How I Found a Job in 90 Days
In the ever-evolving landscape of the tech industry, over 200,000 individuals faced the challenging reality of being laid off in 2023, as reported by Tech Crunch and Layoffs.fyi. Among them, I found myself in the same boat in May 2023. If you’re curious about how I tackled this setback, I invite you to explore my journey outlined in this article.
Today, I would like to share with you my journey of securing a job after facing a layoff.
I am currently on a U.S. work visa, where I had precisely three months to secure new employment. This article is divided into two parts: Before The Layoff and After The Layoff, with the latter meticulously outlined on a month-by-month basis.
Before The Layoff
If you’re currently working at a large organization, there may be rumors circulating about potential layoffs. It’s wise to begin preparations!
- Polish Your Resume: Ensure it’s up-to-date and seek feedback from 2–3 trusted folks in your network.
- Enhance Your Visibility: If you’re not yet ready to start applying, consider reaching out to familiar recruiters and discreetly signal your availability on LinkedIn (learn how to do this without notifying your broader network).
After The Layoff
With the news now in hand and the realization that you’ll need to start your job search, it’s important to resist the urge to rush to look for a job. I’d invite you to take a moment to pause and strategically plan your first steps.
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MONTH 1 — EMBRACING YOUR FRESH START: A NEW REALITY
Week 1: Cutting Down Costs
While it may seem obvious, alleviating financial stress can significantly enhance your performance.
In my own situation, I decided to pack everything up and move in temporarily with a friend. This might not be possible for everyone but do what is in your power to reduce current costs.
Week 2: Leverage Your Network
Initiate your job search by actively applying and tapping into your professional network.
In the initial stages, it’s beneficial to cast a wide net as companies often require time for processing. I recommend aiming for 10 applications daily, while ensuring each one is tailored (stay tuned for an upcoming article on this topic).
BUT, prioritize reaching out to friends and looking for LinkedIn connections with potential job openings. Personally, this approach yielded significant success for me, with referrals accounting for 80% of my interview opportunities.
Week 3: Start Noticing Patterns During Informational Interviews
Take note of who’s reaching out to you and what might be causing any roadblocks. Ask yourself: Who is reaching out to me? If you find yourself in the middle stages of interviews, consider what might be hindering your progress. I highly recommend creating a tracker or using my example to document the areas where you might want to fine-tune your approach.
Week 4: Focus on Improving Your Roadblocks
In my experience, I recognized that the most technically demanding interviews were my stumbling block. To overcome this, I committed to myself to allocate more time each day to coding and deepening my understanding of modeling concepts. Specifically, I devoted two hours daily to honing my SQL skills and an additional hour to mastering modeling concepts.
Resources: Leetcode, HackerRank, Medium, Towards Data Science
MONTH 2 — INTERVIEWING, INTERVIEWING, INTERVIEWING
Week 5: Master Your Interview Style
Most of the time, interviewers just want to deeply understand your previous experiences and assess how you can elevate the team to the next level. It’s crucial to excel at articulating your past projects and seamlessly linking them to the positions you’re interviewing for. By week 5, I had done 20+ interviews and reached two final stages but no offer.
I used the feedback received to refine and elevate my interview skills to the next level.
Week 6: Expand Your Search
The most sought-after locations are often the most competitive ones. It’s worth exploring opportunities in other cities as well. When I was about 1,5 months into my job search, I started looking for opportunities outside of NYC.
Week 7: Taking Breaks
Job hunting can be quite challenging and exhausting, so don’t underestimate the value of taking breaks. By week 7, I found myself without any scheduled interviews or promising leads. It was then that I decided to take a breather and concentrate on strengthening my mental well-being. I indulged in activities I enjoy, such as eating good food, running, biking, and swimming with friends.
Week 8: Manage Your Time Effectively
Give the best of you but also set clear time boundaries.
Coding exercises and take-home assessments can be extremely time-consuming so , it’s crucial to define your own limits. I vividly recall investing a full five days on a Stage 4 Assessment for a company, only to learn a few days later that I hadn’t passed. I had no other leads at the time.
After that experience, I decided to establish a specific number of hours per project before starting it and to stay mindful of applying to other positions concurrently. This approach has been instrumental in maintaining balance and efficiency in my job search.
MONTH 3 — FINE TUNING & ASKING FOR HELP
Week 9: Ask For Help
If you have colleagues in similar roles, engage in mock interviews with them. This practice will provide you with more frequent feedback and facilitate quicker adjustments .
My friends helped me a lot with interview preparation, particularly in helping me structure my thoughts effectively in the STAR method.
Week 10: Interviewing, Interviewing, Interviewing.
Focus on finalizing the different interview loops you have by constantly coding, studying concepts from your field, and revisiting questions from prior interviews.
Week 11: Stop Trying to Learn New Things
With little time left and high competition, I quickly learned it was impractical to cram entirely new concepts overnight.
By the 11th week, I came to terms with the fact that competing with highly technical individuals on their turf was not my strongest suit. Instead, I shifted my focus towards elevating my existing skill set to a higher proficiency level. It took me so long to realize this!
Week 12: Think About the Next Steps
The time is almost up! Consider a digital detox for a few days to devote your attention to what you’d like to pursue next, especially if you haven’t received any offers yet.
That’s what I did! Reaching the end of my three months, I was ready to envision my life and work outside the US. That week, I did three last interviews and called it the week. Come Friday afternoon, I received my very first offer. Stay tuned for upcoming posts where I’ll delve deeper into the offer and negotiation process.
If you’re currently navigating the job market, please share what unique strategies you’re employing. I would love to hear about your approach, as it can offer valuable insights. I hope you find these tips helpful!
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Daniela
