DEV Community: Jerome Hardaway

Ten Things I’ve Learned After Ten Years at Vets Who Code

Jerome Hardaway — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:49:39 +0000

Originally posted here.

Introduction

As I reflect on a decade of leading Vets Who Code, the journey from a 27-year-old founder to a seasoned executive director has been nothing short of extraordinary. Over the years, I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge through my own career and by helping countless veterans and military spouses transition into software engineering. Here are ten valuable lessons I've learned during this time.

Document Your Journey

One of the most powerful tools for growth is documenting your journey. Whether you're self-taught, boot camp trained, or college-educated, sharing your learning process publicly can accelerate your career. By doing so, you not only track your progress but also inspire and educate others. This transparency builds a robust community around you.

Pair Programming

Engage in pair programming as much as possible. This collaborative approach accelerates your learning curve and prepares you for real-world job scenarios. The shared experience of problem-solving and code review enhances your skills and fosters a deeper understanding of coding practices.

Network Early and Often

Start networking from day one, regardless of your current expertise. Building relationships within the industry is crucial for long-term success. Attend meetups, join online communities, and stay connected with peers even after landing a job. Networking opens doors to opportunities and keeps you informed about industry trends.

The Value of Mentorship

Mentorship often outweighs formal education in today’s world of democratized learning resources. Finding a mentor who can guide you through the complexities of the tech industry can provide invaluable insights and accelerate your professional development.

Build Solutions, Not Just Projects

Focus on creating solutions that address real-world problems rather than merely completing projects. This mindset shift helps you gain practical, impactful experience and demonstrates your ability to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. Solutions-oriented thinking also makes you more attractive to potential employers.

Depth Over Breadth

When starting out, it's more beneficial to dive deep into a specific area rather than spreading yourself too thin. Mastering a particular skill set or technology can make you a subject matter expert, which is more advantageous than having superficial knowledge across many topics.

Understand Language Ecosystems

Delve into the ecosystems of the programming languages you use. Knowing the tools, libraries, and best practices within these ecosystems allows you to work more efficiently and solve problems more effectively. This comprehensive understanding can distinguish you from other developers.

Cultivate Adaptability

The tech industry is in a constant state of flux. Being adaptable is crucial to staying relevant and resilient amidst these changes. Embrace new technologies, methodologies, and perspectives to continually evolve with the industry.

Commit to Continuous Learning

Never stop learning. The rapid pace of technological advancements means there’s always something new to master. Commit to ongoing education through courses, certifications, and staying updated with the latest industry developments.

Focus on Personal Growth

Prioritize your growth by leveraging the best tools and practices within your field. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, and continually work on improving your skill set. Personal growth fuels professional success and ensures you remain at the top of your game.

Conclusion

My journey with Vets Who Code has been a blend of challenges, triumphs, and continuous learning. These ten lessons encapsulate the essence of what I've discovered over the past decade. Whether you're a budding software engineer or a seasoned veteran, I hope these insights will guide and inspire you on your path to success.

Join Us in Making a Difference
If you believe in the power of coding to transform lives and want to support veterans and military spouses in their journey into tech, consider making a donation to Vets Who Code. Your contribution can help us provide the resources, mentorship, and training necessary to bridge the gap between military service and successful tech careers. Donate Now

Together, we can continue to empower those who have served our country to achieve their full potential in the tech industry.

Your Post-Bootcamp Journey: A Guide to Landing Your First Developer Role

Jerome Hardaway — Mon, 29 May 2023 21:26:13 +0000

Your Post-Bootcamp Journey: A Guide to Landing Your First Developer Role

Congratulations on completing your coding bootcamp! You've already accomplished something remarkable – learning a new set of complex skills in a compressed timeframe. That's no small feat, and it demonstrates your dedication, ability to learn quickly, and passion for technology. Now it's time to build on that foundation and launch your career in tech.

Embracing the Journey Ahead

One of the most exciting things about entering the tech field is that you're joining an industry built on continuous learning and growth. The next 6-12 months will be your opportunity to transform from a bootcamp graduate into a professional developer. Think of this as your personalized apprenticeship period – a time to deepen your knowledge, build your portfolio, and connect with the tech community.

Keep Learning and Practicing

Your bootcamp has given you a strong foundation, but technology evolves rapidly. Create a learning plan that excites you. Look at the incredible array of technologies available and choose the ones that spark your interest.

Whether it's mastering React, diving into cloud services, or exploring mobile development, follow your curiosity.

