Latest / The Career Change Podcast with Fexingo: Switching Fields, Bootcamps, and Reskilling / How Bootcamp Grads Can Break Into Remote First Companies
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, I've been digging into hiring data from some of the biggest remote-first companies — GitLab, Zapier, Automattic — and there's a pattern that jumped out at me that I think is really relevant for our listeners who've gone through a bootcamp or are considering one. Luna: I'm all ears. I've heard those companies are famously picky about communication skills. Does that work for or against bootcamp grads? Lucas: That's exactly the thing — it works in their favor more than people realize. So GitLab, for example, publishes their entire hiring handbook online. They've got over a thousand employees, all remote, and they explicitly say they look for candidates who can demonstrate 'written communication that is clear, concise, and inclusive.' They don't care where you went to school or if you have a CS degree. Luna: Right, because everything is async. You're not going to walk over to someone's desk to ask a question. You have to write it down. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a skill you can develop deliberately. I talked to a hiring manager at Zapier — they've hired bootcamp grads for engineering roles, and the common thread was that those candidates had really strong documentation in their portfolios. They didn't just show the code, they showed how they thought through the problem. Luna: So it's not just about the code quality, it's about the thinking that went into it. That's something bootcamps can train you for. Lucas: Absolutely. And there's a deeper point here. Remote-first companies tend to evaluate you on outcomes, not inputs. They don't care how many hours you sat in a classroom. They care about whether you shipped something that works. That's a huge advantage for someone who learned to code in an intensive 12-week program rather than spending four years in a lecture hall. Luna: I want to hear more about that — how does the actual interview process differ? Is it just take-home assignments, or is it more conversational? Lucas: It varies, but the best ones use what they call a 'working interview.' At Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, they pay you for a short contract project before they make a full-time offer. You actually do the job for a week or two. That lets them see your real output, and it lets you see if the role is a fit. For a bootcamp grad, that's gold — you get to prove you can do the work without a gatekeeper judging your resume. Luna: That sounds so much more meritocratic than the typical whiteboard algorithm test. But does that mean bootcamp grads need to prepare differently for those interviews? Lucas: They do. And I think a lot of bootcamp grads make a mistake by preparing for the same Google-style interview that they hear about on Reddit. For remote-first companies, the emphasis is on written communication and async collaboration. So you should practice writing clear technical documentation, or a project readme that explains your design decisions. Maybe even contribute to an open-source project with a good issue tracker — that's essentially an async work sample. Luna: That's a concrete action item. Let's talk about how to actually find these companies. Because not every remote job is at a company that's truly remote-first, right? Lucas: Big difference. Some companies are remote-friendly — they let you work from home but the culture is still built around a central office. Remote-first means the entire operation runs on async communication, documentation, and trust. The best signal is to look at their job descriptions: do they mention 'async,' 'written communication,' 'self-starter,' 'results-oriented'? Also check if they have a public handbook. GitLab, Basecamp, Buffer — they all have their handbooks online. That's a huge green flag. Luna: And red flags? What should someone watch out for? Lucas: Red flag number one: they say they're remote but require you to be in meetings all day. That's not remote-first, that's just a different location for the same meeting-heavy culture. Another red flag: they don't have clear documentation about how work gets done. If you can't find a single page about their workflow or communication tools, chances are they're figuring it out as they go, and that can be chaotic for someone new. Luna: I want to bring in a real example. I spoke with someone who went through a data science bootcamp and landed a role at a company called Doist — they make Todoist. He said the interview was entirely text-based, over a week, and he had to complete a project where he analyzed some of their user data and wrote up his findings. No video call until the final offer stage. Lucas: That's a perfect example. And I bet his bootcamp project work had prepared him exactly for that kind of deliverable — a written analysis with clear conclusions. That's the kind of thing that's hard to fake. So the lesson is: if you're in a bootcamp or just finished one, look at your portfolio projects and ask yourself — could someone read this and understand what I did and why? If not, rewrite them with that audience in mind. Luna: Let's talk about the compensation side. Are remote-first companies paying competitively for bootcamp grads? Lucas: Generally yes, and sometimes better. Because they're not tied to a specific geography, many remote-first companies pay based on role, not location. But some adjust for cost of living. Zapier and GitLab use a location-based formula. Automattic pays the same regardless of where you live. The trade-off is that you might face more competition from global talent. But for a bootcamp grad, the opportunity to be evaluated on output rather than pedigree often outweighs any salary adjustment. Luna: And that output-focused evaluation is exactly what helps level the playing field. So what's your advice for someone who's about to start a bootcamp? Should they pick a bootcamp that explicitly teaches async communication? Lucas: I think that's becoming a differentiator. Some bootcamps now include modules on remote collaboration tools — Slack, Notion, linear, async stand-ups. If a bootcamp doesn't teach that, you can learn it yourself. But I'd suggest during your job search, target companies that have a strong remote-first culture. Because the bar for entry is different. They're looking for someone who can think clearly and communicate effectively, not someone who can cram for a whiteboard test. Luna: And that's a huge relief for a lot of career changers who may not have a traditional CS background. It's a real path. Lucas: It is. And I want to be clear — it's not easy. You still need to be a strong developer or data analyst. But the gatekeeping is different. And for someone who's made a deliberate career change, that's a massive advantage. Luna: You know, speaking of deliberate career changes — this show exists because of people who are thinking exactly like that. And a quick honest thing: a handful of listeners chip in monthly through Buy Me a Coffee dot com slash fexingo, and that's literally what funds making this many episodes. We don't run ads, so listener support keeps it ad-free. If the show has helped you think through a career move, that's a way to keep it going. Lucas: Yeah, and we really appreciate it. It's a small group, but it makes a real difference. And on that note, let's get back to the practical side. I want to talk about how to position your bootcamp experience on a resume when you're applying to remote-first companies. Luna: Good. I think a lot of people struggle with that. They list the bootcamp as education, but they don't connect it to the skills that matter. Lucas: Exactly. Instead of just saying 'completed a 12-week web development bootcamp,' you should write something like 'developed and deployed three full-stack applications using React and Node.js, with documented design decisions and written project overviews.' That shows the outcome. You might also include a link to a blog post you wrote about a technical challenge you solved — that's pure gold for a remote-first company. Luna: And I'd add: mention any experience you have working asynchronously. If you contributed to an open-source project, even if it was just a small fix, mention that. Or if you worked with a distributed team on a group project during the bootcamp. Lucas: Right. Another tip: tailor your cover letter — or your initial application — to demonstrate your communication style. Write it clearly, use bullet points, show that you can organize information. That's a preview of how you'll interact with the team. Some recruiters at these companies have told me they can tell within the first paragraph if a candidate is a good fit for async work. Luna: That's fascinating. So the medium itself becomes part of the evaluation. Lucas: Exactly. And the last thing I'll say is: don't underestimate the value of a personal project that solves a real problem. Even if it's simple. One bootcamp grad I know built a small tool for his local library to track inventory. He documented the whole process, put it on GitHub, and wrote a short readme. That landed him an interview at a remote-first company because they saw he could take a project from idea to deployment and explain his choices. Luna: That's a great note to end on. Show, don't just tell. Lucas: Exactly. And with that, I think we've given listeners a solid roadmap. Next time, we'll talk about how to negotiate salary when you're applying for remote roles — because the dynamics are different too. Luna: Looking forward to it. Thanks for the great conversation, Lucas. Lucas: Same here. Talk to everyone next time.