Math.cos(jobSearchMotivation)
I moved to a different country where I don’t speak the language in my last year of high school and that was less of an emotional coaster than looking for my very first software engineering job.
One day, I have the monstrous confidence to say “With enough time, I can solve the hard problems on LeetCode”. The next day, the fact I have an interview with my dream company terrifies me because I should have asked for more time before my first interview. And to be completely honest, even on trough days, I still believe I can solve the hard problems. What have you done to the pessimist and unsure Hatibe, New World?
The interesting part is, at least in my experience, at a certain point the wave moves independent of where you are in the job search. I thought I would be happy when I got interviews and unhappy when I didn’t or, worse, failed them. This is not to say getting interviews doesn’t make me happy. It does. (Recruiters, hit me up) But, I interviewed a company where I loved my recruiter and the manager, and I thought I would do incredibly well in the position. I failed the final round and, when I read the email, I felt disappointed for a total of 5 seconds. Okay, maybe 10. Everyone said the more time you spend on an application the worse it fails not to get an offer. It hasn’t been that way for me but I am still in the search.
I see the posts of my fellow job-searchers on LinkedIn, the app that now occupies the spot on the first page of my home screen where Instagram used to be. The ones where people are tired of waiting and the ones where they encourage you not to give up. I have no plans to give up. Because “all you need is one yes” and someone will say yes. The mythical and magical first engineering job where someone will look beyond what is on paper. Maybe then I will have that >10% return rate on my next round of applications experienced engineers talk about.