Set up a schedule that works for you:

Dedicate an hour each day for focused learning
Practice coding challenges regularly
Stay up-to-date with the latest technology trends
Choose specific areas of specialization that interest you

Build Your Portfolio

Your portfolio is where you get to shine. Each project is a chance to demonstrate not just your coding abilities but your unique approach to solving problems.

For each project, include:

A clear problem statement
Your solution approach
Technologies used
Live demos or screenshots
Links to the source code
Your learning process and challenges overcome

For a more detailed checklist to help you build a strong portfolio, check out this guide:

Portfolio Checklist for Software Engineers

Network with Other Developers

One of the best parts about entering tech is joining an incredibly supportive community. Developers love sharing knowledge and helping others grow.

Here's how to get involved:

Attend local meetups and conferences
Join online communities and coding forums
Share what you're learning
Don't be shy about asking questions
Offer help where you can – even as a newcomer, you have valuable perspectives to share

Contribute to Open Source Projects

Contributing to open-source projects is an excellent way to gain real-world experience and improve your coding skills. It demonstrates your commitment to the development community and can help you stand out to potential employers.

Start with:

Finding beginner-friendly projects
Reading documentation
Fixing small bugs or improving documentation
Working on feature enhancements

Prepare for Technical Interviews

Technical interviews are your opportunity to show potential employers not just what you know, but how you think.

Prepare by:

Practicing common coding problems regularly
Understanding data structures and algorithms
Improving problem-solving skills
Preparing to discuss your projects in detail
Approaching challenges with curiosity rather than frustration

Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter

Your professional narrative matters. When crafting your application materials:

Customize for each role
Highlight relevant skills and experiences
Focus on specific accomplishments
Include metrics where possible
Proofread thoroughly
Showcase your passion for technology

Maintain Balance and Stay Positive

The job search process can be challenging, but maintaining perspective is crucial:

Celebrate small wins and progress
Make time for activities outside coding
Stay connected with your bootcamp cohort
Keep refining your approach based on feedback
Remember that every developer started where you are

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

The tech community values collaboration and mutual support. When you need assistance:

Reach out to bootcamp instructors and classmates
Engage with online communities
Join developer forums
Share your learning journey
Offer help to others when you can

Remember, every successful developer started exactly where you are now. Your bootcamp graduation isn't the end—it's the beginning of an exciting journey in tech. The tech industry needs people like you – individuals who are eager to learn, ready to tackle challenges, and passionate about creating solutions through code.

Stay curious, keep coding, and trust in your ability to grow. With dedication and persistence, you'll build the programming career you've envisioned.

Ready to take the next step in your journey?

Choose one action from this guide and get started today. Your future in tech is waiting!

Why I Created a Portfolio Checklist for JavaScript Engineers

Jerome Hardaway — Wed, 03 May 2023 03:23:46 +0000

Introduction

As someone who has been in the tech industry for a while, I have noticed that many students and new professionals struggle with creating a portfolio that showcases their skills and experience. I have often been approached by students who have questions about how to create a portfolio that stands out and gets noticed by potential employers. This is why I decided to create a portfolio checklist that focuses on the most frequently asked questions that students ask me. My goal was to help newer students ask better questions and get better results.

The Importance of a Portfolio

In the tech industry, a portfolio is crucial for showcasing your skills and experience to potential employers. It's your chance to show what you can do and what you have accomplished. However, many students struggle with creating a portfolio that stands out and accurately represents their skills. With my portfolio checklist, I aim to guide students through the process of creating a portfolio that accurately represents their skills and experience.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions

When creating the portfolio checklist, I focused on the most frequently asked questions that I have received from students. These questions include:

What should I include in my portfolio?
How do I showcase my skills?
How do I choose the right projects to showcase?
How do I make my portfolio stand out?
What do I need on my portfolio that I might not think of?

I hope to help students create portfolios that accurately represent their skills and experience by addressing these questions and providing detailed answers.

Conclusion

Creating a portfolio can be a daunting task, especially for students and new professionals. However, with the right guidance and resources, it can be a great opportunity to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers. By creating a portfolio checklist that focuses on the most frequently asked questions, I hope to guide newer students through the process of creating a portfolio that accurately represents their skills and experience. I encourage all students and new professionals to check out my portfolio checklist and use it as a guide to creating their own successful portfolios.

Check out my portfolio checklist for JavaScript Engineers here.

