With the growth of coding bootcamps (and Chicago has several!) comes the influx of junior developers to the tech scene in Chicago. Dev Bootcamp graduates have a solid foundation in Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and strong communication skills, they enter the marketplace as entry level developers (or software apprentices).
So what kinds of companies are the best fit for new bootcamp grads? Dev Bootcamp graduates thrive at companies with cultures that emphasize hands-on learning, mentorship, and lots of feedback. Check out a few of our favorite companies in Chicago for junior developers.
Reverb: Reverb is an online marketplace for rare, vintage, and used instruments and gear that has been helping musicians find new gear and inspiration. Reverb is also home to several Dev Bootcamp graduates. One of our alumni, Tam, shares her passion: "We personally feel pride and responsibility for our product and our customers. That’s not lip service either. No matter what position you start in at Reverb, you do one week of customer service. As an engineer that’s great because you can see what people are saying about our product and you spend personal time with customers.”
GiveForward: GiveForward is an online funding and donation platform that has helped raise over 150 million of dollars to cover medical, vet, and funeral expenses for individuals and their loved ones. The Dev Bootcamp alumni at GiveForward work primarily in Angular.js and Rails although, as Mark explains, there’s a lot of diversity in the repertoire of a developer at a startup. “I love having variety in the things I do here as a developer. And GiveForward makes learning a priority and is very supportive of us in a way that’s just like Dev Bootcamp."
Brad's Deals: Brad’s Deals places a large emphasis on collaboration and support among their team. The developers check in with each other, pair program, offer support, and work together to ensure the team is constantly improving. Dev Bootcamp alum Keith is happy to have found a place that is devoted to using whatever tools the job calls for, even if it means taking the time to learn something new. “We get to use diverse technologies and no one is afraid to branch out and learn something new if the job calls for it. We use the right tools instead of just sticking with what it is we already know.”
Sprout Social: Sprout Social creates social media management tools to help businesses connect with new customers and increase their social media presence. Shreya is excited by the challenges of her work, “Everyday I’m thinking critically and writing code. Automation is pretty new so there’s lots to figure out still and there are lots of opportunities to work on side projects and other internal tools for the company.”
You can read more about each (and our alumni who work there) at the Dev Bootcamp blog.
Do you want to work at a company like these? Need the technical skills to get your first job? Apply to Dev Bootcamp.
