How I landed an awesome software developer job in this job market...

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their journey of finding a developer job amid a tough job market. Despite facing concerns about resume gaps, tech experience, and job market pessimism, they successfully landed their dream job after a year of freelancing and YouTube. They discuss applying to jobs in unfamiliar tech stacks, the challenges of job hunting, and the importance of networking, tailored applications, and using niche job boards. Ultimately, the creator secured a fully remote position with flexible hours and a generous salary increase, offering hope to others struggling to find work.

Takeaways

• 😀 The job market for developers is tough, but with the right strategy, it's possible to land a job, even during a downturn.
• 😀 Having a solid professional experience is crucial, but small gaps or niche skills (like Adobe Experience Manager) can be overcome with the right approach.
• 😀 Networking and leveraging social media can be a game-changer when applying for jobs. Reaching out on platforms like Twitter can help bypass the noise of larger job boards.
• 😀 Tailoring your resume to specific jobs and being strategic about which skills to highlight increases your chances of getting noticed.
• 😀 Code challenges are common, but the experience varies. Some companies provide clear expectations and even pay for your time, while others give vague instructions that lead to frustration.
• 😀 Be cautious with companies that offer low salary expectations or unreasonable coding challenges during the interview process, as they may not value your time appropriately.
• 😀 Using AI tools like ChatGPT to help with cover letters and resume tweaks can be helpful, but ensure you personalize them to avoid sounding generic.
• 😀 It's important to stay positive and persistent, even when getting no responses from job applications. Keep applying, stay proactive, and things can turn around.
• 😀 Remote job opportunities, especially those that allow flexibility for travel, are available, but they often require a tailored approach to application and work-life balance.
• 😀 Even in a challenging job market, if you focus on what you're truly passionate about (like a specific tech stack), and are willing to keep improving, you can land your dream job.
• 😀 Don't let online negativity cloud your view. Your journey is unique, and with the right mindset, perseverance, and adaptability, you can succeed in your career.

Q & A

Why did the creator decide to return to a developer job after doing YouTube full-time?

Living off internet income became increasingly difficult due to rising expenses and burning through savings, which prompted the creator to start job hunting again.

What level of experience does the creator have as a developer?

The creator has around seven years of professional experience, placing them at a mid-to-senior level rather than a junior developer.

What aspects of the creator’s resume did they feel were weak?

They felt their resume was weak due to employment gaps, short job stints that looked like job hopping, time spent traveling, time doing YouTube full-time, and experience in a niche technology that isn’t widely understood.

Why was Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) seen as a drawback on the resume?

AEM is a niche CMS mostly used by large enterprises, and many developers or hiring managers are unfamiliar with it unless they specifically work in that ecosystem.

What tech stack was the creator targeting despite not having professional experience with it?

They were targeting Laravel with Inertia and Vue.js, even though their professional background was mainly in Angular and some React.

Why did the creator struggle with large job boards like LinkedIn?

They felt LinkedIn was flooded with fake listings, bots, and AI-driven applications, making it difficult to stand out or receive responses.

How did social media help in the job search process?

Posting on Twitter/X led to direct conversations with hiring managers and resulted in several interviews, proving more effective than traditional job boards.

What red flags did the creator notice with one startup opportunity?

The company attempted to lower salary expectations early, suggested part-time work for a full-time role, and assigned an extremely large and time-consuming coding challenge.

What made the successful coding challenge experience different from others?

The company paid for the coding challenge, limited it to four hours, provided clear requirements and documentation, and respected the candidate’s time.

What ultimately helped the creator secure their dream job?

A strong alignment between the job requirements and their experience, clear communication from the company, a fair interview process, and a well-structured paid coding challenge.

What kind of role and work arrangement did the creator accept?

They accepted a fully remote, contract-based full-stack role with a strong front-end and design focus, allowing them to continue traveling.

What happened after the creator started working at the new job?

After about two months, the company gave them a significant raise—around $15 per hour—after a positive performance evaluation.

Does the creator believe the job market is bad for everyone?

They acknowledge the market is tough, especially for junior developers, but believe experienced developers can still find good opportunities by being strategic.

What job search strategies does the creator recommend?

They recommend using niche job boards, networking, reaching out directly to recruiters or companies, tailoring resumes, and using AI tools like ChatGPT thoughtfully.

What is the main message the creator wants viewers to take away?

Despite widespread negativity, good developer jobs still exist, and persistence, knowing your worth, and choosing the right opportunities can lead to success.