Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#1

Post by neoxone » Tue, May 24, 2022, 4:44 PM UTC

I’ve been job hunting and I was going to get interviewed on Friday for a SWE role at a small startup and today I received an email from the PM canceling the interview and letting me know the company has decided to stop the recruitment process for all roles due to the markets situation. She also attached a tweet about a YC email to all their founders, here’s the link: https://twitter.com/refsrc/status/1527238287471292417. I checked the company webpage and in fact they have closed all the open positions, there were like 6.

From all the rejections I’ve got so far this is the first time the reason is markets turmoil / recession threat. To be honest is my first time job hunting since I graduated in 2019.

Screen shots: https://t.co/wSx5IR44nK

Will be this the situation for most tech companies or just start ups? I know the unprofitable over valuated ones will most likely get rekt first but I wanna know if during recessions recruiting slows down even for big profitable companies.

What companies or roles will be more resilient?

And how as a SWE / tech industry professional, specially the ones starting their careers like me, can prepare?

I hope some experienced people in the industry can give some hope and advice. Is demoralizing to find out I spent 4 years in school just to get into a really harsh job market. First pandemic, then recession? F...

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#2

Post by bnt » Tue, May 24, 2022, 4:48 PM UTC

Their honesty should be applauded. Imagine they hired you and then had to fire you in 6 months. Keep in touch with the PM if you liked them and see how they perform in the next 12 months.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#3

Post by yuppie_scum » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:01 PM UTC

I can say without hyperbole that this job market is still incredible compared to post 2008 recession times. Especially comparing apples to apples at the entry level.

What you can do to prepare is just to keep getting better at the skills people are looking for.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#4

Post by devKnight » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:12 PM UTC

There are still people hiring, there's always work out there. I'd put up a post in the "freelancer" and "who wants to be hired" posts next week here on hackernews. Maybe you can get some bites that way, I've gotten work through that in the past.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#5

Post by ido » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:18 PM UTC

yuppie_scum wrote: post #3

I can say without hyperbole that this job market is still incredible compared to post 2008 recession times. Especially comparing apples to apples at the entry level. What you can do to prepare is just to keep getting better at the skills people are looking for.

Isn’t it too early to tell? The crash is very recent.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#6

Post by Mo3 » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:20 PM UTC

bnt wrote: post #2

Their honesty should be applauded. Imagine they hired you and then had to fire you in 6 months. Keep in touch with the PM if you liked them and see how they perform in the next 12 months.

I agree 100%. I feel sorry for OP of course, but this is highly commendable, even if the threat of major recession turns out to be overestimated. This employer is acting in a fashion that shows high levels of social responsibility and moral value. Hats off.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#7

Post by mc32 » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:23 PM UTC

bnt wrote: post #2

Their honesty should be applauded. Imagine they hired you and then had to fire you in 6 months. Keep in touch with the PM if you liked them and see how they perform in the next 12 months.

I agree. In a previous recession I had an offer rescinded over a weekend. I’m glad they did because most likely as they had to reduce headcount during the recession Id have been on the chopping block --my then employer having been conservative in hiring didn't have to cut as much. also sometimes in times of expansion some hires are "luxury hires", nice to haves, but not must haves and can be the first to go.

Usually it’s recent hires and people who’ve been there a long stretch who get cut first, of course with lots of exceptions.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#8

Post by zebraflask » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:23 PM UTC

Doesn't speak well of their longterm planning ability to yank six open positions over a tweet - but I would guess there are other undisclosed reasons, and saying "because of the economy" is just a convenient thing to say.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#9

Post by markus_zhang » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:26 PM UTC

A side note. I see a lot of hiring freeze at least in the gaming industry.

Re: Tell HN: Job interview canceled due to looming recession

#10

Post by codegeek » Tue, May 24, 2022, 5:27 PM UTC

The screenshot has the word "bootstrapped" which makes sense. Unless you have free VC money to throw, startups and smaller companies have to really watch their spending and as VC money is drying up (supposedly), this is expected.

Having said that, I think in 2022, there are lot of companies tech and non tech that are still hiring as the demand for tech jobs is a lot more than what we had during 2001 or 2008 crash. You just have to do a bit more homework and effort to get the jobs.