3 ms·

Thanks for the reply. So what did you do? How did you move on and out?

epc 6y ago
I occasionally do some consulting but mostly manage a small portfolio of investments I made over the years which spins off enough income to be financially ok. I don't have a CS degree, which is an immediate filter. I don't have any patents (due to a corporate edict). I made a small but apparently vocal group of enemies in a previous role (which I've written about previously but…never be the apex point of contact/control for a new technology in a F100 company if you can avoid it). On all the credential axes that recruiters / companies evaluate I'm a paper tiger. To anyone offering advice to me personally: it’s been seven years since I worked FTE. Almost all companies (US at least) will not consider you for employment if you have not worked in the past three months, let alone six months or seven years. I know what your policies are, I'm just telling you what your practices are in reality. I'm not looking for work. I am fine where I am. The industry is happy to pay to relearn the lessons I and others have learned instead of just…you know…paying people who’ve already had the experience. And I'm at peace with that at this point.
- pdubs1 6y ago
  My anecdote: (Note: I also do not have a CS degree) - 3 months w/o job-- Succeeded: Quit remote SWE job in Feb. Now in May, landed a job offer. Starting in June. That's 3 months without work. - 13 months w/o job-- Succeeded: At past job: Laid off after just 4 months as a data analyst/programmer, ending in March. Traveled. Coded up a full stack app, which I published the following April. Landed a SWE job that May. That was 13 months without a job. So, take this stuff with a grain of salt. I think a lot of folks who are complaining about not landing work are the ones who are not committed to building their skills, building projects, and perhaps don't even have a portfolio or open source code. Software engineering, despite the high demand, is competitive. A person can't rest on their laurels for much time and expect to succeed in this industry.

epc 6y ago

I occasionally do some consulting but mostly manage a small portfolio of investments I made over the years which spins off enough income to be financially ok. I don't have a CS degree, which is an immediate filter. I don't have any patents (due to a corporate edict). I made a small but apparently vocal group of enemies in a previous role (which I've written about previously but…never be the apex point of contact/control for a new technology in a F100 company if you can avoid it). On all the credential axes that recruiters / companies evaluate I'm a paper tiger. To anyone offering advice to me personally: it’s been seven years since I worked FTE. Almost all companies (US at least) will not consider you for employment if you have not worked in the past three months, let alone six months or seven years. I know what your policies are, I'm just telling you what your practices are in reality. I'm not looking for work. I am fine where I am. The industry is happy to pay to relearn the lessons I and others have learned instead of just…you know…paying people who’ve already had the experience. And I'm at peace with that at this point.

pdubs1 6y ago
My anecdote: (Note: I also do not have a CS degree) - 3 months w/o job-- Succeeded: Quit remote SWE job in Feb. Now in May, landed a job offer. Starting in June. That's 3 months without work. - 13 months w/o job-- Succeeded: At past job: Laid off after just 4 months as a data analyst/programmer, ending in March. Traveled. Coded up a full stack app, which I published the following April. Landed a SWE job that May. That was 13 months without a job. So, take this stuff with a grain of salt. I think a lot of folks who are complaining about not landing work are the ones who are not committed to building their skills, building projects, and perhaps don't even have a portfolio or open source code. Software engineering, despite the high demand, is competitive. A person can't rest on their laurels for much time and expect to succeed in this industry.