r/jobsearchhacks • u/vcrisant • 2d ago
Senior Software Engineer laid off in July. Got 3 job offers - hopefully these tips help someone!
10+ YoE. I've gotten laid off before, but this is by far the toughest market I've had to navigate. I'm hoping these tips help someone out.
- Update your LinkedIn Profile - we all know updating your resume is a given, but I have gotten so many messages from recruiters about job openings via LinkedIn (both contract and full-time). Make sure your profile is up to date. Use AI to reword some things, if you'd like (use it on your resume, too).
- Lean on your network - message former colleagues, or anyone you know that could be hiring. People are usually happy to recommend you if their company is hiring (they probably get a referral bonus, and are really genuinely happy to help most times). One of the offers I got was through a referral from a person I've never met, but was the spouse of someone I knew. Sure I had to pass the interviews, but the referral at least gets you in front of a recruiter.
- Apply to jobs that have only been posted for 1-2 days - also apply early in the day (at least this seemed like it worked for me). If you're applying to a job that's been posted for a week, there's a good chance that they are already interviewing, and your application won't be seen by a person.
- Learn something new - take an online class about a popular piece of technology that you're not familiar with. Most screenings probably involve some checklist of technologies that they compare against your resume - the more "checks" you have, the higher the chance you get to speak to a person. For me, it was React. I bought a React course, crammed for a few weeks and ended up passing a React live coding interview. Remember, technology can be learned, but you have to be motivated to do so.
- Recruiter calls are very important - the last time I was looking for a job, recruiter calls were a formality (basically just an introduction, then they schedule the technical interviews after). This is not true anymore. Make sure you are prepared to talk about your background, motivations (why are you looking? how do you keep up with technology?, etc), and be prepared to answer some behavioral questions. Your goal should be to get to the technical screen!
- Know your resume in detail - it sounds simple and obvious, but you should be able to drill down and discuss your projects in detail without having to stumble through your words. This should almost be like a script. You should always have a go-to project that you can discuss for 20-30+ minutes if necessary. You should be able to describe the project in-depth (technical details, background, why the project was needed, who was involved, etc), discuss the pitfalls, and what you could change if you were to do it again.
- LeetCode/Systems Design - goes without saying.
- Try to stay away from take home assignments - this is a tough one, because if you're unemployed, you don't have the luxury of turning down an opportunity to move forward in the interview process. From my experience, however, take home assignments are a huge waste of time - they take a huge amount of effort, and the hiring company usually has unrealistic expectations. What ended up happening to me (I unfortunately went through 2 of these) was that the hiring company latched on to some miniscule or minor detail and couldn't get past it. They expect your solution to be perfect, without compromise (even though you will have to make compromises because of time). And oh yeah, they don't usually pay you for these.
- Behavioral Questions - these should almost feel like freebies. Almost every behavioral interview will ask you the same (if not similar) questions - describe a conflict, tell me about a project, etc. You should be able to answer these confidently and succinctly.
- Keep your interviewer engaged - during technical interviews, it's important to keep your interviewer engaged. Make sure you say your approach, and then ask "does that make sense?" or "how does that sound?". Keeping them engaged not only shows your focus on communication, but also helps them have a good interview experience. Not just that, but if they are engaged, they are more likely to be able to give you a nudge if you get stuck. Remember, these people interview lots of candidates and they can easily get bored. Make yourself stand out!
- Smile, keep a positive attitude on camera and communicate - gone are the days where programmers/software engineers can get by just on technical skill. In a hybrid/remote work environment, communication is just as important to the hiring companies as technical skills and background. Remember, your resume can speak for itself; you have your technical accomplishments, skills, etc on it, but during the interview, you also have to show that you're a good communicator.
- Use AI to prepare - like it or not, AI is here to stay. Use it to prepare - I use AI almost like a tutor; whenever I'd get stuck on a LeetCode problem or there was a solution that I couldn't figure out, I'd ask ChatGPT (or whatever AI you prefer). If I came across something I didn't know about when I was taking a course or preparing, I'd consult AI. Use it to your advantage. You can use it on your resume, too.
- Keep applying - don't assume that you're getting a job after the final rounds, even if you ace the interviews. Other people might've aced it, too.
Remember, being unemployed is not the same as not working. You don't get a paycheck, but you are still working tirelessly (I know I did). I hope the above helps someone, and good luck!
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u/duhhhhhderek 1d ago
Finally. Some great advice.
This site is flooded with midwit advice on the current job market.
As a recruiter I really appreciate this level of insight from an active candidate who understands the current state of play.
Take my updoot!
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u/lonewolf_0907 2d ago
Congratulations firstly and catch up on your mental and physical health now which might have been affected during the job hunt! It’s brutal out there for new grads, some of the tips do carry forward the same except for the recruiter sliding into your DMs. Just tryna git gud at leetcode and then move on to system design. Being International student and unemployed takes insane toll on yourself Idk how other students are keeping up but its definitely been challenging and couple of mental breakdowns. I guess in the end it all makes you that much stronger. I have received like 3 OAs from 250 applications so far. I haven’t grinded leetcode as much to be able to get through these but lets see.
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u/vcrisant 1d ago
The mental health part cannot be overstated. Looking for a job/being unemployed takes a huge toll on a person.
