How a Former Marketer Landed a Software Engineering Role After Bootcamp

Tech professionals remain in high demand across a variety of industries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this trend is projected to continue, with tech job growth averaging about 10%-25% higher than the average for all occupations (which stands at about 6%) over the next decade. This bodes well for tech career changers, but landing your first role in the field is not without its challenges.

Software Engineering Immersive graduate Alfredo Ferreira credits his success in changing careers, from marketing to tech, to perseverance in coding bootcamp and beyond. This mindset helped him stay active in the job search while expanding his coding skills with constant practice. Now, he’s a Software Engineer at Northwestern Mutual.

"It wasn't an easy journey, but after 11 months of perseverance, I finally secured a full-time job.” recalls Alfredo. “Along the way, I embraced freelance opportunities to enhance my experience, which proved invaluable in keeping me on course.”

By staying open to multiple short-term job opportunities, Alfredo paved his way toward a lasting long-term career. That’s because freelancing gave his resume a competitive edge—adding professional experience in a range of roles.

Exploring these roles also allowed Alfredo to keep sight of his ultimate goals. Rather than practicing coding alone, he was applying his skills toward solving real-world business challenges and identifying his strengths and weaknesses to better position himself as a stronger candidate for future opportunities. Plus, working freelance provided connections which he used to build up his network.

Still, there were times when landing a full-time coding job seemed out of reach. As a former marketing professional, Alfredo was navigating an unfamiliar job search landscape. However, with the help of Fullstack Academy Career Success Services—available to bootcamp graduates for up to a year following graduation—and even more perseverance, he achieved his goal.

Here’s his advice to those seeking to do the same:

“To anyone facing challenges, my advice is simple: don't lose hope. Keep honing your skills, consider freelancing to broaden your expertise, and observe how others navigate the interview process—and practice every day. Stay focused and keep forging ahead, your breakthrough will arrive.”

If you’re considering building a fulfilling career in software engineering, discover Fullstack Academy Career Success Services built into every tech bootcamp when you apply today,