2024 Job hunting's lessons

For some, 2024 was their best year in terms of landing their dream job, while for others, it was a mix of good news and multiple rejections, and for some, it was a year of rejections.

My friends and I embarked on a rigorous job hunt in 2024, as if our lives depended on it. We faced our share of rejections throughout the interview process. However, we learned valuable lessons from these experiences and decided to share them here.

Lesson 1: CVs and the Importance of Defense

While we watched numerous videos and meticulously tailored our CVs to each job posting (with the help of AI and humanizing our language), we also spent considerable time designing and redesigning them. Unfortunately, we lost track of which CV we sent to which company, which had a significant impact.

Most HR professionals lack in-depth knowledge of specific technical skills. They often receive job requirements from the engineering department and use these as their primary guide for assessing candidates. Although our CVs met these initial requirements, we were often asked detailed questions about them during the early stages of the interview. Some of us could confidently defend our CVs, while others had to maneuver through the questions. We learned that the ability to effectively explain and defend your CV is crucial for passing the HR stage or initial screening call.

Lesson 2: Company Research Matters

Thoroughly researching the company is as important as possessing the required skills. One helpful tip was researching the company on LinkedIn. We searched for employees, particularly HR professionals and software leads. We even went as far as checking their names on other social media platforms to learn about their interests and personalities. Sometimes, we were fortunate enough to discover common interests among the employees of a particular company. This could be as simple as a shared value for teamwork or effective communication within a hierarchical structure.

Lesson 3: Deciphering Job Requirements

Carefully reading job requirements reveals more about the role than just the listed skills. By thoroughly understanding the requirements, we gained a better understanding of the expected responsibilities and the potential for learning on the job. I can personally attest to learning about Bloc state management during my current role.

Lesson 4: Ask for Clarity

Interviewers often have a long list of questions to cover. Answering more questions doesn't necessarily increase your chances of success. In fact, the more questions you answer, the less emphasis may be placed on the ones you answered correctly. Interviews are time-bound, so it's essential to ask for clarification on any questions you don't fully understand. Once you understand the question, answer it clearly and concisely, as if you were explaining it to a five-year-old.

Job hunting can be a challenging process, but it's an inevitable part of being a software engineer. Good luck in your job search in 2025.