Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions & Process

Congrats! You’ve just landed your first interview with a coding bootcamp. But, landing the interview is just half the battle.

Don’t worry.

At Career Karma, we’re here to help you find out what to expect and help you increase your chances of passing that interview so you can begin your new coding career.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about coding bootcamp interview questions.

How to Prepare for Your Coding Bootcamp Interview

First things first! Do your research!

Each coding bootcamp is different, and each bootcamp interview is different. Brush up on what your coding bootcamp is all about, such as the bootcamp’s mission and values.

You’ll also need to start asking yourself questions like:

• Why are you interested in coding?
• What are your goals?
• What do you think your career path looks like?

Although these are non-technical questions, you’ll still want to prepare to answer them during your interview, since the majority of coding bootcamp interviews will be more about you and your intent, rather than your current skill level.

Once you have the basic questions down, here are a few tips to help you nail your interview while you’re in the hot seat:

A Few Tips to Nail Your Coding Bootcamp Interview:

Tip #1: Show Your Interest and Motivation

In order to be successful in your coding career, you have to fully commit to it. You won’t thrive as a coder if it’s just something you’re doing because you might want to build a website one day or because it’s simply convenient.

If it’s something you’re truly committed to, be upfront about your goals and desires. Don’t be afraid to show your passion for coding and tell your interviewer what draws you to this field.

Tip #2: Share Your Previous Experiences

If you’ve tried to learn code in the past, talk about that with your interviewer.

Discuss what you’ve learned and how you were successful. Don’t be afraid to mention barriers and how you overcame them and/or how you’re currently working to overcome the barriers.

And, maybe you haven’t coded before.

So, mentioning that you’ve played an instrument or played on a sports team can really help you make an impression because it shows your ability to achieve technical feats and follow specific rules and guidelines to be successful.

Tip #3: Communicate and Show that You Can be Part of a Team

When you think about coding or programming or development, you think about your eyes glued to the screen focusing on just your work and nothing else.

However, although much of the work is independent, you’re still apart of a larger team. So, demonstrating that you are capable and willing to be a teammate and offer effective communication to create the best product that you can will help you stand out among the rest.

Tip #4: Be Optimistic and Positive

We understand that the entire coding bootcamp process can be extremely draining, especially if you know nothing about coding.

Coding careers will push your limits.

So, it’s easy to bring all that stress and frustration into your interview. However, it’s important to remain positive and optimistic during your interview.

You want your interviewer to know that you’ll stay calm and focused even during the most challenging of times because let’s face it, no matter how good of a coder you are, there is no way you are going to avoid bugs or barriers in your coding career.  

Tip #5: Don’t Show Entitlement

Truth can be hard to swallow.

And the truth is, there probably won’t be anyone jumping out of their seat to let you in the golden gates of your desired coding bootcamp. No matter how confident you are in your coding skills or your ability to learn, always try to stay humble.

Show your interest, show your willingness to learn as well as your capabilities, but don’t expect any guarantees.

Tip #6: Answer All the Questions

Your interviewer will probably ask you A LOT of questions. So, avoid brushing questions off.

Answer each question fully and in the best way that you can. Leaving a question unanswered can be the demise of your interview. Some common questions to be prepared for include:

• Living expenses: Be sure to prepare answers on how you’re going to pay for your living expenses while you’re enrolled in your coding bootcamp. Your interviewer will want to make sure you have a thought out plan that will lead you to the highest rate of success.

• Part-time considerations: If you plan on enrolling in your coding bootcamp part-time, be prepared to explain how you’ll be able to balance your job with a bootcamp.

• Full-time considerations: If the coding bootcamp is full time and in-person, long commute times can become a major issue. If your commute is longer than 45 minutes each way, make sure to have a response prepared that explains how you plan on attending regularly and on-time.  

Tip #7: Be Prepared to Answer the Question Why Do You Want to Become a Coder?

Without a doubt, no matter which coding bootcamp you’re being interviewed for, you’ll be asked why you want to become a coder.

Make sure you have a well thought out answer that really shows your intent and desires to be successful in the world of coding.

Tip #8: Be On-Time

You would honestly think this is a no-brainer, but you would also be surprised at how many people show up late or don’t show up at all for an interview!

If you are notorious for being late, plan to get there earlier than the interview. Have the mentality of “if you’re not early, you’re late” and you won’t fail.

If you’re late or you no-show, this will absolutely have a lasting negative impression on your interviewer.  

The Interview Is Over. Now What?

Now it’s time for you to hang tight and wait to hear back from your coding bootcamp program. Feel free to shoot a thank you email just to show your interest and appreciate the time that the interviewer took to sit down with you.

