Navigating Uncertainty: My Job Hunt Journey

In September 2023, my career faced an unexpected turn when the company I was working at for over 2 years was significantly impacted by rising interest rates, leading to a reduction in force (RIF). This was a first for me, marking my initial experience with being laid off. The emotional toll was significant, presenting a myriad of challenges that I had never before encountered in my professional (and personal) journey. Yet, within this period of uncertainty, I found resilience and growth. Here’s how I navigated through those trying times, transforming challenges into opportunities and eventually landing a job.

1. Creating a Support System

One of the immediate steps I took was to set up a Slack channel with my co-workers who were also impacted by the RIF. This virtual space became a kind of sanctuary for sharing emotions, discussing logistics like our severance package/health insurance/etc, and networking. It was comforting to know I wasn't alone, and the collective wisdom and support within this group became vital for establishing some resilience in the face of uncertainty during the initial days.

2. Embracing My Skills

Continuing to code was not just about keeping myself busy; it was a reminder of my valuable skill set. Coding became my solace and a reaffirmation of my abilities in a time when doubts could have easily overshadowed my confidence (and yes, there were many times when my doubts did overcome my confidence). It reinforced the notion that, despite the setback, my skills remained in demand and it provided me with the mental stability & reinforcement to push forward.

3. Building a Personal Brand

The situation forced me out of my comfort zone, pushing me to market myself and create a personal brand. This was something I had historically been uncomfortable with. However, building my blog and personal website proved incredibly useful. It was not only a way to differentiate myself in a competitive job market but also about having a platform to share my journey and showcase my successes in previous projects. When it came time for an interview, my blog/website was a great tool to quickly link my interviewer to previous projects I worked on or blog posts that showcased challenges that I had to overcome.

4. Honing My Interview Skills

Refining my interviewing skills became a key focus. I dedicated time to enhance both my narratives, significantly aided by my blogging efforts, and my live coding abilities through completing numerous LeetCode exercises. I found valuable advice from Clément Mihailescu's YouTube channel, recognizing areas for improvement such as over-communicating and implementing incorrect solutions during live coding interviews. Having this self awareness (and being ok with it!) was instrumental in sharpening my interview skills.

5. Leveraging My Network

Finally, I learned the importance of actively engaging on LinkedIn and reaching out to my network. It was through this engagement that two former co-workers connected me with job interviews. Without my active presence on LinkedIn, they might not have known I was in search of new opportunities. This taught me the power of networking and the unforeseen doors it can open. I owe my current job to networking - my old SVP of Engineering, Dana Bowlin, helped me land my current gig at Sunrun.

I also owe many thanks to other old co-workers and managers - there are too many to list here, but here are a few that have really helped me through my journey: Carl Hoffman, Natty Hoffman, Adam Stober, Jamie Stober, Jeremy Hull, Jeremy Frazao, Dania Simmons, Trey Hicks, Neal Enssle, Matt Manela, Ben Stephens, Michael Immell, Meghan Munzel, Emily Ritter, and Chris Kemper to name a few!

6. Leveraging AI to Elevate My Preparation

An invaluable tool that significantly impacted my journey was AI, specifically ChatGPT. I turned to ChatGPT with a mission: to compile the 10 most frequently asked questions in technical interviews along with suggestions for crafting impactful answers. Here is my prompt and ChatGPT's response:

I then proceeded to copy this guide into a separate spreadsheet where I could personalize my answers and really imprint some narratives into my head so I could be better prepared for a variety of interview questions. This strategy really did transform my interview preparation process. I felt like when I entered each interview I was now equipped with stories and insights ready to address questions like "describe how you would resolve conflicts" or "what is your technical superpower?".

Reflections and Moving Forward

This journey, while uncertain and emotionally challenging and difficult, thrust me into the deep end of the pool and forced incredible personal grow. From creating a support system with my peers to actively honing my professional skills and leveraging my network, all of these experiences taught me something different and provided value in ways I could not have foreseen. The journey of job hunting, especially after an unexpected layoff, is as much about discovering oneself as it is about working to find the next opportunity.

To those navigating similar waters, I hope you find my personal account of my layoff/job hunt journey useful. More importantly, I hope that it will also serve as a reminder that you are not alone - and that you'll push through.