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“Reach out to every friend, old coworker, etc. especially those that are in management now.” This advice always cracks me up. Most people don’t have deep netw

“Reach out to every friend, old coworker, etc. especially those that are in management now.” This advice always cracks me up. Most people don’t have deep networks of people who can hook them up with a senior level engineering position. Like, even the people I know who are quite well connected don’t really have this option. Sure, everyone has a buddy who’d love to pay them half for twice the work. But we’re talking relatable fields and jobs that are worth it and that’s just not realistic for majority. Alternatively, if people had social networks with people who have potentials roles for them, who wouldn’t already think in the social media era “oh yeah, i’ll ask the people I know who have an in instead of going to random strangers”

ghaff 4y ago
>This advice always cracks me up. And, yet, all three jobs I've had in the last 25 years (including one in 2001), I landed because I knew someone senior at the company pretty well. Not strictly engineering but tech and tech ecosystem companies. Was that lucky and atypical? Perhaps. But those were my experiences. The last job I got through "normal" channels was from a campus interview at grad school.
- antisthenes 4y ago
  All 3 jobs I got were with 0 connections. I still don't really have any connections that would be able to get me a job better than I can get for myself with just applying and interviewing.
- thinking4real 4y ago
  So you’re around 45-50 years old, which no offense is quite old if you’re a swe. I’ve had around 5 jobs, am much younger, and none of them were due to connections (which I have well over 100 professional people who would vouch for me) I think you’re either in a very fortunate place in society or you’re old enough in this industry to feel the small world effects Trust me, for the vast majority your situation isn’t normal.
- vkou 4y ago
  > Was that lucky and atypical? If you started your career 25 years ago, you were present in the field before it massively expanded. Your peers are nothing like my peers (Started 13 years ago), and nothing like the peers of someone who started 3 years ago.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    I’m not sure of your point. So a job I got 13 years ago largely through a contact isn’t how things work today? As in my most recent example.
    - jventura 4y ago
      I think he's saying things are more volatile now. When the industry was much smaller, it was easier to make and stay in personal contact with others. Also, it's natural that if you started your career 25 years ago, many people you've met back then (and may have also started back then) are now senior (devs, managers, etc.). A person that started in the industry in the last 5 years may not have many friends in senior positions, and personal connections are more volatile as well (more people, more competition, etc.). It's my reading!
      - ghaff 4y ago
        Certainly "have connections" is generally less actionable advice for a junior person than a senior one. But I think it's more a function of tenure in the industry than how the industry has grown.
    - vkou 4y ago
      To clarify - a random SWE's random peer from 25 years ago is much more like to be in an influential senior position, than a random SWE's random peer from a job 13 years ago, or a random SWE's random peer from a job last year. Your friends are statistically more likely to be closer to the top of the pyramid than mine, and my friends are closer to the top than a fresh no-name college graduate's.
      - 4y ago
granshaw 4y ago
Yes it’s all nice and cozy to take a job somewhere an acquaintance works, but I wouldn’t be in my current high paying position if I relied on my network.

ghaff 4y ago

>This advice always cracks me up. And, yet, all three jobs I've had in the last 25 years (including one in 2001), I landed because I knew someone senior at the company pretty well. Not strictly engineering but tech and tech ecosystem companies. Was that lucky and atypical? Perhaps. But those were my experiences. The last job I got through "normal" channels was from a campus interview at grad school.

antisthenes 4y ago
All 3 jobs I got were with 0 connections. I still don't really have any connections that would be able to get me a job better than I can get for myself with just applying and interviewing.
thinking4real 4y ago
So you’re around 45-50 years old, which no offense is quite old if you’re a swe. I’ve had around 5 jobs, am much younger, and none of them were due to connections (which I have well over 100 professional people who would vouch for me) I think you’re either in a very fortunate place in society or you’re old enough in this industry to feel the small world effects Trust me, for the vast majority your situation isn’t normal.
vkou 4y ago
> Was that lucky and atypical? If you started your career 25 years ago, you were present in the field before it massively expanded. Your peers are nothing like my peers (Started 13 years ago), and nothing like the peers of someone who started 3 years ago.
- ghaff 4y ago
  I’m not sure of your point. So a job I got 13 years ago largely through a contact isn’t how things work today? As in my most recent example.
  - jventura 4y ago
    I think he's saying things are more volatile now. When the industry was much smaller, it was easier to make and stay in personal contact with others. Also, it's natural that if you started your career 25 years ago, many people you've met back then (and may have also started back then) are now senior (devs, managers, etc.). A person that started in the industry in the last 5 years may not have many friends in senior positions, and personal connections are more volatile as well (more people, more competition, etc.). It's my reading!
    - ghaff 4y ago
      Certainly "have connections" is generally less actionable advice for a junior person than a senior one. But I think it's more a function of tenure in the industry than how the industry has grown.
  - vkou 4y ago
    To clarify - a random SWE's random peer from 25 years ago is much more like to be in an influential senior position, than a random SWE's random peer from a job 13 years ago, or a random SWE's random peer from a job last year. Your friends are statistically more likely to be closer to the top of the pyramid than mine, and my friends are closer to the top than a fresh no-name college graduate's.
    - 4y ago

granshaw 4y ago

Yes it’s all nice and cozy to take a job somewhere an acquaintance works, but I wouldn’t be in my current high paying position if I relied on my network.