I got a job!
Tags: culture, career, webdev
Published: 2019-06-26 19:59:56

---
title: I got a job!
published: true
description: Getting laid off was the best thing to ever happen to me. Yes, you guys told me so.
tags: culture, help, career, webdev
cover_image: https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ap3ueumej8sjrqxaka2z.png
---

Not gonna lie, I was a little dramatic in my last post. Every word typed and read was true but it definitely needed to be read in a particular tone to hit home - to convey my stress, my desperateness, my fear of being inadequate in the field of my profession. As a written piece, I love the way came out...

Anyways, I got a job! And yes, you guys told me so, thank you for all the kind words! @adam_cyclones @vuild @xngwng @mgh87 @mondragonda

I know for a fact not everyone bounces back like I just did so I can't even begin to express how thankful I am and how lucky I feel. Yes, my skills and my experience played a huge part but everything worked out so well someone has to be looking out. Dad? God? Aliens? Either way, I'll take it. 

With the superstition out of the way, here's exactly what I did, read carefully - I applied EVERYWHERE IMMEDIATELY. Seriously. 

We found out officially on a Tuesday. We received the invitation for the announcement meeting the day before on Monday. Maybe an hour after the meeting invite arrived and putting two and two together, I started applying. My first 20 or so applications contained an older resume and a rushed cover letter. Not recommending this at all but that's what happened. In the next couple of days I redid my resume, added more experience and polished up my cover letter. All while still applying to multiple jobs a day. I'm pretty sure I applied to the same job multiple times. I put myself out there on LinkedIn, Dice, ZipRecruiters, Indeed, Sherlock Talent and a few other sites. Most jobs were posted by recruiters which I found annoying but at the end, they actually came through. 

For 2 to 3 weeks, I spent most of my day looking and applying. By the middle of the 3rd week I ran out of jobs to apply to, seriously. I was only applying to "full time" or "contract to full time" jobs. I was only applying to jobs I had the experience and skills for. I was only applying for jobs I felt I had a chance to succeed in. When I couldn't find any new jobs that fit that criteria I almost had heart attack. I did what I could and put myself out there but all I could do after that was wait. 

In the next 3 weeks I had about 15 different interviews (personal, behavioral and technical) and 5 assessments from 4 different jobs. At the end, I received 3 offers and I somehow managed to chain the offers in a way that the latest offer replaced the last and I ended landing the job I wanted the most! 

It is extremely scary out there, so for anyone looking for a job, I sincerely wish you the best of luck!

If I may, the most honest advice I can give is to be true with yourself, your experience and your skills. Be clear on things you actually KNOW, are only familiar with and want to learn. Don't put yourself in a position where you end up a liar or fraud. As cliche as it sounds, SMILE when interviewing - even on the phone, it makes a difference. Lastly, something I just learned, ask questions! Asking the right questions can make or break an interview.