5 Leadership Lessons Every Bootcamp Student Should Know

Table of Contents

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• 1. Be a Leader Early in Your Career
• 2. How to Find and Work with a Mentor
• 3. Becoming a Leader Doesn’t Mean Having All the Answers
• 4. Why Human Skills Still Matter in an AI-Driven Workplace
• 5. Certifications Can Help 
• 6. Stay Grounded Through Change
• Bootcamp is Step One – Here’s What Comes Next

You’ve made the leap into tech – maybe you’ve just graduated from a coding bootcamp, or you’re mid-career and wondering what comes next. But once you land that first job, what’s the path to real growth? And how do you move from being the “new person” to someone who leads projects, mentors others, and shapes the future of your team?

At a recent panel hosted during an online alumni conference hosted by Hack Reactor and Tech Elevator – Building Tomorrow’s Leaders: Growth and Skill Evolution in the Modern Workplace – industry leaders from Amazon, Randstad, Relativity, and HarborVest offered real-world advice for bootcamp grads and early-career professionals.

Whether you’re researching a bootcamp like Hack Reactor or Tech Elevator, or considering a career change, here are 6 leadership skills that you can start building before you get promoted to team lead. 

1. Be a Leader Early in Your Career

You don’t need a long resume or a formal title to be a leader. As a career changer, you bring unique life experience that tech teams need – resilience, communication, and adaptability.

Panelist Evelyn Uehara, a Senior Talent Leader at Amazon, shared that one of the most important leadership traits is grit – and it’s not something you're either born with or not. “You can learn grit at any age,” she said. “Especially when you’ve already gone through life changes or career transitions.” She recommends Angela Duckworth's bestselling book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance to help build this skill. 

Corey Ward, a Senior Software Engineer at Relativity, added that early in his career, he assumed leadership meant “keeping your head down and hitting deadlines.” But what actually matters? Emotional intelligence – reading the room, understanding how your team is feeling, and building trust with others.

These are all skills you can develop – certainly at a bootcamp or in your first tech job.

2. How to Find and Work with a Mentor

One of the fastest ways to grow is to surround yourself with people who have been where you want to go. “Your network is more important than ever,” Evelyn said, especially with automation changing the job market. Becky Parson, Global Lead for Early Careers at Randstad, encouraged grads to “look at where you live, work, and play” – mentors and supporters can come from surprising places: former professors, meetups, family friends, LinkedIn contacts.

Mentorship came up over and over during the panel as a critical part of early-career development. But here’s the catch: most people don’t know how to approach it effectively.

• Get specific. Jasmine Bland Hawthorne, VP of DEI and Talent at HarborVest, recommends starting with a self-audit: “What do you want to get better at?” Then reach out to someone who’s great at that. “I saw you speak at the Town Hall and want to improve my public speaking – can I ask how you approach it?”

• Come prepared. Respect your mentor’s time. Share what you’re working on and ask thoughtful questions.

• Celebrate wins. Let mentors know how their advice is helping you grow – it builds a stronger relationship and opens the door to more support.

And don’t forget about informal mentorship. Corey calls it your “executive council” – a group of peers who listen when you’re frustrated, offer feedback, and push you to become the leader you want to be.

Kane’s advice is to block off 30 minutes each week to connect with someone new. Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, networking is a skill – and it pays off.

Bootcamps like Hack Reactor and Tech Elevator offer access to mentorship networks, coaching, or alumni communities. These aren’t just nice extras – they’re tools to help you stay connected and supported long after graduation.

3. Becoming a Leader Doesn’t Mean Having All the Answers

One of the most powerful moments in the panel came from Becky Parson. When she joined her company, a mentor told her: “Leadership isn’t about having the answers. It’s about creating the conditions for others to succeed.”

In practice, that means:

• Asking your teammate in a 1:1 what they need to succeed.

• Recognizing when someone is nervous or needs more context.

• Being honest when you don’t know something – and inviting collaboration.

As a bootcamp grad, you may feel like you need to “prove yourself” in every meeting. But Evelyn cautioned against falling into the trap of martyr leadership – trying to do everything yourself. Real leadership is about building systems, not burning out.

4. Why Human Skills Still Matter in an AI-Driven Workplace

AI tools like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT are changing how we work – but they’re not replacing the human elements.

Corey described AI “like a junior engineer – you still need to be the architect.” That means knowing:

• How to use AI responsibly (never put company code in ChatGPT!)

• Where AI can speed things up – and where it can’t

• How to communicate your thinking clearly and responsibly

Becky emphasized the importance of storytelling: “You have to narrate your own story, not just your skills.” Companies are moving from skills-based hiring to potential-based hiring, especially for Gen Z and nontraditional candidates. That’s great news for bootcamp grads – but only if you know how to communicate your value.

5. Certifications Can Help 

Technical certifications like PMP or CompTIA Security+ can make you more competitive – but panelists reminded attendees that soft skills can be developed and even certified, too.

Jasmine Hawthorne championed the value of discernment: “You’ll hear data and stories – but sometimes you need to trust your gut.” That confidence grows over time, but you can start developing it now by reflecting on your values and seeking out feedback.

If your bootcamp offers leadership workshops, public speaking practice, or communication coaching, take advantage of them. These less tangible skills can help you stand out just as much as a new Python certification.

6. Stay Grounded Through Change

Change is constant in the tech industry – whether it’s a team reorg, new AI tools, or a sudden shift in company priorities. For early-career professionals, this uncertainty can feel overwhelming. But strong leaders know how to stay grounded and help others do the same.

Kane Blasingame encouraged embracing curiosity during times of discomfort. “Recognize that you’re uncomfortable – but this is a feeling you can work with,” he said. Let that discomfort fuel your communication – in emails, meetings, or even your body language. “It creates psychological safety and gives others permission to show up as their full selves,” which ultimately helps teams move faster and with more trust.

Jasmine Bland Hawthorne emphasized the importance of empathy: “Control what you can control,” she advised. “But also remember – a lot of leaders have been through crises like the ‘08 crash or a reduction in force. Your younger teammates may be experiencing this kind of uncertainty for the first time. Be aware of that.”

Being grounded isn’t just about staying calm – it’s about creating space for others to feel safe, supported, and focused, too.

Bootcamp is Step One – Here’s What Comes Next

If you’re considering a bootcamp or just graduated, know this: you don’t have to have everything figured out on day one. But the best bootcamps won’t just prepare you to land a job – they’ll support your growth long after.

As Jasmine put it, “You assume that leaders know everything. But leadership is about learning to trust yourself, ask better questions, and grow into the role.”

You’ve already taken a big step by changing careers. Keep that momentum going – leadership starts now.

Find out more and read Tech Elevator reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with Tech Elevator.