Entry Level Job Searching
The Notification Letter
“Thank you for your interest….. Based on the information you provided, we are considering other candidates whose background and experience more closely align with the qualifications and requirements of this position.”
We have all seen this type of message before in our life. Especially for those out of college with no experiences or those transitioning to a new job market.
It’s always this age old question.
To get a job you need experience. To gain experience you need a job.
I always hated this notion.
There are too few companies out in the market that are willing to put in the effect of training the next generation of workers. It’s the idea of maximizing profit. Hiring a person that already has the skill set allows the company to generate and turnover profit immediately. Comparing that person with no experience, the company first needs to train them, yielding no profit to gain. The company needs to wait until the said person is up to the speed with the company’s standard. That’s when the company will start generating profit off that hired person.
I do understand the company POV, wanting the most experience and best of the best to work for them. However, if you think about the pool of candidates. There is a growing number of entry level with no experience with a diminishing number of experienced senior level. With less company out there willing to train, the rate of entry level compared to senior level is ever increasing.
The Laid-Off
Like many people around the world, millions of people were out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was also out of work. I had mixed feelings about not working. I was glad for my health and safety but miserable about my financial situation. With work being my only source of income and no passive income. When I was out. It was OUT! Thankfully, I had enough money saved for an unexpected situation just like this. Also I was glad that my unemployment application was processed and accepted, knowing that there are lots of people who were rejected or had issues with the processes.
The Career Change
Having time on my hands, I had to rethink my career choice. I needed a career that I would enjoy that had the option of both in-person and REMOTE. Also it can generate passive income as well.
I made the leap and transitioned into a Full Stack Software Engineer. I completed my education at Flatiron School Bootcamp. By the end of 2020, I was ready to look for my first job into the software engineer industry.
My network was horrible and I don’t have any close connection to people. Some people have it easy when their networks are super strong. They will get a new position within a matter of days.
Taking the other route with a success rate of 5–10%. Sending in mass application. Probably out of every 100 applications that are sent in, chances are 1 to 5 applications will move on to an interview phrase.
My Job Search
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dong-xia-tennis-4040/
I made an effort to expand my network. I attended meetup and networking events, to make new connections. I took additional classes and kept on learning new information. Using available time, I created new projects implementing the new knowledge that I learned. Doing an hour of algorithms a day, those hours will add up. Finally I apply to job openings on a daily basis.
I just apply even if I don’t meet the job description criteria. Most job descriptions are the ideal candidate, the requirements which the HR believes. Some job postings are never updated, which are just recycled. What is the worst? A rejection !?
Actually being ghosted is worse than a rejection. Come on, just notify me that I was rejected rather than keeping me on my edge for the slight possibility of being accepted for the next step.
Day by day. My inbox was filled with rejection letters, one after another. The first was the worst. But after a dozen or so. It doesn’t hurt that much anymore. Sometimes, I received a code assessment test first, then got rejected. There were times that I received an initial interview first, then got rejected. Overall I feel like I’m making progress. On those very few occasions, where I made it to the final round, then got rejected. I wanted to cry “WHY!!? Maybe I’m not cut out for this occupation.” When I got to the final round at a company that I really wanted to work for, then getting rejected was the worst feeling. Compared to the final round rejection in some other company that I randomly applied to.
I have to keep telling myself. “you’re time will come, just believe it.”
Stay Positive!!!
Extra
Do you have too much experience?
You know what that means. You guessed it. REJECTION!
