5 ms·

This may sound dumb, but how does one find so many opportunities to get rejected from? I'd love to be able to get myself in front of more people to be rejected

This may sound dumb, but how does one find so many opportunities to get rejected from? I'd love to be able to get myself in front of more people to be rejected more, but the real problem is getting the funnel in the first place. This is true both for business development and for job applications in anything but a very junior or well defined position. Getting rejected is relatively easy to take once you're in a groove (and usually it's possible to get a high conversion rate anyway). It's getting into the conversation in the first place that I find very challenging

ceroxylon 5y ago
There is a good thread here that has many current opportunities: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30515750 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30515750
- atum47 5y ago
  I remember feeling lost after I quit my job at the bank I used to work for. Remember seeing one of those threads and reading all the offers. End up sending my CV for 6 of them. 3 wrote back. 2 offered me a challenge. I've been working for 1 almost two years now. I'm happy with them and I like to think they're happy with me either. Great thread. Highly recommend.
  - willhinsa 5y ago
    How did you decide which ones to send your CV to? It's been so overwhelming for me as a career switcher (from actuarial science) to know what I would want to do.
    - atum47 5y ago
      I wanted to work with vanilla JavaScript, so I look for that in the job description. We do use React also, but I learned to like it.
d23 5y ago
Continually try to step up and the boundaries of what you're comfortable with. Keep growing and learning new things. Always seek and take opportunities that are slightly or greatly above whatever "level" you're currently at.
justinlloyd 5y ago
You have to put yourself out there, you have to connect with people, you have to be visible, and you have to be creating opportunities for yourself. I know it sounds trite, but it really isn't. It is about visibility. The old saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know" may ring true, but a truer phrase, "It isn't just who you know, but who knows you." On a quiet day, I get pinged with opportunities three or more times, many I quietly ignore or politely decline, others I'll let them run their natural course. On a busy day, it is like swatting flies. And whilst there are opportunities available, not all are worth pursuing because the price isn't right, or the problem isn't interesting, or, even though someone reached out to me, they then expect me to jump through their hoops and I've always been a lousy hoop jumper.
- yobbo 5y ago
  This is a description of being part of a gatekeeping network - not about sending applications and (maybe) receiving rejection letters. (Which is indeed very rare. Even a rejection letter signifies they feel some minimal level of obligation.)
  - justinlloyd 5y ago
    I am not sure I follow your meaning with regard to "being part of a gatekeeping network."
    - yobbo 5y ago
      By network, I mean opportunities being offered based on established relationships, rather than asking for opportunities or applying for postings. By gatekeeping, I mean the effect achieved when positions are filled like this. I added "gatekeeping" for bite, but I realise there is no bad intention behind it. Not criticising the behaviour either. It's just the state of things.
- rr808 5y ago
  > On a quiet day, I get pinged with opportunities three or more times, many I quietly ignore or politely decline, others I'll let them run their natural course. On a busy day, it is like swatting flies. To make OP feel better, not all these invites are useful. I have had loads of people saying "you look great, we'd love to have you work for us!", then when you reply they're like "send a resume", then get ghosted.

ceroxylon 5y ago

There is a good thread here that has many current opportunities: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30515750 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30515750

atum47 5y ago
I remember feeling lost after I quit my job at the bank I used to work for. Remember seeing one of those threads and reading all the offers. End up sending my CV for 6 of them. 3 wrote back. 2 offered me a challenge. I've been working for 1 almost two years now. I'm happy with them and I like to think they're happy with me either. Great thread. Highly recommend.
- willhinsa 5y ago
  How did you decide which ones to send your CV to? It's been so overwhelming for me as a career switcher (from actuarial science) to know what I would want to do.
  - atum47 5y ago
    I wanted to work with vanilla JavaScript, so I look for that in the job description. We do use React also, but I learned to like it.

d23 5y ago

Continually try to step up and the boundaries of what you're comfortable with. Keep growing and learning new things. Always seek and take opportunities that are slightly or greatly above whatever "level" you're currently at.

justinlloyd 5y ago

You have to put yourself out there, you have to connect with people, you have to be visible, and you have to be creating opportunities for yourself. I know it sounds trite, but it really isn't. It is about visibility. The old saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know" may ring true, but a truer phrase, "It isn't just who you know, but who knows you." On a quiet day, I get pinged with opportunities three or more times, many I quietly ignore or politely decline, others I'll let them run their natural course. On a busy day, it is like swatting flies. And whilst there are opportunities available, not all are worth pursuing because the price isn't right, or the problem isn't interesting, or, even though someone reached out to me, they then expect me to jump through their hoops and I've always been a lousy hoop jumper.

yobbo 5y ago
This is a description of being part of a gatekeeping network - not about sending applications and (maybe) receiving rejection letters. (Which is indeed very rare. Even a rejection letter signifies they feel some minimal level of obligation.)
- justinlloyd 5y ago
  I am not sure I follow your meaning with regard to "being part of a gatekeeping network."
  - yobbo 5y ago
    By network, I mean opportunities being offered based on established relationships, rather than asking for opportunities or applying for postings. By gatekeeping, I mean the effect achieved when positions are filled like this. I added "gatekeeping" for bite, but I realise there is no bad intention behind it. Not criticising the behaviour either. It's just the state of things.
rr808 5y ago
> On a quiet day, I get pinged with opportunities three or more times, many I quietly ignore or politely decline, others I'll let them run their natural course. On a busy day, it is like swatting flies. To make OP feel better, not all these invites are useful. I have had loads of people saying "you look great, we'd love to have you work for us!", then when you reply they're like "send a resume", then get ghosted.