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

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

#391

Post by dehrmann »

BeetleB wrote: post #54

So far none of the replies has mentioned this, and it may be unpopular in HN, but: Seriously consider going back to school and finishing a degree. Although it's "known" that you don't really need a degree for a SW role, there are plenty of well established old school companies that will not consider you at all unless you have a degree. On the flip side, you'll get jobs more easily. A lot of interviewers who choose to…

Especially in this case, getting a degree would got a long way towards demonstrating dedication and maturity, and could even make up for earlier job hopping and quitting school.

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

#392

Post by Stratoscope »

whymauri wrote: post #309
santoshalper wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, there is an edit link right there in your post. I would describe op's behavior as "desperate" more than creepy. Desperation is really easy to spot and unappealing, my guess is that is shows through in interviews.

IIRC. the edit option expires after 1-2 hours on HN.

Yes, it expires after 2 hours.

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

#393

Post by snapetom »

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…

> wonder if you have delusions of grandeur around your abilities which is creating a miss-match of expectation leading you to quit jobs you need to tough it out in.

Not a doctor either, but I would agree with this. OP seems to have a disconnect between what reality and the old days of the first bubble where if you could spell programmer, you got a job as one.

It doesn't work like that anymore, OP. Too much competition, too many people with more experience, skill, and education than you. You need to put in the work and rid yourself of any notion that you are entitled to a dev job.

And it's probably my naiveté, but I tend to think the social awkwardness/spectrum issues aren't as strong as people here are saying. This is engineering. There's always been a higher percentage of people on the spectrum than in other fields. At any given job, I'd say about 1/3 of my coworkers are somewhere on the spectrum. I haven't been a job where people who simply have awkward communication skills aren't offered. Now, if they do come across as an arrogant dick, spectrum or not, that's an entirely different issue.

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

#394

Post by seoaeu »

memling wrote: post #85
geofft wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Overqualified" in concert with your employment record of very short stints means they're worried you won't be happy at the job and you'll leave for something else. Which, bluntly, they're right to be worried about. Hiring a person has a pretty high fixed cost for the company (in time spent setting things up, doing their end of the paperwork, making time to show you the ropes, etc.), and it's only worthwhile if it's…

> For instance, if they ask you why you left Amazon, you'd better not be saying "I found an important problem and I didn't get recognition for it." Tell them you had a personal emergency or something. Can I push on that a little? Lying is a Bad Move. There are, however, ways to finesse the conversation if it comes to that. But there's literally no reason you can't just come out and say, "I wasn't getting benefits, an…

> But there's literally no reason you can't just come out and say, "I wasn't getting benefits, and I need benefits." Honesty works there.

The problem is that (a) you should have noticed the lack of benefits before you accepted the job, and (b) it doesn't make any sense to quit due to lack of benefits without another job lined up that does provide benefits.

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

#395

Post by fnbr »

ma2rten wrote: post #388
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #211

As a hiring manager, the things that stand out to me in your post: - You said you quit a job at EA, quit a job at IBM, dropped out of college your freshman year. You may have valid reasons for leaving each of these, but you have to see this from the manager's perspective: You had 3 different great opportunities that all came to a dead end at the beginning of your career. You need an alternate narrative. - You talk ab…

I don't necessarily agree regarding FAANG. Once someone gets an interview it doesn't matter much what their previous work experience is.

I agree. If OP can consistently get interviews at FAANGs, then that’s all that’s needed for the job.

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

#396

Post by de6u99er »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #211

As a hiring manager, the things that stand out to me in your post: - You said you quit a job at EA, quit a job at IBM, dropped out of college your freshman year. You may have valid reasons for leaving each of these, but you have to see this from the manager's perspective: You had 3 different great opportunities that all came to a dead end at the beginning of your career. You need an alternate narrative. - You talk ab…

Where does his article say, that he spoofed emails to manipulate executives into meetings? Only thing I see about email is the one to a VP which resulted in fixing an issue. I bet he didn't receive the credit for it.

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

#397

Post by Talanes »

srinivgp wrote: post #360
bmdavi3 wrote: post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The secret to being a good conversationalist is to have the other person do most of the talking, and everyone's favorite thing to talk about is themselves. Being, and therefore appearing, genuinely interested in what the other person is saying about themselves creates the best feelings in the world for the other person, and you won't run out of things to talk about. "You just got a new dog? Cool!" Then you can ask an…

I hear people say this so much and it's so incredibly not true for me but I dunno if I'm different, they're all full of it, or both.

Right? My conversation problems all stem from my own dislike of talking about myself.

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

#398

Post by de6u99er »

klyrs wrote: post #42

Brutally candid advice? You sound like a creep. Am I reading it right here, you spoofed your number to talk to executives? In the best case, they'll assume you're a pen-tester; but more likely, you're blacklisted from those companies now. I wish there was, like, short and simple advice that I could give you to not be a creep. I just tried to google that, and I'm not finding a good clear resource. Like most social ski…

>You sound like a creep.

He sounds desperate. I can imagine the prospect of becoming homeless isn't comforting.

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

#399

Post by dkdk8283 »

irjustin wrote: post #314
santoshalper wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, there is an edit link right there in your post. I would describe op's behavior as "desperate" more than creepy. Desperation is really easy to spot and unappealing, my guess is that is shows through in interviews.

Desperate is what the primary person feels. Creeped out is what the receiving person feels. When does desperate become creepy? Everyone has a different definition. If I was an exec on the receiving end, I'd definitely be put off by all of this.

I’m an exec. I might be impressed, might not. Context is everything. Two sides to every story.

Hiring someone is a huge liability. Depending on their state it could be a 500k bet. Give me a reason to believe in you.

Red flag of this post is absence of self reflection. What has been learned during this? Why do you deserve a shot?

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

#400

Post by snakedoctor »

okaram wrote: post #308

It is hard to figure out what the problem may be, without knowing you, so I won't try (feel free to PM if you want to do something like a mock interview). One thing that may suck, but want to make you aware is that chances are you need to do things worse temporarily, before they become better. You may need to put extra effort now (go to community college etc), for reward later. One program I'd suggest you explore is…

How can I get in contact with you?
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