[ef5a0b0628]

Every time something comes up on HN about a talent shortage in a field related to software engineering, it hurts. I have been unsuccessfully looking for a full time position since my last start up (I was not a founder) folded six months ago. I have been on over 25 in person interviews and gone through untold degrading whiteboard interviews, code tests, trick questions, and take home projects; all have ended in rejection. This industry has a need to torture candidates because we are all considered to be liars by default. Much is said about combating impostor syndrome in ourselves but we are too eager to engender it in others.

It seems people in this industry refuse to understand that some people are not perfect. I never graduated college because I hated it with the very fiber of my being, so I am not particularly great at white boarding answers to algorithm questions off the top of my head in a high pressure environment. If I need them during my job, I look up answers and learn from people who are much smarter than I am.

My personal identity has been shattered, as I thought my ~5-10 year history of success in the industry indicated I was in demand and talented. I saw posts like this and thought that if the worst happened I'd still be able to find a job. The idea that there is a talent shortage is a lie, or candidates like me wouldn't be treated as I have been. I'm not asking for a free job, or a handout. I have had a successful career so far and am capable of doing good work. But I'm not a specialist in Big Data Machine Learning Neural Networks.

I have struggled with bipolar disorder and suicidal ideation most of my life. I've dealt with the death of my beloved grandmother and my father who was instrumental in my choosing to be an engineer with only minor lapses in control. Nothing has caused me to consider taking my own life as much as the past 6 months. It seems there is no future for me in the only career I have any skill in and which is a huge part of my identity. And to constantly be told that there is such a shortage of engineers only salts the wound.

[googletazer]

" I have been on over 25 in person interviews and gone through untold degrading whiteboard interviews, code tests, trick questions, and take home projects; all have ended in rejection."

The fact that you pulled through 25 of them is already commendable. Unfortunately as a labor provider you'll be subjected to all kinds of crap for the privilege of working.

Every single person on here needs to have a secondary business going on right now. Doesn't have to be a highly skilled industry either, selling hand made stuff on Etsy can be a lifeline in these situations.

[ultramagas]

Hey, I'm going through something similar. I had to quit an amazing job because my wife and I pursued a dream and moved to Europe (no remote).

I had always had an easy time getting a job before but this time it was different. Granted I knew it'd be tougher since for remote jobs, the world is the competition. But it was a summer of endless shitty timed hackerrank-style tests (virtual whiteboard hazing). I would tell my co-workers about them and they'd laugh in bewilderment at the questions that were asked in what should be a technical screener, and these are extremely smart and productive software guys that have started companies, written books, give conference talks. One funny question I got for a frontend React job: write a function that takes a sequence of bits that represent a negative-binary number (not a base-2 number that is negative, but a base-(-2) number) and return its negated value in base-2. For a frontend job. It was one of 4 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. gtfo.

A few companies would reply, most strung me along while -- I realize now -- they were keeping me as a backup(-backup) incase their "A-player" turned them down. Countless interviews, hours on takehome projects, it was tough. I learned to cut bait if the company was slow to move forward, had weeklong periods of no communication, etc.

I (just very recently) found it's easier to land small contract gigs because the barrier to entry seems to be lower, demonstrate value, and keep getting work from those guys after the initial project was done. It is different but so far I actually like the freedom that comes with contracting. I haven't been at it long enough to experience the downsides.

There's definitely not a shortage of talent. It's that every company thinks they need "A-players", when the vast, vast majority are doing a damn basic CRUD app.

Just wanted to say I hear you brother and share my story in some solidarity. You will find something, just keep plugging away. Each "failed" attempt makes you better no matter how many attempts it takes. Cliche of course but it is true. I am very lucky in that I don't face the mental demons you do, even then this job search hit me pretty hard. Please be proactive and take care of yourself, body and mind (body goes a long way toward mind also).