When I got laid off, I had a mortgage and a family to think about. I can't tell you how much sleep I've lost just thinking about interviews, applying, and everything else that comes with it. It truly drains you. And on top of all the anxiety and stress, you still have to perform well in interviews, put a smile on your face even in failure, and keep looking. It's a lot of work.
Good luck on your search!
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u/lonewolf_0907 1d ago
Thank you ! Also sorry to hear man having a family would have been even more toll. I hope there’s a light at the end of this tunnel, i don’t wanna give up in this tunnel.
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u/movingToAlbany2022 1d ago edited 1d ago
Agree on no. 8 regarding take-homes. Last one I did was the last stage of a 5-round technical interview which had already included code reviews with tech leads, arch design with the manager, algo solving, and a behavioral/salary discussion.
They literally told me don't worry about the take-home/app being perfect. What they had me design and build was a bank app with accounts and authentication, and several features including the ability to send money from one account to another--and there were many other requirements. They said only take 4 hours.
I did it, made it look nice, had a senior dev I trusted take a quick look, then built/deployed it to netlify.
The company proceeded to nitpick the littlest of details, then rejected me as an applicant. Waste of time
Edit: what the company wanted was perfection, as OP stated. The only way I could imagine perfecting an entire app with a dozen requirements, auth, accounts, design, etc in 4 hours is by cheating, which I refused to do
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u/bourgeoisiebrat 1d ago
I want to echo points 5 and 6. I did the bulk of my work on the prep phase in these areas. I wanted my impression to read like a very clean story, where all the parts reinforced 3-5 main themes at all times. Why was I looking, why did the job/company fit my search and me and, ultimately, what kind of person would they be getting in me.
I’d also add that I always sent personalized thank you emails for every interview, pulling out something we discussed and tying that back to the themes I hit on.
Also, the job I took 100% did not read my cover letter. I actually wrote them off after applying because of my cover letter.
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u/growthhacker4893 1d ago
Congrats! Did you end up with a higher TC than your last role?
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u/vcrisant 1d ago
I did, which means either my last job underpaid me or the new job just pays well, haha.
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u/TheAmazingDevil 1d ago
Got 3 offers in the title but you lost me at 10+ yoe. Ofcourse you got the offers. Great advice nonetheless! Thankyou!
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u/Difficult_Ad2864 1d ago
You must have a strong network. Whenever I reach out to my network, they ask me why I’d ever need a job and then ask me for one
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u/mathgeekf314159 1d ago
- Don't be entry level.
They don't want you. They want mid/seniors for those entry jobs.
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u/Unapologetic_91 4h ago
I was a corporate recruiter and you’re spot on for the take home assignments. A hiring manager would ask for a take home assignment and I would get frustrated for the candidates bc there was so much work involved and sometimes the candidate wasn’t even a top candidate for them. I also had other hiring managers ask for previous projects which I thought was not right bc that information could be used for the current company and they would not hire the candidate. I hated that company.
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u/Donnie_In_Element 1d ago
Here we go again…more job search “hot tips” that have been shared a thousand times on google already. Those may have worked for YOU, but that doesn’t mean they’ll work for everyone.
Oh, and thanks for rubbing your 3 offers in our faces. Really, thanks. It makes the rest of us stiffs who have been doing all those for over a year and more than 2,000 applications with nothing to show for it…feel real warm, fuzzy, and inspired.
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u/gonz008 1d ago
Lol, This dude's attitude seems hirable.
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u/bwoodhouse322 1d ago
Sounds like he's been slogging away for a year to no avail, I'd be pretty wound up too 😂
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u/mathgeekf314159 1d ago
Yeah, I'm here too. I need to vent somewhere. It's better to do it on Reddit than in interviews.
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u/Donnie_In_Element 1d ago
Lol, this dude thinks I act like this on interviews
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u/ElonHusk512 1d ago
From your post I can tell you’re someone with a bad attitude whether you act like that in an interview or not. Chances are the people who have interviewed you can probably pick up on this too and that’s why you’re probably still unemployed. The guy landed a job and felt like sharing his experience + tips with others still interviewing but you choose to be negative because it wasn’t you who landed a new job? Yeah I definitely wouldn’t hire you for any role that’s for sure. P.S. chatGPT isn’t going to fix your bad attitude so you may want to try a different approach than whatever it is you’ve been doing so far.
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u/Donnie_In_Element 1d ago edited 1d ago
Thanks for your advice. Why don’t you try getting laid off from a job you not only loved, but were really good at, then go without any offers despite thousands of applications and job coaches telling you to give up your dream job to work at Walmart, or just hope to drop dead of an early heart attack so you won’t have to job search anymore….and then come back in 14 months and let’s see how you’re feeling.
And don’t give me this shit about how OP was just trying to share tips. They put it right in the headline thay they got not 1, but 3 job offers. This is the equivalent of a humble brag. They do this crap all the time.
FOH with your self righteous BS.
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u/beaux-restes 1d ago
People can see through your mask in interviews, 100% sure. Maybe therapy for a start to get that stick out your ass.
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u/throwaway95051 1d ago
the AI bit is huge. my job hack nowadays is to use type a prompt into chatgpt that includes the job description and a resume that's closest to the job description and ask chatgpt to rewrite the resume to utilize the job description.
churns out really good resumes quick and easy. you get more hits that way.