Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

201–210 of 875 posts

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#201

Post by kyawzazaw »

floren wrote: post #44

No health insurance sucks, but you're in your 20s and you didn't mention any chronic illnesses. You need a year's worth of experience in one job--any job, so long as it's the same job--more than you need health insurance right now. I can sit here and rage about how terrible it is that you have to make that choice, but that won't help you get a job. If you manage to get hired again, hold onto that fucking job like it'…

Salesforce did give me once and I agree they were accurate and right in their reasoning.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#202

Post by Godel_unicode »

bawolff wrote: post #150
hbt wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you call him a creep, I would call him a go getter. it is immensely frustrating to deal with automated systems, resume keyword matchers, no contact within a company and being ghosted after taking the time to write a proposal and cover letter that is a fit for the job description. so what, he called an executive and got around their spam filter? my advice treat job hunting like a sales process. you're successful based…

> you call him a creep, I would call him a go getter. Perhaps the difference is how succesful you are at it. > so what, he called an executive and got around their spam filter? Pissing off people you need something from is probably a poor tactic. Especially when you're not offering something particularly rare. Doubly so because the executive is not the hiring manager, so its unlikely they could help you, only hurt yo…

> Doubly so because the executive is not the hiring manager

This is really the crux of it, for me. People hear stories about executives finding that diamond in the rough and slashing through the beauracracy to get them hired. That kind of thing almost never happens, especially from the perspective of the person looking for a job. I think this perspective might be hard to get until you've worked at a large organization, or better hired people at one.

Brutal honesty? You're probably just not that special, don't expect special treatment.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#203

Post by jonstewart »

_6pvr wrote: post #148
snakedoctor wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've tried asking companies for feedback. Some respond, and some don't. I think that most don't due to legal reasons. I did move to Austin when I received a lump sum of money, and hanged with some people IRL. Some would ratify that I'm awkward lol. But there was a lot of good vibes while I was in Austin. Now that I'm back where I grew up I find that I'm more depressed, and surly. State goverment here is more Laissez-…

I'm not challenging you on whether or not you're smart. I'm commenting on the fact that you're unable to find employment, which means either you're carrying yourself incorrectly or you're unable to perform the tasks required of an entry-level applicant. You're bringing up this resume, these achievements, which can verify that you're intelligent and capable of critical thinking, so the greatest culprit would be that y…

One of the hardest lessons for young people early in their careers is to stop beginning sentences with “I am going to...” or “I am doing...” and instead start off with a [truthful!] “I did...”

With an abusive childhood, homeschooling, no college, OP has a long road to travel. That all needs to be addressed, and finding a supportive environment will make that much easier. A career is based on achievement, however, beginning with simply doing the work and staying employed.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#204

Post by geocrasher »

snakedoctor wrote: post #9
elmerfud wrote: post #2

You leave out a lot about yourself that would make you unhireable. From what you've written it sounds like you could form a decent resume for an entry level position. The biggest red flag I see is that it doesn't sound like you completed anything and you don't have any follow through / sticktuitiveness. Life happens and reasons happen but you didn't complete college, you complain about your entry level position at am…

Yeah, I think hiring managers think that I'm a quitter. I definitely think that I was whining too much about the Amazon role. Beggers can't be choosers. However, the no health insurance thing rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like it was a dead end job. I wish that I would've stayed with it though. I probably would've been promoted by now. I need to stay with a job and rack up some years of experience for sure. Like I…

> felt like that I should've got promoted after reporting those issues, especially since I found them within my frist two weeks.

Dude. What are you thinking? You get hired in a CS role and you're raising red flags about security issues and expecting more than a pat on the back?

I've been a supervisor. Trainer. CS agent. Let me tell you what I see: A guy comes in with tons of supposed experience but gets a CS job. All he does is talk about what an awesome dev he is and all the work he's done. Highly opinionated, and feels he's above the job but "Hey I gotta work so I'll do whatever I can for now." Nice. Not.

Two weeks in he sees a security issue. Does he bring it to me? No, he sends a detailed e-mail to the VP in charge of the anti-fraud system. Scratch "team player" off the list. And now he wants something more than a pat on the back? He went above and beyond in finding an issue but didn't follow the proper channels to report it and then expects a promotion to another department before he's even had his 90 day review? WTH?

