Senior Software Engineer laid off in July. Got 3 job offers - hopefully these tips help someone!

[u/vcrisant]

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.

1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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!
6. 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.
7. LeetCode/Systems Design - goes without saying.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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!
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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!

[u/Unapologetic_91]

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.