Navigating through the job search
Tags: softwaredevelopment, joboffer, softwareengineering, interview
Published: 2023-04-10 19:46:29

---
title: Navigating through the job search
published: true
date: 2023-04-10 19:19:04 UTC
tags: softwaredevelopment,joboffer,softwareengineering,interview
canonical_url: https://dvirsegal.medium.com/navigating-through-the-job-search-599b1bc4221f
---

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*NAAn4CBG-IJAwq4L)
<p align="center">
<figcaption>Photo by Bjarke Rosenbeck on Unsplash</figcaption>
</p>

#### Essential tips and resources for a successful job hunt

I was laid off from my previous job. It came out of nowhere; I decided to take this change as an opportunity and make the best of it. Luckily, I received incredible support from my connections, and I want to give back by sharing some valuable lessons and resources I’ve gathered along my job search journey.

This blog post is based on a Twitter (Hebrew) thread I created, detailing my experience and offering practical advice to fellow software engineers (and not only) facing a similar situation.

{% twitter 1621844833915502593 %}

### Updating Your Resume

First and foremost, updating your resume is crucial. Use guides and resources like the [one](https://twitter.com/esapir/status/1578276325235855361) shared by [Shahar Avigezer](https://medium.com/u/88a502b20409) (written by [Erik Sapir](https://medium.com/u/8dfbcd08c755)) and the [one](https://twitter.com/rinaarts/status/1445809699056615424) by [Rina Artstain](https://medium.com/u/f540d518c481) to help you craft a professional and polished resume showcasing your skills and experience. When you finish your resume, the optimal way to submit it is with a referral. But if it is not an option, just run your CV through the [CV Compiler](https://medium.com/u/6ee31f7dd897) to see how it scores with applicant tracking systems and what needs to be improved (ATS robot)

### Leveraging Your Online Presence

Consolidate your online activity into a “business card” with links to your LinkedIn, Twitter, and others. This way, you can showcase additional accomplishments and interests that may not fit your resume. It also demonstrates your professionalism and personal brand. A few years ago, I read a post written by [Kshitij Singh](https://medium.com/u/8b9503902484) on how he created such a landing page, and I followed his guidelines in his repo below:

[GitHub - singhkshitij/My-Landing-Page: Minimal Portfolio Page Built with React](https://github.com/singhkshitij/My-Landing-Page)

The result:

[![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/655/1*dZXqH1AC4YwFm7NIw272cg.gif)](https://dvirsegal.github.io/dvir-segal/)

### Preparing Your Pitch

Before applying for job positions, write a “tell me about yourself” document, as described in the book “[Cracking the Coding Interview](https://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Coding-Interview-Programming-Questions/dp/0984782850)”. It should cover your current role and academic background (if applicable) and delves into the role’s details. Finally, hobbies — especially those related to the tech world or “unique”- could serve as conversation starters or perhaps break the ice.

Furthermore, the book suggested focusing on 2–3 challenging projects you’ve worked on. Write down a list of mistakes you’ve made (we all do them), what you had fun doing, and which conflicts you took part in. Eventually, it will assist you in writing phrases in the SAR (Situation, Action, Result) framework to tell a compelling story about your achievements.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/640/0*yp2CdD_22mGgr0Qd)

### Organizing Your Job Search

Use tools like [Notion](https://medium.com/u/efd97a1c507b) to keep track of your job applications and interviews. This will help you stay organized and focused during your search, ensuring you’re on top of each opportunity. I’ve used the following templates:

- Track down the list of job applications:

[Notion Template Gallery - Job applications](https://www.notion.so/templates/job-applications)

- A personal CRM to keep all your leads:

[Simple CRM | Notion Everything](https://www.notioneverything.com/templates/simple-crm)

### Researching Potential Employers

Before applying for a job, research the company by checking its location, reading investment analysis, and searching for articles on sites like [Geektime](https://www.geektime.co.il/) and [Crunchbase](https://medium.com/u/7cce2f5ab5c4). Search review-based websites like [Glassdoor](https://medium.com/u/a39c61f8b573) to get an idea of what it’s like to work there. Prepare a list of questions (🙏 [Shahar Avigezer](https://medium.com/u/88a502b20409)) to ask the recruiter to refine your job search better:

- What will my day-to-day look like?
- How will I receive tasks? What percentage of meetings will I have per week?
- What is the percentage split between front-end and back-end work? And from whom?

Also, do some work with yourself to understand better what you’re looking for by asking the following:

- What does Work-Life Balance (WLB) mean for me?
- What hybrid work model works best for me, and how?
- What next role do I aspire to take on in the coming years?
- Which programming language or framework do I prefer for front-end and back-end development?

Being well-informed will help you make better decisions and impress potential employers.

### Preparing for Interviews

I recommend the following two websites to help you study for code interviews:

- The interview school by [Adilet Zhaxybay](https://medium.com/u/ecef467f0f28):

[Home](https://interviews.school/)

- [The tech interview handbook](https://twitter.com/techinterviewhb):

[Technical Interview Guide for Busy Engineers | Tech Interview Handbook](https://www.techinterviewhandbook.org/)

They offer guides, practice [LeetCode](https://medium.com/u/33f6b9a1a861) questions, and tips on various aspects of the interview process. Preparation is key to standing out and performing well during interviews.

### System Design Interviews

Brush up on key topics and watch the system design interviews video series by Sheeran:

{% youtube -m5cMzm9R-s %}

Followed by the introductory video on the importance of this type of interview, what they’re looking for in a candidate, breaking down the problem into details, and how to improve in this area by [Jackson Gabbard (Synthace)](https://medium.com/u/939f988143af):

{% youtube ZgdS0EUmn70 %}

Practice solving problems using resources like the Grokking Modern System Design course by [The Educative Team](https://medium.com/u/163aa84775f6) and tools like [excalidraw](https://excalidraw.com/). The more practice you get, the more confident you’ll showcase your skills.

[Grokking Modern System Design Interview for Engineers & Managers - Learn Interactively](https://www.educative.io/courses/grokking-modern-system-design-interview-for-engineers-managers)

Note someone uploaded an old version of the course to [GitHub](https://medium.com/u/8df3bf3c40ae), which is enough for practicing, though some recent concepts are probably missing:

[Ducvoccer.github.io/system-design/docs/grokking-system-design at main · Ducvoccer/Ducvoccer.github.io](https://github.com/Ducvoccer/Ducvoccer.github.io/tree/main/system-design/docs/grokking-system-design)

### Negotiating Your Offer

If you receive a job offer, use resources like the [document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ypLmqKALva4KO8qKX0HfESzHEkinjm7edrFw1jAylYU/edit?usp=sharing) by [Aviad Herman](https://medium.com/u/1e0658cca392), The Salary and Offer Negotiation Preparation section in the [Tech Interview Handbook](www.techinterviewhandbook.org), and [Iftach](https://twitter.com/barnashon)Bar’s lecture on salary expectations to help you negotiate a fair package.

{% youtube pzq37L4UBUU %}

If you receive stock options, consult threads([#1](https://twitter.com/beersehva/status/1416301132478099457), [#2](https://twitter.com/boazbe/status/1482029479149060098)) by @beersehva and [Boaz Berman](https://medium.com/u/c934e94437e8) and use tools like EquityBee’s calculator to estimate their value.

[Option Grant Benchmark Tool | EquityBee](https://equitybee.com/employees/my-options-value)

### Conclusion

I hope these tips and resources will be helpful to you on your job search journey. Remember that finding a new job can be challenging, but you can turn it into a new opportunity with perseverance, a strong network, and the right tools. Good luck!