Why Vets Who Code is Becoming an AI-Powered Nonprofit

Jerome Hardaway — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 19:40:29 +0000

Recently, we announced that we are becoming an AI-powered nonprofit. Our organization incorporates AI technologies into its programs and operations to enhance its impact and better serve our community.
So, why is VWC becoming an AI-powered nonprofit? There are several reasons.

Improving Training Programs

First, AI can help the organization improve its training programs. By analyzing data on how veterans learn and progress through the program, VWC can better tailor its curriculum to meet their needs. This can help veterans complete the program more efficiently and tremendously successfully.
For example, by analyzing the performance data of troops while leveraging the GitHub API, we can identify their strengths and weaknesses, which can be used to develop personalized learning plans that meet their individual needs. Additionally, we can use AI to analyze industry trends and identify the most in-demand skills in the tech industry. This information can be used to update the training curriculum to ensure veterans have the skills employers seek.

Tracking Outcomes

Second, AI can help us better track the progress and outcomes of its participants. By analyzing data on job placements, salaries, and other metrics, we can better understand the impact of its programs and make adjustments to improve them. This can help the organization demonstrate the effectiveness of its programs to donors and other stakeholders. In our goal to start serving 2500 veterans and military spouses a year, this will be very important to our scaling.
For example, we can use AI to analyze data on job placements and salaries of its participants. By doing so, we can identify the most successful job placement strategies and adjust its training programs accordingly. Additionally, we can use AI to analyze data on the impact of its training programs on the participants' lives. This information can be used to develop data-driven stories demonstrating our programs' effectiveness to donors and other stakeholders.

Streamlining Operations

Finally, AI can help us streamline our operations efforts. As a lean organization with only one contractor, with both directors being volunteers, this frees up our time and resources to focus on more strategic initiatives by automating specific tasks, such as veteran outreach and grant applications.

In conclusion, our decision to become an AI-powered nonprofit is an intelligent move to help the organization enhance its impact and better serve our community. By leveraging AI technologies, we can improve our training programs, track outcomes more effectively, and streamline operations. We will be using AI to drive positive change and make a difference.

Transferring Knowledge Between Careers

Jerome Hardaway — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 03:14:51 +0000

For the past six years, I have had the pleasure of meeting many people who are trying to jump-start a new career in programming from an old one that isn't tech-focused. As a result, they tend to disparage everything that they learned in their first career as useless. That is the furthest from the truth. Your early career taught you valuable things that you can leverage in interviews and your day-to-day work. Let's go over some of the soft skills that many jobs teach you that translate well into working as a programmer.

Processes

Ever have to work in fast food? I did, a long time ago. To this day, I remember the steps it took to make a taco from Taco Bell. I remember placing the taco shell on the wrapping paper, placing the beef into the shell, adding lettuce, then sprinkling cheese sparingly on top ( always got yelled at for overdoing cheese). I would then wrap and place it in a bag to give to the customer. Because of the processes that I learned, I could consistently make quality food repeatedly promptly.

I've used this same soft skill working on Vets Who Code. I go to our main branch and type git pull --rebase to get the most up-to-date changes in the order Team members added them, then type git checkout -b WHATEVER_I_NAME_BRANCH then I get to work. Doing this helps me get to work on new features on our website while ensuring that I minimize the risk of merge conflicts.

We call this soft skill process. It's a series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end. Whether it's with tacos or with the starting steps of a new branch on processes are everywhere, and needed to do our job well. One thing I did while learning to code was I documented the techniques I made for myself that helped me understand and how I retained what I learned. Doing this gave me something to speak to recruiters and hiring managers about that showcased how I thought even though I didn't have much experience. For you, being able to leverage your knowledge with processes, build your own and be able to speak about them to people with whom you want to work will showcase that even if you're new, you're taking the craft of programming seriously.

Critical Thinking

You know one of the things I heard the most as an enlisted veteran? That we only take orders. That we don't "think outside the box". Well, I challenge anyone who thinks that way to walk a day in the shoes of any active duty troop overseas, and you'll learn that it's "fake news" fast. Critical thinking is a skill applied in many ways and doesn't always show itself in the most obvious method.

