Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

news.ycombinator.com

81–90 of 326 posts

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#81
post #8

Bit of a tangent, but what has been everyone's experience so far in 2023 trying to find a new job? I got really interested in this and have been passively researching it (HN, reddit posts). My conclusion, so far, is unless you've got strong connections it's hard right now to find a job. Most job posting, as OP mentions get hundreds if not thousands of applications. Other times, I've personally also notice, candidates…

I have applied to 90 jobs in the last 3 weeks as a senior software engineer looking for a remote position. These have been from LinkedIn, and the HackerNews who's hiring thread.

I'd say I've had ~10-15% recruiter screen response rate. I think a lot of my rejections have been companies filling the position before I get a chance to interview.

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#82
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems to be a culmination of all the worst the hiring process throws at you right now. Your frustrations aren't unique right now unfortunately, as far as I can tell. But at the same time, either to keep up appearances or for whatever other reason, others don't seem to be freely describing the same frustrations. The public perceptions don't seem to reflect this side of reality either -- the job reports and unemploy…

> the job reports and unemployment rates at all time lows I think this is because the issues described are particularly to software right now. Unemployment is pretty low, but I see a lot more people complaining about barely scraping by or hurting financially. My guess is that it’s mostly crappy jobs. Particularly in my locality there’s a massive divide between rent/property costs and average pay. I was trying to do s…

I don't believe the unemployment rate is as low as they claim. A low unemployment rate would mean employees would be less picky but they aren't. It is almost impossible to find a job right now.

It is definitely tough to do research. A lot of the jobs posted are fake.

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#83

Tech is a choked industry right now. Pivoting is probably smart if you’re able to do so. If you look on /r/forhire nearly 50% of posts are devs looking for work

It certainly seems that way. But why are there so many postings that don’t get filled given that everyone says they are drowning in applicants?

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#84
post #4

1. Make friends with people at work 2. Eventually, some of those people will get new jobs, and they can refer you to their new employer (and vice versa). 3. Repeat for a few cycles and you have a network full of potential job opportunities without ever going through a job board.

4. Never burn any bridges. That boss or coworker you refuse to work with can and will actively block you in future employment possibilities. Also know that if that person is making your entire life hell, you might just need other things happening in your life to make your life more varied. Smile to the end (if you can).

Sometimes you have to chose which bridge to burn.

Hopefully not, hopefully you're leaving for greener pastures, or because of something systemic that you can critique on exit without throwing anyone under the bus.

But sometimes not. Sometimes you have a responsibility to your peers to honestly describe the problem that prompted you to leave, even if it means burning a bridge.

The alternative is to squander the organizational growth opportunity that your resignation represents, and subsequently burn all bridges except the one with the problematic person.

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#85
post #8

Bit of a tangent, but what has been everyone's experience so far in 2023 trying to find a new job? I got really interested in this and have been passively researching it (HN, reddit posts). My conclusion, so far, is unless you've got strong connections it's hard right now to find a job. Most job posting, as OP mentions get hundreds if not thousands of applications. Other times, I've personally also notice, candidates…

I’m 53, and I doubt I’ll ever find a job in tech again. I only started getting responses when I removed the earliest 15 year’s experience from my CV, and as soon as I hit the screening stage and my age is known they lose interest. Ageism can get fucked.

Heh, I got a tech job at 56.

But ... there is a lot of ageism out there. Which I've never understood.

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#86
post #8

Bit of a tangent, but what has been everyone's experience so far in 2023 trying to find a new job? I got really interested in this and have been passively researching it (HN, reddit posts). My conclusion, so far, is unless you've got strong connections it's hard right now to find a job. Most job posting, as OP mentions get hundreds if not thousands of applications. Other times, I've personally also notice, candidates…

Most of my unemployed friends have taken 10 months or longer to find employment. Some are even local in California where it seems like there should be more opportunities than seeking remote only.

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#87
Question for the community: we're building a "talent pool" on top of our mass psychometric testing SaaS (hrpotentials.com). Our key thing is testing cognitive ability(ie ability to learn and problem solve) with computer generated tests, remotely.

Anyway: would you join such a talent pool (and submit yourself to free testing that takes an hour)?

We know it works in less in-demand fields as a way for employers to more objecitevly rate candidates. But the question is, if we can turn it into a tool for employment-seekers to get better opportunities.

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#88
post #38
post #8

Bit of a tangent, but what has been everyone's experience so far in 2023 trying to find a new job? I got really interested in this and have been passively researching it (HN, reddit posts). My conclusion, so far, is unless you've got strong connections it's hard right now to find a job. Most job posting, as OP mentions get hundreds if not thousands of applications. Other times, I've personally also notice, candidates…

my job search is miserable. I want to post a well thought out rant about my experience but idk how to do it anonymously without ruining my chances to get a job looking like a dick online. Every part is horrible: recruiters that don't know the industry beyond buzzwords. this is frustrating, they cant think outside their box "oh you havent done exactly this for 10 years, so i guess youll never do it." I dont think peop…

Maybe the salaries are down and there is higher competitiveness between candidates because people are able to work remotely from low cost of living countries? I'd be happy to take fully remote staff eng/tech lead for 140k USD, because in my country I can make half of it for the same position

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#89
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but what has been everyone's experience so far in 2023 trying to find a new job? I’m done. Not even trying anymore. After a year of bullshit I’m convinced the only reason I ever made it into this field is because that stupid guilder age in the 2010s driven by cheap money, cargo culting, and naive idiocy. Even the non tech companies aren’t hiring much anymore. Seriously I had an easier time finding a job when I was…

Your experiences are too similar to what I've seen. I don't think the public preconception has yet to realize this is what reality if looking like for many people rather than the headlines about no-recession, jobs everywhere, low unemployment. I was going to link my other comment, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37112093 , but you already read and commented on that. Just try to hold out, it's just absolutely ter…

> Your experiences are too similar to what I've seen. I don't think the public preconception has yet to realize this is what reality if looking like for many people rather than the headlines about no-recession, jobs everywhere, low unemployment.

Both can be true. Many people can have a reality of not being able to find buyers for remote work performed on computers. And the data indicating non remote work, possibly not performed on computers is widely available (albeit at an undesirable pay to quality of life ratio for those in the former category).

Re: Ask HN: How do you look for jobs in 2023?

#90
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but what has been everyone's experience so far in 2023 trying to find a new job? I’m done. Not even trying anymore. After a year of bullshit I’m convinced the only reason I ever made it into this field is because that stupid guilder age in the 2010s driven by cheap money, cargo culting, and naive idiocy. Even the non tech companies aren’t hiring much anymore. Seriously I had an easier time finding a job when I was…

Your experiences are too similar to what I've seen. I don't think the public preconception has yet to realize this is what reality if looking like for many people rather than the headlines about no-recession, jobs everywhere, low unemployment. I was going to link my other comment, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37112093 , but you already read and commented on that. Just try to hold out, it's just absolutely ter…

As someone that skated through 2008 employed, this seems worse to me. I've seen people that are good take a year to get a job. Some even left willingly last year only to faceplant into the current situation.
Post reply on HN