Recently I have had people ask me this question since I graduated from a software developer bootcamp program in 2014. I attended The Iron Yard in Charleston, South Carolina. My bootcamp was a 3 months intensive program that required me to quit my job and focus full-time on the course. At the end of the program I was equipped with the skills to land a entry level frontend software engineer position.
Hopefully while you were in your program you were starting to network with potential employees and other engineers. If not, don't worry you can start now!
Online presence
A crucial social network to be a part of is LinkedIn. Over the years I have connected with 100's of people and had multiple interviews all because of LinkedIn connections. If you don't already have a LinkedIn account I highly recommend you create one and fill it out as much as possible because complete profiles perform better. I would recommend starting by connecting with all of your classmates and instructors and then any friends and family members. The bigger your network, the more engagement you can have. I also recommend following companies that you are interested working at and set up job alerts so you will be notified if they post a new position that matches your job search.
How to setup a job search:
Search based on your desired role (ie. "Jr. Software Engineer")
Update any filters as you desire
Click the 'Set Alert' toggle
I also think it is really important to have activity on your Github account. This is important because it shows potential employers what you have already learned and what programming languages you are already familiar with. The first company that I got a software engineering job with actually looked at my final project for my bootcamp and asked me questions about it. If there is a gap between when you finish your bootcamp and you start applying this will also give you an easy answer if the potential employers asks you what you have been doing since finishing your program.
Local tech events
I highly encourage you to attend local tech events. This is a great way to meet other engineers and companies that are in your area. While a lot of companies offer hybrid or remote work I have found it really helpful for junior engineers to network with people in person. This is a easier way to standout and not just be another resume in the pile. Meetup and Eventbrite are great ways to find local tech events. You may also have a local tech organization that hosts events. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter or whatever method they use to market their events.
If you have any development conferences in your area that interest you, see if they offer a discounted or free student ticket. This is another great way to meet other engineers and potential employers. You will also get to learn what is new or trending in the industry and hear from experts about it. You may also get to talk with them after and ask them any questions you may have.
Apply for jobs
The longer you wait to apply the more daunting it is going to become. I would encourage you to start applying as soon as you can. I was encouraged to apply for 4-5 jobs a week and found this to be helpful. Remember that your skill set does not need to be a 100% match in order for you to apply. I also encourage you to reach out to any close connections that work at a company where there is a position open that you are interested in. They may be able to refer you or they might know someone that works at the company and could refer you. I have found it never hurts to ask as long as you have preexisting a connection with them.
Practice. Practice. Practice.
While you are applying and waiting to land some interviews, be sure to continue practicing your skills and working on a side project. I recommend the LeetCode top interview easy question collection as a good way to practice. After you go through them loop back to the areas that gave you the most trouble and practice some more.
I also strongly encourage you to practice your behavioral skills and be ready to answer some of these questions during your interview. LeetCode has some practice behavioral questions for this as well. I have found over the years that these questions matter just as much as the technical questions. Companies value you being a good communicator and team player just as much as they value you having a good engineering foundation.
Once you land an interview remember that it is just as much about them getting to know you as it is about you getting to know them and the company. Be sure to think out loud and talk through your solutions. If you are not verbalizing your thought process or writing it down there is no way for them to know what you are thinking and your problem solving skills. I have had interviews where I got the problem wrong or I was not able to get all the way to the end but due to how I was working through it with the interviewer I was offered the job. I also highly recommend that you treat the interviewer as a team member and engage with them throughout the interview. This will give them a much clearer picture of what it would be like to work with you.
If you are not offered the job, it is not necessarily due to how you interviewed or that you did poorly. It could be that another candidate was a better fit for their company or that they do not have the proper tools and setup for you to be successful. Keep your head up and keep looking! You will eventually find the right fit.
Accept an offer
At the end of the day, looking for a job is kind of like dating. Everyone is not going to be a good fit and you may get rejected but eventually you will find the right match. When you get an offer and accept it hopefully you will be able to look back and appreciate all of the work that you put in, knowing that it made you a better engineer and more prepared for your first day on the job.
Please feel free to reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn. I am happy to connect! Include that you read my blog when requesting to connect.