Let's go back to my time at Taco Bell. There was a day during our peak hours when all the power went out in about four blocks. The only thing that worked was the fryer. So now, with more people coming to the store cause they couldn't cook and customers that were already in line, there was a way this could have gotten bad quick. There is nothing scarier than hungry hot people. But this young woman I worked with she had a brilliant idea. She started frying Cinnamon Twists and Empanadas and handing them out along with apologies. So I stepped in, offering drinks to those who could pay cash. Soon everyone was joyful, and the tension had deceased, and people were happy in a situation that they really shouldn't have been. Once the power came on, people ordered food, called friends, and had a more significant peak hour than usual. Monday, a letter from the CEO came in thanking us for handling it, and we received raises, although she deserved all the credit. It was that fast problem-solving and critical thinking that led two sixteen-year-olds to successfully manage a rush of angry customers that any leader would want on their team when the web app has an outage, and you need to get it back up as soon as possible. Being able to pull stories like this from your prior experiences to showcase your fast thinking and showcase how you would apply it to your new career is a great way to let your future coworkers know that they can trust you to be in the trenches with them when things don't go as planned.

Teamwork

While sounding cliche, showcasing that you know what it feels like to work as a team speaks volumes. While people don't say it, the most stressful thing you can have at work is people who don't know the value of teamwork. That means pulling communicating thoughtfully and being respectful, building trust, and showing up to do your part consistently to help the goal to move forward. Thankfully, as a military background, I don't have to work too hard to let hiring managers know my ability to work with a team.

These are but a few ways I have learned over time to transfer the skills I had in other jobs to technology interviews. The soft skills, the habit stacking, the methods you use to learn new things, those things still matter. All you have to do is take a hard look at your experiences and pull out the parts that serve you the best.

Say Hi To J0d!e, Our Newest Team Member!

Jerome Hardaway — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 21:17:33 +0000

Take a minute and say I to J0d!e, our newest team member at Vets Who Code!

We have always wanted a Clippy-but-for military-and-won't-get-us-sued type of character for Vets Who Code that we could do micro-projects around, teach our veterans and more importantly, have fun. Be sure to follow him on Twitter and ask him frequently how he is doing. I promise he won't make you run in formation.

Code Bootcamp Tips for Rookies

Jerome Hardaway — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 19:46:47 +0000

We have a new cohort starting at #VetsWhoCode and it got me to thinking of some of the things I've seen over the last five years and how to best set the newbies up for success, so I started sharing little nuggets of wisdom. I felt like some of these were universal to all coding bootcamps, not just ours, so I wanted to share these with you guys in hopes that it helps a newbie make the best out of their quest to get paid for playing on their computer all day.

1) Empty your cup. That's an old Bruce Lee saying that basically means to not let your past experiences block your learning from new ones.

Many times people come into these programs after a few attempts of trying to learn on their own or maybe you did some market research and you think that since you are spending money you have a stake in the curriculum (troops don't pay at VWC, but I've heard horror stories from for-profit instructors having to drastically amend things in order to save a few students). Either way you're coming in armed with a bunch of information that while you think voicing your opinion about is gonna make the class better, more often than not it's actually going to slow the class down and annoy everyone. Focus on learning and then applying what you learned first, then if its burning you up ask for some one-on-one time with the instructor to share your thoughts, but remember that there are some other things in place as to why the teacher does it that way ,from work experience to legal reasons.

2) Ask questions if you don't understand something. Not just to the instructor, but your mentor and fellow students as well. There are tons of ways to learn and everyone has something to share ( well, most people do ). So if you have a question, ask someone and try to get it broken down to bare bones if you can.

3) Get a f*cking mentor. This stuff is hard y'all. Thinking about doing this alone is going to just make you miserable and discourage you early on. Find someone that you like personally that also has the skills you want to acquire and ask them if they will mentor you. Be proactive by letting them know how many times a week you are looking for and what areas you are looking to step up in. I wanted to be better in UX, Teaching and Speaking so I reached out acquire Billy Hollis as a mentor ( Mission Accomplished, of course). You should find people who will shore up your game to make it easier to get where they are, faster.

4) Create. I've been doing this long enough to see with my own two eyes that those who received the most opportunities were those who constantly produced content, be it codepens, videos, working projects in their portfolio, blog posts, etc. What you lack in experience can be made up for by showcasing a constant drive to learn and share what you've learned to others. It's the difference between it taking forever to get your first job and getting a mid-level web dev job as your first job.

