As I’m beginning to look for web developer jobs, I’m experimenting with how to lay out my resume. And I’m wondering, does putting FCC as “experience” or “education” help me? I’ll be showcasing my portfolio regardless, but does explicitly mentioning Free Code Camp add to my credibility - or could it diminish it?
I’ve learned so much via Free Code Camp, but for employers who aren’t familiar with it, I wonder whether there might be an immediate gut reaction around the word “free” in particular.
Thoughts?
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Yes I would definitely put it down under education. If they are not familiar with it then they will ask. I went to a small University in South Carolina and about 98% of the people outside of the South have never heard of it. The fact people don’t know about it will not keep you from getting a job.
When a prospective employer asks, you can tell them it is a 1000+ hour curriculum that covers front-end, back-end and data visualization. You can show you hustle and desire to learn by showing how you completed the curriculum. These are traits that every employer would love to have in future employees. So don’t sell yourself short by not mentioning it.
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I would! I work as a network engineer primarily, and realistically I’m far enough into that career that I don’t know if I’d want to pivot at this point, but I love development and I do list it among my skills. I definitely plan on adding any FCC certs I earn to my LinkedIn.
Just as a point of reference, I have or have had various technical certifications, from Microsoft, Cisco, etc. Getting a front end cert from Free Code Camp is, in my mind, a MUCH tougher challenge, and it should be recognized as a legit certification. That doesn’t necessarily mean it WILL be, but it should.
Free Code Camp isn’t going away. It is growing like crazy, and awareness of it in the field is only going to increase. So I say fly that flag and list your certs.
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