Tech Career Advice, Tested by People in the Industry

Real-world tech career advice for building a network, acing technical interviews, negotiating salary, managing a team and everything else it takes to find and keep a job in tech, as shared by the Hacker News community.

Latest Discussions

Experience Report11d ago

Job search struggles and career pivot

The thread presents a detailed personal account of a seasoned professional facing significant challenges in the tech job market despite extensive effort, including job applications, cover letters, demo projects, and interviews. The user expresses emotional fatigue and contemplates leaving the tech industry for a different career path, with a potential business idea in hospitality and fitness. An actionable insight includes considering alternative career ventures that align with one's interests and market gaps, as well as the importance of maintaining projects that bring personal satisfaction during challenging job hunts.

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🔗 I'm having the worst career winter of my life

Experience Report9d ago

Navigating Career Transitions at Google

The original poster reflects on their challenging experience at Google, highlighting personal circumstances and career transitions that impacted their tenure. They emphasize the value of internalizing certain lessons for long-term success at Google or similar environments. The insights suggest maintaining resilience and adaptability when facing career and personal challenges in large tech companies.

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🔗 Lessons from 14 Years at Google

General Discussion9d ago

Networking Strategies on LinkedIn

The thread features a brief discussion on effective networking approaches. One perspective suggests focusing efforts on a few meaningful connections rather than broad outreach. Another proposes using LinkedIn's "Open To Work" status to signal availability efficiently to the existing professional network. Actionable insight: prioritize quality relationships and leverage platform features like status indicators to optimize job search visibility.

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🔗 LinkedIn Prevents You from Deplatforming

Experience Report1d ago

Job Hunting & Skill Building

The thread provides practical advice on finding job openings that do not require prior experience or a degree, emphasizing skill development through creating toy projects to build a portfolio. A beginner seeks guidance on where to find such roles, indicating an opportunity to share targeted job search platforms and strategies for newcomers.

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🔗 Confused between lowlevel and back end development – need guidance

General Discussion4d ago

Job Search Challenges and Relocation Advice

The original poster shares their extended difficulty in securing a job despite four years of experience and willingness to relocate. A response suggests considering relocation seriously, emphasizing geographic differences in job markets. The conversation highlights the struggle of job seekers and the potential benefits of geographic flexibility.

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🔗 Best way to find chill job where I can learn and grow as a swe

General Discussion13d ago

Job Market Realities and Candidate Differentiation

The thread discusses the nature of candidates in the job market, highlighting that most individuals are seen as commodities where execution and cost matter most. One viewpoint emphasizes the impersonal nature of business prioritizing cost and timely delivery, suggesting the need to become uniquely skilled or adept at interview tactics. The counterargument points out that intelligence and connections do play a role, noting that referrals can give candidates an advantage beyond mere credentials. Actionable insights include focusing on skill differentiation, mastering interview processes, and leveraging personal networks for job acquisition.

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🔗 Ask HN: How did you make yourself more marketable?