5) Build relationships and use them. Everyone is the sum of their relationships. I once had two troops in the same cohort. While I care for most of my troops equally ( one of two, eh ) one was clearly the superior talent compared the other, but the other constantly produced content, built relationships, networked, showcased their skills every chance they got in their community, while the other expected his github and portfolio to do the talking. While it took the superior developer a much longer time to get his first job, the one focusing on both hard skills and soft skills had his first dev job three days after graduating, moved on to be a tech instructor at another non-profit, was promoted and threw his first conference in the same timeframe. Whether its twitter, meetups or just randomly emailing a person to have lunch with them ( I did this, it works), building key relationships is integral in any business, and the current business is you getting a job coding. Programming is social and none of us are in a bubble. You're writing code for people, be it the user or the person next to you or in the same slack channel 1000 miles away, so act like it and meet someone in the industry.

Meet The Board: Alex Reyes

Jerome Hardaway — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 14:44:51 +0000

Alex Reyes is a 13 year Air Force Veteran with expertise in logistics, program management, and human resources. He is currently serving on the Recruiting Operations team at Facebook focused on the Veteran and Disability talent communities. Throughout his career in Talent Acquisition, Alex has connected countless professionals to their next career opportunity through resume writing, mentorship, and networking.

Alex brings a skillset that all new engineers need when they are starting: a look behind the curtain. Knowing how recruiters think, speak and use their time constraints to look for talent at the highest level will help any troop looking at how to get the job at the beginning of their career. Thank you for supporting #VetsWhoCode!

Meet The Board: Kyle Shevlin

Jerome Hardaway — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 22:41:40 +0000

Kyle is a senior software engineer at Webflow, working to democratize software engineering through visual & no code development. He's the host of the Second Career Devs, a podcast devoted to telling the stories of people who switched careers to web development and the lessons they've learned along the way. He's also an instructor for egghead.io with courses ranging from Data Structures and Algorithms to Functional Programming in JavaScript. When he's not working, you can probably find him on the golf course, playing some video games, or enjoying some local craft beers in Portland, OR. You can find him on Twitter at @kyleshevlin.

Kyle helps us at Vets Who Code with curriculum building and outreach into the javascript dev community. One of his first actions with us was sending a tweet that helped a veteran get a job in less than two weeks. Glad to have im on the team, even though his facial hair is no where close to military regulations.

Meet The Board: Chris M. Christi

Jerome Hardaway — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 16:51:23 +0000

Chris Christi brings more than 20 years experience in Information Technology to his current role at Thales Defense and Security, Inc. working with Department of Defense clients on data security projects. He started his technology career managing tactical networks as an Army Signal Officer. He served in various technology leadership roles and deployed to Bosnia and Iraq earning military awards including the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Combat Action Badge.

Chris has private sector business development experience with technology companies including Dell, Secure Computing, Veeam Software and Forcepoint. Chris co-founded data security firm AxiosTec where he was selected twice by Inc. for the Military Entrepreneur Program at GROWCO. His company was also recognized by the White House for partnership with the Nashville Technology Council’s Tech Hire designation for work with veterans as part of workforce diversity.

Chris graduated from the University of Tennessee as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee with wife Sara and children Megan and Miles. He is a leader in the Nashville veterans community where he previously served as Vice President Board of Directors of Operation Stand Down Tennessee. He also serves as a mentor to veterans at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Nashville Technology Council Veterans Peer Group, Bunker Labs and Veterans Coordinating Council.

Chris primary focus with Vets Who Code is evangelizing the mission and bridging opportunities for their impact in the local Nashville area.

Have you met Mark? Head of Mentorship

Jerome Hardaway — Sat, 10 Aug 2019 23:06:41 +0000

Mark Locklear is a web developer at the eXtension Initiative and has 20 years of IT experience including network administration, quality assurance, and software development. He is an Adjunct Instructor at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College and is passionate about education and teaching students software development. He also served in the US Army from 1990 -2003 and the author of Learning Rails 5.He's also a huge old car fan. We are happy that this veteran has chosen to work with our students and the other mentors to ensure our troops get the help they have earned to get every advantage to enter the industry. If you are interested in volunteering as one of our mentors please fill out the contact form on the web app.

Meet The Board: Christina Morillo

Jerome Hardaway — Sat, 10 Aug 2019 23:03:15 +0000

Christina Morillo is a technologist at Microsoft, combining almost two decades of experience in information technology operations and process development/implementations with an expertise in enterprise-level identity access management/Information Security. She is a native New Yorker and co-founder of Women of Color in Tech Chat (wocintechchat.com), creator of the #WOCinTech Stock Photo(s) Collection. When she is not spending time with her family, she is supporting others in the tech community as an advisor and mentor. She lives in New York City with her husband and children.