Common Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions by Program

Hack Reactor Interview Questions

Unfortunately, Hack Reactor doesn’t provide details about the questions they ask during the interview; however, they do say this:

The interviewer and interviewee will work on a technical problem together. The interview is not just a test, but a chance to learn and experience the Hack Reactor teaching method. Applicants are encouraged to examine the underlying logic of their code.

Pro tip: Make sure you brush up on your JavaScript chops by doing a dozen coding problems on CodeWars or another coding website.

You should be comfortable with using higher-order functions, array and string manipulation, and writing out pseudo-code.

Lambda School Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions

At Lambda School, they say to treat your interview just like a job interview. Although there won’t be any technical questions, there will be predictable questions about your interest, proactivity, availability, financial support, and more.

If you get conditionally accepted, then in most cases finishing your prep course will get you fully accepted.

App Academy Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions

Just like any other coding bootcamp interview, App Academy interviews consist of non-technical questions about your goals, desires, and interests.

But, the technical interview consists of one guaranteed coding challenge and a second coding test if App Academy decides you’re ready to move forward.

App Academy has a more rigorous interview process than most bootcamps, so make sure to check out their JumpStart prep program.

Thinkful Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions

During the Thinkful interview, they have four basic practices they want you to follow. These practices include:

• Be Professional: This doesn’t mean dress up in a business suit. It means you need to come prepared to show you have done your research about the program you’re applying for. Treat it like a job interview. But it’s not necessary to go all out with the bells and whistles.

• Be Passionate: Thinkful doesn’t expect you to have tons of knowledge and experience, but they do expect you to have passion and drive. Don’t be afraid to show it!

• Ask Questions: This is also your time to ask questions. Show interest in the bootcamp and get to know if this program is right for you.

• Follow Instructions: You will likely be asked to complete a coding assignment. Follow instructions exactly and you’ll be sure to impress.

Flatiron School Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions

Flatiron School will set up a quick Skype interview to discuss your ambitions and your story. It is their chance to learn more about you and why you want to join their coding bootcamp.

After the interview, you will be sent a code assignment. Once the code assignment is completed and submitted, you will be set up with an instructor to review the assignment.

Coding Dojo Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions

At Coding Dojo, once you’ve applied, you’ll get a call to set up a 15- to 30-minute phone interview to get to know you better.

Once the interview is complete, your application goes to the admissions team for a final decision, which is made 2 to 3 days after the interview. The decision is based on the Coding Challenge score.

Ironhack Coding Bootcamp Interview Questions

Some of the most important things Ironhack evaluates in a potential student are their curiosity, passion, and drive. If you don’t have those three things, then you might not be able to get through the 8-week program.

Luckily, Ironhack provides a couple of sample questions to look out for during the interview. These sample questions include:

• What motivates you on a day-to-day basis, and what do you love to do?

• What happens when you put a function inside a loop?

DevMountain Bootcamp Interview Questions

At DevMountain, you will be invited to a phone interview. The admissions team then looks for two primary qualities: aptitude and passion.

They want to find people who really want to learn to code and can demonstrate either some experience in learning on their own.

Next, you’ll be invited to complete a coding challenge. They will send out a set of problems and give you approximately one week to complete.

Questions You Should Ask During Your Coding Bootcamp Interview

Take this time to really get to know your coding bootcamp to make sure that, if you do get accepted, it is the right program for you.

20 Questions to Ask in Your Coding Bootcamp Interview

• Who is the interviewer, and what is their experience?
• Do you have multiple campuses?
• How much work (if any) is required before the first day of class? If there is pre-work, what is the purpose?
• What is the bootcamp’s acceptance rate?
• Who are the instructors?
• What are the instructor qualifications?
• What kind of teaching style does the instructor have?
• How is feedback given between student and instructor?
• Ask about expectations outside of the program. Is there additional expected work? If so, how much?
• Are there cohorts, and if so, how diverse are the cohorts?
• Do you have a refund policy?
• What is the graduation rate?
• Is there a final exam?
• What is the job placement rate?
• What’s your job guarantee?
• What is the average annual salary?
• Do you offer scholarships?
• What does tuition cover?
• Is there a deposit due before class starts?
• What are your financial options?

Prepare for Your Technical Coding Bootcamp Interview with Career Karma

If you still don’t quite feel prepared for your coding bootcamp interview, Career Karma can help.

At Career Karma, we’ll help you every step of the way–from your coding application to finding the perfect program for you to overcoming barriers while you’re in the program.

We have mentors, peers, and resources to help you succeed on your journey to break into tech.