If I Were Looking For A Tech Job In 2024 I'd Do This
Thanks to Dice for sponsoring today’s video! If you are looking for a job in the new year, be sure to check out the links below to help you keep your resume up to date, brush up on your interview skills, and prepare yourself for the next step in your career. #Ad #LevelUpWithDice
Job Search ➡️ bit.ly/4aMaxau
Results-Driven Tech Resume ➡️ bit.ly/48jaBNx
Resume Help ➡️ bit.ly/41MbGuM
Interview Tips ➡️ bit.ly/3voLIRW
Leverage Your Personal Projects and Stories ➡️ bit.ly/3H53s7F
6 Ways to Blow a Job Interview Without Realizing It ➡️ bit.ly/48HMyYw
How to Research a Manager Before a Job Interview ➡️ bit.ly/3RP06ua
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BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
So Good They Can't Ignore You - geni.us/SoGood This book transformed my life when I read it for the first time nearly 10 years ago. It's still guides the way I think about self-development today.
Deep Work - geni.us/ALE-DeepWork The most important currency you have is your undivided attention. This book shows you exactly how to spend this currency in a manner that will lead to head-turning accomplishment.
SYSTEM DESIGN
Designing Data-Intensive Applications geni.us/DataIntensive
Currently the best reference for contemporary for system design.
System Design Interview (Volume 2) geni.us/SystemDesignIntervie and geni.us/SystemDesignInterview - For interviews, the best references are System Design Interview and System Design Interview Volume 2 by Alex Xu.
I get a kick-back for the affiliate links above. The opinions expressed in this video are my own. I do not speak for Amazon.
Thanks to Dice for sponsoring today’s video! If you are looking for a job in the new year, be sure to check out the links below to help you keep your resume up to date, brush up on your interview skills, and prepare yourself for the next step in your career. #Ad #LevelUpWithDice Job Search ➡ bit.ly/4aMaxau Results-Driven Tech Resume ➡ bit.ly/48jaBNx Resume Help ➡ bit.ly/41MbGuM Interview Tips ➡ bit.ly/3voLIRW Leverage Your Personal Projects and Stories ➡ bit.ly/3H53s7F 6 Ways to Blow a Job Interview Without Realizing It ➡ bit.ly/48HMyYw How to Research a Manager Before a Job Interview ➡ bit.ly/3RP06ua 🚀 Transform your tech career with my free weekly newsletter - newsletter.alifeengineered.com/general 💥 Continue the conversation on my Discord server with like-minded viewers. The advice section is **chef's kiss** - discord.gg/HFVMbQgRJJ 💥 My KZhead content will always be free of charge but if you'd like to support the channel, I'd be honored if you supported me on Patreon - www.patreon.com/ALifeEngineered
Thanks for creating such an informative video, @ALifeEngineered! Your advice is perfect for someone entering the tech career space - or a tech professional who is looking for their next job opportunity.
can you recommend good sites to practice code on ?
AI will take every job in the tech field EVEN YOURS
@@samgriess438Not myn :)
After putting my profile on @Dice and applying, I get bombarded by third party recruiting companies and scammers. Not sure if this is the expected outcome. Would not recommend.
The most critical point in this video is “Who you know is greater than what you know.”
I love nepotism!!!
agree 100%
“Everybody has a network” is the truest statement. I am extremely introverted, basically a hermit, and my entire network consists of only 5 people (family and friends included) for whom I’m the most capable engineer they know. Almost all of my opportunities (failed and successful ones) have come from these connections alone.
Can you go into detail on an example? Or multiple if that's ok
Just got a job at Meta after failing my interview at Blue Origin a few months back. This is 100% on point. I ramped up my interviewing skills after I failed Blue Origin and had to fight my inner demons during that time. It paid off. Really good self psych to prevent you feeling down after failing a good opportunity is to think of these opportunities like surfing. If you miss a wave surfing, you don't go home. You get ready for the next wave. 🏄♂️
thanks for this, I completely bombed my interview at Goldman Sachs today. I have been practicing for the past month consistenly everyday, but that was my first coding interview so I did not know what to expect. I am extremely depressed at the moment, but deep down I know I have gotten significantly better at programming than I ever was a month back.
@zawadsadaf9194 if you got one interview, another one is coming. Get ready 😃
@@zawadsadaf9194 Good luck on the next one you already have one foot in the door
Wow, @StalkedByLosers congratulations man. I needed to read this, after having failed three interviews with very good opportunities. In the last one I even got a leetcode question which I had already done and still failed. I have reached quite a dark mental state. Perhaps I need to go out and surf once more. Best wishes to you.
@@zawadsadaf9194 man I feel you. Rejections are very tough.
After mass layoffs, I have defaulted on debts, my savings are lying waste to inflation and my portfolio are gradually growing for long term. Including high interest rate It’s all leading to financial exhaustions and depression. These days I have contributed more in learning how to make extra interest on the side, Using my job to finance my goals, You can't be an employee forever!
In today’s market, you get very few callbacks, if you spend a lot of time researching and documenting every company you a apply to, the chances of you getting a call decrease. You need to apply 100 companies to get maybe a few callbacks. Say you can apply to 10 companies per day, doing research and documenting, you’ll spend 2 weeks applying and 0 time preparing.
100%
Yeah 100%. I felt that part of his video was hokey and BS.
Also, tailoring resumes to each application isn't feasible, especially if you don't want to lie on your resume (or have a mostly empty one). I can understand tailoring the resume in cases where you've done a _lot_ of stuff - in those cases, you'll want to emphasize whatever aligns with the position you're applying to - but if most of your work has been in one or two areas/tech stacks/businesses/what have you, there won't be much to pick and choose to emphasize.
