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Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

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Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#71

Post by pcthrowaway »

baq wrote: post #35
mojomark wrote: post #16

I have not from the perspective of seeking emplyment, but from the smaller mid-size employer side (200 employees, robotics) we have had to reject a number of candidates. Normally this is based on a resume review (so as not to waste people's time), but sometimes it does come out in interviews. My main challenge, and I'm not saying this is the case for you - I'm just offering the perspective on the other side, has been…

Pay enough so it doesn't make sense to hop jobs.

At this point, pay whatever you think just below market is and let candidates know they get a 10-15% raise at 6 months and 12 months, and 5-10% at 18 months and 24 months. Show them a comp schedule for their targeted salary, and give them a decent signing bonus with a repayment policy if they quit in the first year.

Solves the problem of hires wanting to jump ship even if they started 10-20% below their target salary but know that committing can get them decently above their target salary in a year

Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#72

Post by baq »

silverquiet wrote: post #60
benjaminwootton wrote: post #21

You have to wonder if remote work is starting to bite developers. 10 year ago I started a business that had hundreds of engineers in London and New York. I am now starting a new one and this time I am hiring talent from all over the world now that it is more acceptable for us and our clients. Surely this must be a factor in people in expensive western markets?

This is what I've been warning people about since I was at a company acquired by private equity. They straight up told us that if a job can be done from home, then it can be done from India. I got my layoff not too long after that.

Not your problem anymore but wonder if that turned out to be true. I have my doubts.

Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#73

Post by dsotirovski »

Applied(and went thru the all the ropes) twice in the last 6 months for Java software engineering positions(senior) in two companies respectively.

Rejected the first time, low-balled below my communicated expected salary the second time.

The interview processes felt a lot like tech hazing - multiple interviews, a coding assignment, and an arbitrary review of said assignment compared to the job responsibilities. At the end, I felt plenty invested(both emotionally and timewise) to the point that I amused the idea of accepting the low-ball offer. I guess that even might have been the company's strategy.

I continue with my freelance work and looking.

*edit: I am in the EU.

Best of luck with your search!

Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#74

Post by jeswin »

Hang in there. I feel the tables are about to turn as AI eliminates junior positions. You'd need people who understand business, potential issues, and architecture at a higher level. Which usually means people who are more senior. My advice would be to repackage your skills. Don't compete on things that a junior developer can complete at a lower cost.

I didn't make this up - I'm in my 40s and use Generative AI for most of my work today (currently with a custom toolset that I'll open source soon). There will be some work which will require human ingenuity, but most software patterns have been done before by someone else.

Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#75

Post by aiisahik »

Hang in there, everyone. This is what happens when interest rates are high, LPs prefer to plow money into fixed income or public markets and VCs with what little funds they have prefer to be in AI. 2011-2022 was an unusual golden age for software engineers with 2021 being the absolute peak. The current state is an usual low while the overdose is wearing off.

This is not you - this is just the nature of the cycle. You got to enjoy the high but how you have to survive the lows. Conserve cash; do work for comp that you once thought was once below you. The good times will come again. Don't get too down about it but also don't get too stubborn about maintaining what you once had.

Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#77

Post by c16 »

I was recently applying during the summer of '23 for roles in The Netherlands. I was on about 14 interviews before I landed my current role. Company #5 offered me a role, but then changed the position from lead to engineer and cut the salary significantly after telling me I had the role. I'm not sure if it's just because of European holidays or the bad economy, but replies could take weeks and there were very few roles available. I'm seeing more roles these days and a trickle of recruiters reaching out, but 6 months ago it was barren. I put a lot of the failed interviews due to me having to cast the net wide to get any interview. Times have definitely changed. London however still seems active and hungry.

Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#79

Post by influx »

dgfitz wrote: post #12
readingnews wrote: post #8

I am having a tough time... I am a systems administrator who also has experience teaching and coding, but I am looking at systems admins / engineering positions only. I consider myself highly experienced in Linux / Unix. A few years back, I could just word of mouth say I was looking and have offers. Now, nothing. Lots of ghosting after the 2nd or 3rd interview. Very few positions for Sr. Systems admin / Engineer that…

This describes me as well. I’m almost to the point of grinding leetcode and learning react or some such front end. I have no AWS-esque type skills or anything scaling/web related. My last pref. review I was told “you’re the guy we ask to solve problems 10x harder than the other devs. Anyone can patch a bug, we always ask you to figure out the things nobody else can.” Which unfortunately doesn’t translate well on a re…

Build a small web project on AWS using Terraform, and Node/React running on a container platform with a full cicd platform.

I have your background and doing this increased my scope and kills significantly.

Re: Ask HN: Who's getting their job applications rejected?

#80

Post by tensor »

btbuildem wrote: post #24
mojomark wrote: post #16

I have not from the perspective of seeking emplyment, but from the smaller mid-size employer side (200 employees, robotics) we have had to reject a number of candidates. Normally this is based on a resume review (so as not to waste people's time), but sometimes it does come out in interviews. My main challenge, and I'm not saying this is the case for you - I'm just offering the perspective on the other side, has been…

That's an interesting perspective. I wonder if the screening rejections/silence have anything to do with the history seen on the resumes; eg, 10 yrs of experience in 1 to 2 year stints, vs having worked in only two orgs but for say 4 and 6 years. I've always heard that the best strategy to raise your salary is to change jobs every couple of years. Could this be the flip-side of that?

When I was hiring yes it absolutely was something I looked at. If a candidate had only 1-2 year stints at a bunch of places, why would I expect my experience with them to be any different?

And yes, it there is definitely a mindset that jumping companies frequently is the best path to higher salary. There is even some truth to that, people who don't know you may value perceived potential higher than the company that knows you well. That said, if you do it too much you do risk ending up in the "jumps ship too frequently" pool and you'll start to be overlooked.

I wasn't looking for 5-10 years from an employee, I don't think that's realistic today. But somewhere in 2-4 for sure. Jumping after 4 years is pretty common as it's a frequent vesting cliff, even at large companies.

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