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Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

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Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#111

Post by platevoltage »

mothballed wrote: post #50
silvercymbals wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People on HN saying $150k is a "high bar" is frankly insulting. Anyone in the bay who's not a founder or working for a meaningless company easily clears $200k. I've started two companies, exited one and technically have the skills of a "senior engineer". I've managed teams of engineers and have architected remote factory production systems for one of my companies along with a dozen or so relatively complex web apps i…

I recently paid a guy about $10k to roof my house. $3500 materials, ~$6500 labor. Maybe 32 hours labor tops, it is a hella small house. Might be worth looking into. He was cheaper than pretty much anyone else.

Man, it seems like yesterday we were telling coal miners to "learn to code". Now software devs are being told to become tradesmen.

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#112

Post by cindyllm »

CoastalCoder wrote: post #103
almostaboomer wrote: post #75

I've read all the comments in this thread and I will be frank with you. You are arrogant and entitled. You are not as great as you think you are. If you were, you would have what you want. But you don't. And even if you were great, you (or anyone for that matter) shouldn't be arrogant or entitled. It's a terrible way to live. Insulting those who are trying to help you by calling their advice "boomer cope" is beyond a…

I agree with the parent's main point, but I'd like to soften it a little: Many of us have learned humility the hard way. It's a painful process. But if you take the right lessons from it, then in retrospect you'll be glad for the personal growth.

[dead]

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#113

Post by platevoltage »

silvercymbals wrote: post #42
bix6 wrote: post #29

> when I get interviews I just flat out can't pass tech screens anymore This sounds like the issue to me? You’re getting opps but you’re biffing the tech screen. Can you just slam leet code for 2 months and then ace the screen or is it something else?

Some have been leetcode, others just asking esoteric react facts. The in-person rounds I've done have seemingly gone well, I've produced code that fits requirements each time. Not exactly sure.

I never understood the interview questions around what you would call "esoteric facts" about specific frameworks. This tells you nothing except that the candidate is good at cramming, and knew what they needed to cram for.

Now if it's "open book", and the idea is to see how efficient the candidate is at finding the answer, that makes more sense to me.

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#114

Post by shawn_w »

Back when the dot com bubble burst I ended up in the same position and had to switch careers in order to keep the rent paid, and programming became just a hobby instead. I kind of prefer that as everything I've heard about modern commercial software development sounds like hell (especially if, like me, you have no interest in web stuff). Being able to work on what I want to, at my own pace, in languages I like, is nice

I definitely miss the paychecks that come with tech jobs, though.

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#115

Post by platevoltage »

silvercymbals wrote: post #97
tennisflyi wrote: post #73

Take a gander here, https://www.reddit.com/r/Millennials/comments/1o7fcfc/nobody... I'm really torn, TBH. Plenty of people do, indeed, get on with F/MAANG/whatever out of college and make that 150. Plenty don't. It's jut bleh

It's really scary out there - I couldn't imagine what it would be like to not have any hard skills during this recession.

Well the skilless people who were lucky enough to be born without conscience can just join ICE.

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#116

Post by RickJWagner »

silvercymbals wrote: post #6
Dumblydorr wrote: post #3

Adjust your definition of a “real career” as one making over 150k. Another adjustment is thinking 4 months is a long time, especially given you know you could improve interviewing. Check out data fields. I’m in data analytics, no I don’t make 150k, but it’s a good living and I consider it real. I do a lot of good and save government a lot of money with my tech skills.

[flagged]

Just an opinion here. You seem like you might feel you’re owed something. That’s not the case.

Doesn’t matter what you studied. Or where your degree is from. Doesn’t matter what you’ve done before, or what you expect to get paid.

What matters is what you can do for an employer, and what they need. Luck plays a role in the kind of jobs that open up for you. Personality does too, also your networking skills.

Good luck in your searching. Sometimes careers go boom and sometimes they go bust. Only in retrospect can you tell where you’re at.

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#117

Post by leakycap »

silvercymbals wrote: post #66
jinushaun wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

$150k is not a crazy number. That’s not even inside the senior engineer salary band.

[flagged]

When the average US salary is something like 45k, $150k is a high salary especially when you have no plan or clear path to the goal

Based on your comments in this thread, I'd suggest that soft skills could use a refresher and might be the difference between getting something and getting passed over again next time - good luck, it isn't easy

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#119

Post by leakycap »

silvercymbals wrote: post #87
rockemsockem wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds impressive enough to probably get a senior role somewhere. Maybe you aren't selling yourself well in your resume?

hard to say - just trying to figure it out

Based on your responses, I think your soft skills / people skills are letting you down. I would recommend working diligently on how you interact and communicate so that you do not come across as arrogant, dismissive, or out of touch.

Re: Ask HN: Can't get hired – what's next?

#120

Post by leakycap »

silvercymbals wrote: post #82
happytoexplain wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What? It's an utterly straight-forward summary of their work experience and a factual statement about salaries offered as a counter-example to the parent. There's is no (obvious) hubris in it.

[flagged]

"It's so weird, everywhere I go and ask for advice, people tell me I'm the problem. Where else can I go ask that might tell me something different?"
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