I've managed folks who've pulled crap like this, and I was not impressed. You need to learn your place and get off your pedestal. If you're going to sit at the right hand of the king, by all means aim for it! But don't start off by showing off and telling the king all the reasons YOU should be his right hand man. Instead, work your way up patiently. If you're "all that", then he will choose you.

TL;DR: Humble yourself. Do the job your were hired for and do it well! Work your way up by proving you deserve it, not by insisting that you deserve it. Promotions are earned.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#205

Post by kyawzazaw »

holografix wrote: post #165

I read a bit of the responses here: some sadly very judgemental but I have also read OP’s responses. I think seeing a therapist is a great idea given your difficult upbringing. However try to see someone who will help you improve on your professional presentation skills. Unfortunately this stuff matters a lot during interviews. I mean someone who will candidly give you feedback on how you dress, communicate, your per…

Seeing a therapist could be highly costly and out of reach for OP.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#206

Post by stevenhuang »

dcolkitt wrote: post #109
honkycat wrote: post #88

Your writing is not strong, i can tell you did not attend college. Written communication is important in tech. Your applying to those companies with 0 experience or college degree is unrealistic. The entry level is extremely competitive and you have nothing to make you interesting to hire. They get thousands of applications for those jobs. You are still young, plenty of time to learn, but I recommend taking a step ba…

> Your writing is not strong, I don't know. I think he has pretty decent writing. Kinda reminds me of William Gibson. It may be stylistically unusual, but it's definitely better than the median SWE. At least in terms of clearly conveying his thoughts.

The writing is disjointed and does not easily flow.

It's too curt and while that's alright for a casual i.e., HN audience, if that's how one communicates in other contexts there will be miscommunication.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#207

Post by gnulinux »

Igelau wrote: post #179
dotBen wrote: post #83

First off, your HN submission history is really weird, dude. ( https://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=snakedoctor ) If you get a job in customer support at Amazon there is literally no way to get a 'promotion' to a dev role. It's different parts of the org, and you're tarnished with being a CS person. Why? Because it's signaling - people who can do eng roles at Amazon don't take CS roles so they don't bother minin…

> First off, your HN submission history is really weird, dude. That's creepy and a poor start for giving someone social skills advice.

I strongly disagree. Going through an anonymous person's social media history just to give social advice sounds appropriate. That is the only input GP could work with.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#208

Post by SethKinast »

taytus wrote: post #158
honkycat wrote: post #88

Your writing is not strong, i can tell you did not attend college. Written communication is important in tech. Your applying to those companies with 0 experience or college degree is unrealistic. The entry level is extremely competitive and you have nothing to make you interesting to hire. They get thousands of applications for those jobs. You are still young, plenty of time to learn, but I recommend taking a step ba…

>Your writing is not strong Followed by >Your applying to those companies instead of "you are" or "you're" Cut him some slack.

"applying" is a gerund so "your" as the possessive is correct.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#209

Post by soso_sesame »

I'm assuming you're trying to get an engineering job but its a bit unclear?

I think what a lot of people miss about engineering jobs is that the first job is definitely hard, partly because people are giving you a bunch of money to do something that is difficult to quantify that may or may not make their business. Apply everywhere and be very ready to take the first job.

If you want to get a big tech engineering job, you need a couple of months of getting good at leet code so try to figure out a way to get that.

OHP is way better than medicaid if you can snag it.

Re: Ask HN: How can a unhireable person get a job?

#210

Post by snakedoctor »

pcthrowaway wrote: post #134

If you're not currently working, I'd recommend a staffing agency, Uber Eats, Taskrabbit, Instacart, etc. There are ways to start making money right now that might keep you from being homeless. And being homeless is going to set you back. Don't put any of the above on your resume. What are you looking for? You haven't really elaborated on what your skills are except for alluding to a possible penchant for security res…

I saw some people in Austin who did gig work like uber etc. I've thought about it. I'm a very anxious driver though. I've though about working in a Amazon warehouse. There's one near me. But they don't get health benefits for 3+ months. Have to do intense manual labor etc. EA QA was the most toxic place I ever worked at. Belittling people, thinking that all testers are incompetent etc. I have back pain, and dental issues which is why I mention insurance a lot.
Post reply on HN