Ask HN: Am I obsolete?
9 comments
No you are not.
From experience, HR screeners often view people who stay in the same place as "coasters". You need your resume & approach to aggressively counter this storyline. Without even having seen your resume, I'm assuming you're not effectively doing that.
So, I think you need a great recruiter. Yes, yes, scum of the earth, bla bla. But: you clearly are not able to translate your experience into something droolworthy for the right employer, and I'm guessing you're not aggressive about getting feedback about why you're not getting callbacks or how you could improve in interviews (?)
A great recruiter will do that for you. I think you should just acknowledge that weakness and find a great recruiter. A great recruiter, not just any sucker who contacts you cold on linkedin.
How to find one? It's easier to find a great recruiter than it is to get hired for your full market potential: Ask around. Friends, ex-colleagues, etc. If you're absolutely dying email me: [email protected], and I'll try and help.
You'll be fine. I checked out your comments. You're an experienced Java Dev in Seattle. Have faith.
From experience, HR screeners often view people who stay in the same place as "coasters". You need your resume & approach to aggressively counter this storyline. Without even having seen your resume, I'm assuming you're not effectively doing that.
So, I think you need a great recruiter. Yes, yes, scum of the earth, bla bla. But: you clearly are not able to translate your experience into something droolworthy for the right employer, and I'm guessing you're not aggressive about getting feedback about why you're not getting callbacks or how you could improve in interviews (?)
A great recruiter will do that for you. I think you should just acknowledge that weakness and find a great recruiter. A great recruiter, not just any sucker who contacts you cold on linkedin.
How to find one? It's easier to find a great recruiter than it is to get hired for your full market potential: Ask around. Friends, ex-colleagues, etc. If you're absolutely dying email me: [email protected], and I'll try and help.
You'll be fine. I checked out your comments. You're an experienced Java Dev in Seattle. Have faith.
A friend of mine just took 6+ months to find a job, and he's excellent. Sometimes that's just how it is.
My advice: find some other people's resumes, somehow. Compare them to yours. I had read my friend's, and thought it was okay. Then I had to read 10+ for my boss, weeding out the good/bad, and I realised that I was wrong. His was waaaaay too long and had waaaay too many words in long paragraphs.
It needs to be quick. Tell me, fast, what you do and what you're good at. Keep it short. Remember, I'm reading 10 of these in an hour under pressure - I don't have time for your life story.
Hope that helps in some way? Keep at it mate. It'll come good in the end if you skills are solid.
My advice: find some other people's resumes, somehow. Compare them to yours. I had read my friend's, and thought it was okay. Then I had to read 10+ for my boss, weeding out the good/bad, and I realised that I was wrong. His was waaaaay too long and had waaaay too many words in long paragraphs.
It needs to be quick. Tell me, fast, what you do and what you're good at. Keep it short. Remember, I'm reading 10 of these in an hour under pressure - I don't have time for your life story.
Hope that helps in some way? Keep at it mate. It'll come good in the end if you skills are solid.
> I even tried applying for positions...
You're doing it wrong! STOP applying to jobs online, instead shift your efforts into networking. Start talking with people who could use your help.
85% of critical jobs are filled via networking > https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-survey-reveals-85-all-job...
Can you reach out to 5 potential new contacts a day? That's very doable> http://www.npr.org/2011/02/08/133474431/a-successful-job-sea...
You're doing it wrong! STOP applying to jobs online, instead shift your efforts into networking. Start talking with people who could use your help.
85% of critical jobs are filled via networking > https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-survey-reveals-85-all-job...
Can you reach out to 5 potential new contacts a day? That's very doable> http://www.npr.org/2011/02/08/133474431/a-successful-job-sea...
I did get some interviews through networking but I couldn't clear those. Till now I couldn't understand why, till my last interviewer told me since I'm from small company operating at small scale I'm not suitable for senior position.
Just a FYI: Most interview calls come out of contacts and not by blindly mailing your resume to [email protected]. If you did just that, I am not surprised that you haven't gotten interview calls by simply sending emails to mailboxes nobody reads!
There is literally 0% chance you are obsolete. You have to focus on the opportunities that match your skill sets that is all.
How many interviews did you take? Where do you live?
10 to 12 phone screens in last 2 years and I was constantly trying to arrange interviews. out of those 3 progressed to onsite interviews, but was rejected in all 3. I'm in bay area, but need to move to seattle soon for personal reasons.
3 rejections is a fairly small amount. dont get discouraged. There are many reasons why you might not have been a good fit for them. Keep trying.
I even tried applying for positions requiring 5-6 years experience, but for those I don't even get an interview call.
I'm so much depressed right now, I don't know what to do anymore. Is my career as a programmer over? What should I do?