No Job

7 points by dabmancer 8 years ago | 10 comments

I looked for countless jobs online without response. My resume changed more frequently than my linux distro and was noticed less than an FAQ. HR is a filter, permitting only resumes that match the job description. Each job description could be a mirror of each resume I submitted. My resumes sat on top of the filters. I looked closely to see what was stopping my resume from going through. I sent my resume through a filter to see what it thought. "Two months IT experience."

Now I know what an insult is.

Ever since I was five, I've been on the computer. I started by playing with software. I configured all parts of the computer to make it unfit for normal use. Then, I put it back. I repeated it enough times I didn't have to look at the screen. I filled my hard drive with tools I could use to take apart more of my computer. The text editor, the compiler, the kernel. I programmed new parts to replace the old ones. I read technical documents and the FCCs. I could build a computer out of sand with the proper equipment. I could make a web browser for it, but it would be simple. It would run on THUMB architecture. The OS would be less than ten thousand lines of code. Any more, and a feature would be removed. It would be so consistant that the kernel would be written in the same language the shell would interpret. It would have exactly what it needed.

I couldn't get a helpdesk job. Maybe I should start a buisiness or something.

jstewartmobile 8 years ago |

Someone once said (I'm thinking it was either Taleb or Gatto, but I'm not sure) that a great many intellectual breakthroughs came from people who were underemployed. Bayes was a reverend. Einstein was a patent clerk. Many of the greats of the enlightenment were either nobility (Newton) or independently wealthy (Franklin).

If you want to do something meaningful with computers, you've probably got a better crack at it as a fireman (you'll spend most of your time just waiting around thanks to sprinkler systems) than as a tech support guy (who will be too drained from the dumpster fire we call our industry to do any productive work at the end of the day).

thiagooffm 8 years ago |

Maybe you should change your attitude and think that this is an insult.

If you don't have experience, you need to find a way to prove that you hold the skill that you do. You'll be competing against other candidates, try to figure out how their CVs look like and try to be like them. Complaining won't solve anything.

SirLJ 8 years ago |

Let me give you another idea while you are looking for a job, why not spend some time and look into the stock market, this is the only place you can make a real FY money, it is not going to be easy, but you have the skills and the time and who knows, you might find you edge...

RUG3Y 8 years ago |

My advice: Look for help with your resume. Polish it up. Don't lie, but word things the way you need to word them to get your resume looked at. Also, look at smaller companies and less tech-oriented cities, if you're not already. If you look outside of SV, you'll find tons of little companies that would take ANY Python developer they could get their hands on, for a pretty good wage. (I'm just using Python as an example here). Finally, don't give up - my resume went through two revisions and I submitted about 150 applications during my last job search.

j_s 8 years ago |

Maybe you should have linked your resume or at least included some means of contacting you. A general geographic region would be helpful too. Without any of that info this post turns into more of a piece of performance art.

In case you don't know, the 'email' portion of the HN profile is not shown to other users.

Check out this newly-formed community of 1100+ 'CS Career Hackers' willing to help each other get a (better) job: https://discord.gg/rGwhXJv

aminejp 8 years ago |

You probably should add and highlight real life project you have done. If you have not produced anything meaningful, you should take the chance to start while you have time. Another option is to put yourself in freelancing platforms like upwork, this will allow you to make money and get real life projects done that you could then use as references on your CV. Best of luck

richardknop 8 years ago |

Where are you based? Location is imho the biggest factor in our industry. In places like SF/NY/LND it's very easy to find jobs in software but in some rural areas you would have a very hard time. Are you willing to relocate or looking just in your current location?

auganov 8 years ago |

Sounds like you're really not at peace with where you are. Please take good care of yourself and be careful of black and white thinking.

On a practical note, in situations like yours, trying to get hired by meeting people personally and establishing rapport beforehand is your best bet.

maxwin 8 years ago |

Where are you based? US? It is strange to hear that there are people getting 200k+ and then there are some who can't find one.

newman8r 8 years ago |

you might want to look at a book like "cracking the coding interview" or similar to identify the gaps in your skillset. If you're comfortable with everything in a book like that you shouldn't be having trouble finding work.