Ask HN: With recent layoffs, how would you advise new grads entering the market?

The tech sector underwent rapid manpower growth, and recently, rapid reduction [1,2,3].

What advice do you have for new grads in CS/EE fields looking for jobs? For example, I am finishing my PhD in AI-related work this spring. Colleagues I've talked to in several companies have told me about frozen hiring. Is this true in your experience?

Is it better to get any job than keep searching for the job I'd be most suited for? Should I reach directly to managers in different teams? Who are the best people/kinds of firms to reach out to when the industry is slowing hiring?

[1]: https://layoffs.fyi/ [2]: https://news.stanford.edu/2022/12/05/explains-recent-tech-layoffs-worried/ [3]: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/05/tech-jobs-hit-the-hardest-by-layoffs-last-year-report.html

It's the usual - be as employable as you can, search for a job, apply, interview, get hired. I don't think that you need to do anything special just because the market is worse. When you start applying you'll find out how difficult the market is for you specifically (given your education, location, field etc), and you can adjust your expectations from there if you need to.

Maybe startups specifically look worse than other companies right now? But I never got the appeal of startups anyway (more likely lower pay, less stability, more likely to have poor work life balance and have to deal with inexperienced management).

The key thing is to teach people to be able to ride the storms. Don't get caught with your pants down by having discipline to save.

Don't pigeon hole yourself into only skills or techniques too niche, but also make sure you learn skills unique to you within the organization. Essentially make yourself irreplaceable but also ensure you stay marketable.

Beyond that always keep looking at what's out there and network, network, network.

Starting out is hard, but after you put a bit of time in your resume will begin to speak for itself. For what your resume can't do for you that is what your contacts within desired companies are for.

Also, contributing to open source projects is great material for the resume!

There are so many smaller firms struggling to find talent!

Message hiring managers and recruiters on LinkedIn that say "hiring" in their bio. This should get the ball rolling a little bit faster.

Good luck and cheers!