruiz a career coach at TripleTen

Then, actually slot time on your digital or physical calendar_{How to Find Time for a Bootcamp} so your to-do items have a tangible place in your day-to-day routine. “Make sure it exists, it has a space on your schedule, and you’re going to make it happen no matter what,” Daniela said.

3. Seeking external motivation only

Accountability partners can be a useful tool. However, they can’t be the only thing driving you forward as you explore a bootcamp.

“What I see as possible similarities amongst people who drop out — or even make it to job searching, then drop out of job searching — is that there isn’t that internal motivation,” Daniela said. When you expect a career coach or someone else in your life to tell you what to do or hand you answers or opportunities, “then you don’t have accountability with yourself. You don’t build good habits for job searching or for working,” she said.

We are going to support you and help you get there, but ultimately it is your career, and it’s really important that you take ownership of it. Daniela Ruiz a career coach at TripleTen

That mindset piece is the first thing Daniela focuses on in her sessions when students lack internal motivation: “It’s kind of the scaffolding to then build on the healthy habits.”

One way to hone this is by putting your goal front and center — maybe literally on a Post-it note on your desk. Then, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps that you reward along the way. 

With networking, for example, Daniela starts by asking students to send a couple of messages a week on social media_{5 Social Media Strategies to Power Up Your Job Search} platforms like LinkedIn. “It can create a lot of anxiety, so once we’re over that hump, then we can up the goal a little bit, move the carrot,” she said.

See if a bootcamp is right for you

Have what it takes to succeed in a bootcamp? Or, interested in improving upon these qualities in pursuit of a better career path? Get your journey started with our five-minute bootcamp quiz, which can help you narrow down your options and inject some much-needed perspective into your job search.