How To Find A Tech Job In An Impossible Market (ex-Amazon Principal Engineer)

The Nugget

To land a tech job in today's competitive market, focus on both landing interviews and preparing for them in parallel. This dual approach will keep your skills sharp and increase your chances of success.

Make it stick

🎯 Split your time between job searching (20%) and preparation (80%) until you're ready to interview within a week.
🔄 Mix it up in your job search; 60% of people find jobs through networking—don't let your networking be zero!
💻 Choose high-leverage projects that are time-boxed, presentable, and allow for learning of key skills.
⏳ Don't wait to start job hunting or preparing for interviews; the sooner you begin, the sooner you could land a new role.

Balance Skills and Searches: Allocate time for both landing jobs and preparing for interviews; don’t let skills slip.
Opportunities Come in Avalanches: Be prepared for multiple interviews to emerge simultaneously after a dry spell.

Diversify Your Approach: If traditional methods aren’t working, explore all routes, including directly applying to companies’ websites.
Networking Matters: At least some of your time should be dedicated to networking—it's essential for uncovering job opportunities.

Focus on Presentability: Projects should have a clear output, like a deployed application or a well-documented GitHub repository.
Time-Box Projects: Aim for completion within a month to maintain motivation and ensure a tangible result.
Build in Public: Document your journey to showcase your learning and attract potential employers.

Consider Adjacent Roles: If you're not getting software development roles, look into positions that can help you gain relevant experience, like support engineering or project management.
Act Quickly: Don't wait to feel completely prepared before applying; start now to avoid missing out on job opportunities.

Keep a Positive Outlook: Rejections are part of the process; it's important not to let them demoralize you.
Focus on Effort and Attitude: Control what you can—your effort, preparation, and mindset. Success may take time, but persistence will pay off.

"Opportunities often come in avalanches after a long dry spell—be ready when they do."
"Persistence isn’t about knocking on the same door a hundred times; it’s about knocking on a hundred different doors."
"High-leverage projects should be presentable and return a clear outcome—aim for results within a month."
"You need to believe that you’re going to get a job; it’s just a matter of time."
"Don’t wait to get started—now is the right time to take action toward landing your next position."

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.