How to Know If You’re Ready to Start a New Career Through a Thinkful Bootcamp

You may have already found the bootcamp of your dreams on the Thinkful website. The school has plenty of options. Students can start building beautiful sites in the software engineering program, help organizations make sense of their data in the data analytics or data science programs, give consumers engaging software after the UX/UI Design program, and more.

But you may be worried about taking that first leap. Shifting to a new career might sound intimidating, and you may not even know if the bootcamp path is right for you. 

Thinkful has room for anyone that’s committed to making a change, as long as they meet a few basic requirements. And it doesn’t matter if you’re an absolute beginner or someone with years of experience looking to take the next step in your career. You’re welcome to become part of the Thinkful family and seek a higher salary, greater flexibility, or a more rewarding job.

Thinkful Admissions Checklist

As we’ve mentioned above, there are only a few basic requirements for anyone that wants to join the Thinkful family. 

Select programs may have additional requirements. But for the vast majority, as long as you are motivated to learn, you’ll be successful with Thinkful. 

You have to be ready to commit to the program. You have to be prepared to give the course the proper attention that it deserves. You’ll be entering the program where you’ll be paying to learn, and it’s important that you know you can afford the time commitment that it requires. 

You should be excited to join a community. Thinkful pairs its students with mentors and coaches to give them career advice and technical knowledge as they work through the program. But students will also be joining a cohort where they’ll work towards a common goal with their classmates. 

You’ll grow most effectively if you participate in this community, as you deepen your understanding by explaining concepts to peers and learn from people that are grasping material at the same time as you. 

And in order to be eligible, you have to:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have at least a high school diploma, a GED, or a diploma from an accredited higher learning institution.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English. 
• Demonstrate operating proficiency on a computer.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage your time, communicate effectively, and accept constructive criticism. 

If you meet these basic requirements, then you’re a qualified admissions candidate at Thinkful. But how do you know if you’re personally ready to take the leap into a Thinkful course?

A Thinkful Program for Everyone

Thinkful is committed to meeting people at different stages of their lives. If you’re a recent college grad, several years into your career, with or without kids, or looking to earn a promotion in your field, Thinkful has an option that will fit your needs. 

Paths to Success

Thinkful students come from all age groups, and from many different backgrounds. If you’re looking for a route to a stable career, you’ll appreciate Thinkful’s guaranteed refund. Here are a few common situations that lead Thinkful students to the program of their choice.  

I Just Completed High School and I’m Looking for College Alternatives

Some Thinkful students are 18-year-old high school graduates, who are entering the program instead of pursuing a traditional higher education path. You may be uncomfortable with the rising cost of higher education, or simply prefer the idea of training for a new job in a shorter amount of time. Regardless of why you want to attend the program, Thinkful can help. 

Instead of committing to two to four years of education that may not lead directly to a career, Thinkful allows you to take a different route. You can start working in the exploding tech job market after just a few short months of dedicated study. If you decide you want to go to college later, then that door will always be open. But this way, you’ll be in a good position to land a meaningful career as you figure things out. 

I Have a Degree and I Want More Career-Focused Skills

Maybe you decided college was right for you, and you want to come to Thinkful to round out your skillset. After all, many fields including engineering, science, and design, value coding skills in new employees. Added coding prowess can also mean higher earning potential if you’re working in this field in the long term. 

So if you like the idea of increasing your job prospects, but you’re not sure if you want to commit to postgraduate education, Thinkful could be right for you. After just a few months of study, you may be able to add $10,000 or more to your salary without taking too much time away from the job market. And potential employers will look highly on applicants that have shown a commitment to learning and growing their skillset.

I’m Already Working But I Want A New Job 

Career changers make up a large portion of any bootcamp’s attendees, and Thinkful is no different. This is a great time for people with limited advancement options to invest in themselves. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the software development job market to grow by 22 percent by 2029. 

Companies are looking to increase their online offerings, as consumers are purchasing online more often. Students are still attending classes online, and many businesses are starting to think about adding more permanent work-from-home measures for employees. Someone has to build out and maintain the architecture for these initiatives, as well as analyze the data and make sure that the products coming to market serve consumer needs. 

There’s space for new employees in tech, and you can start working your way up without going the traditional higher education route. There’s no promise that you’ll find the job of your dreams after graduating Thinkful. But if you’re in a situation where you’re tired, bored, unfulfilled, and underpaid, this could be the route to a better life. 

I’m Already Working and I Want a Promotion

You may already be working a job you enjoy, but want to add more skills to advance your career. Maybe you’re already developing software, but think that UX/UI design skills can make you more well-rounded. Maybe you want to add marketing or technical project management skills to show executives you’re ready for more responsibility. 

Whatever your motivation, Thinkful bootcamps can help you land the promotion that you’ve been dreaming of. After adding those additional skills, you’ll actually stand out more than many other promotional candidates because you’ll already know how the organization ticks more than an outsider. 

And you don’t have to worry about leaving your job behind as you try to advance. Every Thinkful course offers a part-time option where you can finish your coursework on your own schedule. If you can commit 20-30 hours per week depending on your program, you can keep up with your normal work schedule while improving your job outlook. 

Some employers will even reward your initiative by partially or fully covering the cost of your Thinkful bootcamp. So if you’re thinking of trying to advance your station with Thinkful’s help, you may not even have to pay for it. 

Ready, Set, Go!

If you do have to pay for your Thinkful bootcamp, you have plenty of options. The school offers several payment plans that can help you afford the cost of your career change. Aside from the month-to-month, deferred tuition, private loans, and income share agreement options, Thinkful recently introduced a Deferred Tuition with Living Expenses plan. 

This new plan, along with the school’s Income Share Agreement With Living Stipend plan, gives students a chance to make a switch without the added stress of paying tuition while learning. If you’re concerned about paying for your Thinkful program, your Admissions Rep will help you find the right payment plan for you.

If you’re motivated to launch a new career, schedule a call with an Admissions Rep today. You can also check this in-depth Thinkful review to learn more about this fantastic school.