The Bootcamp Boom and the Promise of High Salaries
A year or two ago, social media and learning platforms were flooded with ads from bootcamps promising to turn anyone into a Full-Stack Developer in just 6 months.Beyond the rapid learning process, what caught the most attention was the promise of attractive salaries, with starting wages of $2,000 USD per month, even for programmers with no experience.
Many aspiring developers believed in this promise, invested time and money, and completed these programs. However, today they face a harsh reality: the job market no longer values them the same way.
The new market demands
Companies have adjusted their hiring criteria and now require:-Prior work experience, even for junior positions.
-Real-world projects, beyond those completed in bootcamps.
-Strong CS (Computer Science) knowledge, something many bootcamps don't teach.
-College degrees, in many cases, leaving self-taught developers at a disadvantage.
-Lower salaries for juniors, as the supply of candidates has grown.
Why this shift?
-The market became saturated with bootcamp graduates, increasing competition.-Many companies had bad experiences hiring developers without solid foundations.
-Remote work allowed companies to hire talent globally, lowering average salaries.
-Today, securing a $2,000 USD salary as a junior developer is much harder, as companies have adjusted their expectations and are looking for candidates with real-world experience.
What can new developers do?
If you’re a recent bootcamp graduate struggling to land a job, here are some strategies:-Build personal projects or contribute to Open Source.
-Get internships or freelance gigs to gain experience.
-Learn CS fundamentals (Data Structures, Algorithms, etc.).
-Network and use LinkedIn to connect with recruiters.
The web development industry is still growing, but the approach has changed: learning technologies is no longer enough—you need to prove you can apply them in real-world scenarios.