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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?

#131

Post by layer8 »

shnkr wrote: post #127
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…

insert meme *Don't give me hope* In an idealist world, you're the perfect employer and I should be your employee. I want to believe that these employers exist but my conventional wisdom says, they are just textbook version, real world is different. A little bit about me: In my 12 yoe (still at same place with steady growth), worked 6 years for one team, built a framework. one SE was dumping his new projects and movin…

We need more devs like you.

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

#132

Post by MarketingJason »

I can relate. Two days ago, I found a perfect match in a niche but complex fintech sector I have experience in as a Engineering Manager and IC. I applied with a tailored resume and cover letter that addressed every single point and desirable skill in the job listing. I found the hiring manager and emailed them an intro where I briefly re-iterated my alignment with everything in the job details. I even got someone I had worked with previously to refer me to an upper-level manager at the hiring company.

I saw over 100 people applied for the role, but it's hard to imagine many (if any) other folks had the same direct experience with everything the role entailed. Yesterday, I got a cold rejection email. I was shocked enough to reply asking for any feedback on why I was not being considered based on how well my experience and achievements matched the role - I don't expect an answer.

I am also seeing a high percentage of cold rejections at later stages in the process than I am used to. Where the last interview step was usually down to 1-3 candidates, it's now down to 3-8.

It's just my opinion, but I think the huge volume of applicants is leading to them to go way beyond the job they are hiring for. Like, they post a position for a front end engineer with 3 years React experience and they end up with a 10+ year FS engineer, a FE engineer who worked for 7 years at Facebook, a BE with 8 years experience and 2 years of FE/FS, or a contractor in RU with 10+ years.

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

#133

Post by meowfly »

twojobsoneboss wrote: post #58
greatpostman wrote: post #7

This is going to put fuel on the fire. I run a startup, we hired two devs out of Eastern Europe at 60k each that are absolutely phenomenal. We’d love to hire American but can’t afford it. I know many other companies doing the same (nyc based seed/preseed startups). With ai, high interest rates, and covid accelerating remote hiring, I don’t see this recovering.

Ding ding ding, this right here is a big part of it. Previously it was very rare for vc funded startups (which are the main source of decent tech jobs apart from big tech) to hire from abroad, but now it’s more the norm rather than the exception (just look at the HN postings, tons of latam) The remote work movement chickens have come home to roost

The model I'm noticing becoming more popular is a highly skilled US based team lead and exclusively Latam seniors and mids.

The reason to have some US devs is that the Latam hires are technically contractors and they need US engineers to hedge against the risk a change in Argentina tax law forces employees to quit.

Im sure it's very difficult to be a US based junior or mid right now.

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

#134

Post by EligibleDecoy »

Are you willing to relocate to Central Virginia or to Salt Lake city Utah? We can't seem to find good backend SWE candidates, especially senior ones.

My email is in my bio if you want to apply, also, I could give you some actionable feedback on your resume based on what I'm seeing a lot lately.

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

#135

Post by floor2 »

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #96
charliebwrites wrote: post #18

Everyone. I am a very senior PM with two big name tech companies on my resume, and the track record of bringing multiple products from zero to one and creating revenue (and even profit!) from them. In the old days, I had recruiters in my LinkedIn, I would breeze through the first 30 minute screener calls, and get lots of call backs. My hit rate for job applications for non-FAANG cold applies was fairly high. Two mont…

Any idea / feeling, on if this is temporary? I just have hard time understanding how 1 year ago, everyone was hiring SE and now nobody is. Shouldn't this be indicative of some huge economic meltdown? But economy isn't melting down. Can skills mismatch suddenly be so dramatically different? AI is great but it can't have this much impact already. Could over-hiring during Covid really have this much impact? It just feel…

We've all secretly been benefiting from the dreaded "trickle down economics" which has shifted as interest rates have increased. What percent of HN users salaries are actually paid by the revenue from the customers of their business rather than burning down investment funding?

Most of us have had high paid jobs funded by some billionaire VC burning their wealth on unprofitable ventures, because they were willing to lose 10 bets to win 1.

Today, investors (whether VC, private equity, public markets) want to own businesses that are profitable or can reasonably be expected to be soon. Correspondingly, far fewer jobs paying six figure salaries while the company loses millions of dollars for their investors/owners.

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

#136

Post by black6 »

romanhn wrote: post #34

A dozen applications is not very much. Anecdotally, I've heard from a few folks that the funnel these days looks something like this: 100 applications -> 10 interviews -> 1 offer. Doesn't mean that you should be shotgunning your resume to every conceivable job (this happens a lot right now and hiring managers are overwhelmed), but it is a numbers game and you need to widen the top of the funnel.

I have no remorse for hiring managers. The length of time it takes to make it through the hiring process they have fomented makes the shotgun approach absolutely necessary if you want to get hired (at all) in a timely manner.

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

#137

Post by jenscow »

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…

It could be wise to favour the candidates with poorer interview skills, as they're less likely to be able to leave.

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

#138

Post by sotix »

I was laid off in January and have been regularly applying every week as a requirement for unemployment. So far zero responses, which is hard because it sounds like more experienced devs are on the market and will land jobs before me.

I did see my former employer was looking for someone in India or Eastern Europe to fill a dev position requiring my exact stack. I do wonder if taking whatever pay cut down to the lower salary they’re presumably offering would have been worth it for both sides.

As it stands, I’m in a mild panic about my future career despite knowing I’m capable. I may end up using my CPA to switch back into accounting for the time being. Or perhaps start up my own thing. Hopefully things get better after a short amount of time.

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

#139

Post by layer8 »

esclerofilo wrote: post #102
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…

Wanting someone who will stay for the long haul makes sense, but it leaves me as an unemployed engineer with two options: - Stay unemployed until I find a job that seems interesting enough to work there for years. Apply, get rejected because companies don't like hiring unemployed people. - Get a job that I don't like, then be constantly on the lookout for an opportunity to leave. Get rejected because I haven't been o…

If you need the money, get the job that you don’t like, but then spend your time looking for the job that you’ll find interesting anyway. Life is too short to not earn your living with something you find interesting.

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

#140

Post by EligibleDecoy »

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…

Have you considered being a deployment specialist? I'm not sure if that's the term everyone else uses, but we have had like 1 candidate apply and are desperate for more applications. It would require a lot of travel, or living near Sacramento, CA though.

You can email me in my bio for more questions, referral to this role: https://apply.workable.com/ccri/j/AF5E000507/

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