This bit of advice did feel a little out of touch, from the perspective of the person he is claiming to be in the thought experiment. I think it's just in delivery though. The sentiment, I think, is really good advice. The core point being made is that its better to be more intentional with your process. To modernize: perhaps rather than tailoring to each specific company- tailor to a specific type of role or genre of company work environment. There are countless ways to categorize the type of work being done, and the type of environment you will be doing it in. Chunk them and lazy load as needed to save processing time 😄
Yh the only way I was able to get my first junior software developer position which happened or be a big corporation company was actually by applying to as many jobs as possible,tailoring your resumes to few jobs can only works if you do have extensive experience to back it off which I didn’t ,instead what helped me was luck , the projects I had done and my interview skills which I was able to improve it through the failure of multiple interviews
I’m a senior engineer. I have never gotten a single job without networking and leveraging it heavily.
If we have no network?
@@nutech1810 Did you watch the video? _Everyone has a network._
I got a job from a phone call from using the word documentation.
@@KeepItFresh02 what how ?
Moral of the story: part with your ex on good terms 📝 I want support all people struggling to find a job at the moment. I was looking for a job in 2023 for 5 mo (being a senior engineer with 8yoe) and I hope market gets better soon. The only thing I can tell, there is definitely a moment of luck: like being one of the first applicants or encountering a good company with humane processes, however you have to be prepared to make the best of the opportunity when it finally occurs.
Love your videos - I’d like to see one addressing when is the right time to switch teams, or managers. It’s risky switching teams and has a big effect on your career. Anyways, keep up the good work!
For all of us that are having a hard time finding a job in Tech, specially as a Software Developer or Software Engineer, I would suggest looking for other types of Engineering roles within IT. For example, I have been doing Hardware, Operating Systems and Network Engineer the last 2 years through contracting. I have a BS in CS and have only had one Software Engineering job, since I graduated from college several years ago. As Engineers, we should be able to do more than Software Development and Engineering! Hardware, Operating Systems, Network, Server and Data Engineering are other options, amongst like 20 different other tech jobs you can do with a CS degree. Great videos, Steve!!
Alice has a trust fund
Real
I have a feeling like talking and presentation (even via resume) is the most important part of all of that. You can have amazing skills etc., but in today's world talking & selling has the biggest impact on how you are perceived by the company
I love your story of how you got into Amazon!! Keeping the connection strong is definitely difficult but it is so worth it :) Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this, your videos really help not only in terms of good solid advice, but also in the motivational aspect
I can highly relate myself to Bob in this video. All this time, I was doing everything wrong. I should be more disciplined and organized. Thanks for making this video.
I have a Master's Degree and can't break into the field; I graduated in the last recession; then I got into sales and did well there. Sales crashed, and I ended up back in Industrial work; someone fell asleep on an electric pallet jack and I almost lost my leg. I left Industrial Work in 11/1, and committed to getting back into IT; Got my A+, Sec+, and Google Sec since between 11/1, and 12/24. I never get technical interviews; I upskill daily, and am studying Machine Learning.
Keep going!
Thanks a lot for sharing your story , I feel encouraged
Is all that background on your resume? Honestly I would give you a screening just because that's so drastically different than most applicants I see.
@@jamess.2491 Don't give up you'll get what you want in time, you are already on the right path
like this comment if you’re an unemployed Graduate of computer science
The current job market is quite challenging, with scarce opportunities and limited favorable offers or positions. I am optimistic that the situation will improve as the year progresses.
I really like the middle ground of several versions of your resume. Tailoring for each job opening seems like overkill, but only having one version has a higher risk of rejection.
This is probably the best advice I've seen of getting a job. Especially the connections part, that is underrated. The story was a great addition to how knowing others and helping them can pay back. Thank you for the effort and for helping others.
These are great solutions for a healthy economy that isn't flooding entry-level positions with laid-off professionals. In Canada, you'll get maybe 1 interview for every 200 applications. Maybe.
Great. I think this is general advice you would give to anyone looking for a job. Not just in 2024.
The best video on job search that I've seen recently. Real life stories bring the point home. And I appreciate your willingness to help people get into Amazon! I am not ready for Amazon yet :) but I appreciate that you are not just offering generalized advice but practical help (7:07). I am working on my skills systematically and will get there someday.
I needed this, Thank You.
the short cut is to get in working for a tech company inside & get to know people or get on their education training level getting ready if there is openings specially getting in a 2nd shift or 3rd shift or abcde shift schedule , staffing agencies can help to get in the door or contract work to get experience,,
This video came at the perfect time, I'm currently in this situation, got laid off after 1 year as a junior engineer
I'm starting to hate tech.
I wanna switch careers and do something else even if it doesn’t pay as much. Do something you really want because life is short
Although, the content and information you shared is definitely quality and valuable. The " I don't appreciate your attitude" tickled me and got me. Thank you 😅 Currently trying to pivot into Customer Success and interviewing is my weakness because, anxiety. I also don't have friends and my family is not connected in this way. So I've been trying to put myself out there more on social media and researching as much as I can to prepare.
Big fan of your content! Re: the content, I'd also say the chances to get a job increase a lot by showing up. In meetups, networking and helping the community in multiple ways.
Sorry, but forget about meetups. I have attended weekly meetups for several years. We're talking 100s of various meetups, all about SW. And from my experience I can say it's a waste of time. Meetups are about bringing together people who are all after different things : attendees are there for either the free pizza/beer, or because they're looking for a job but are relatively inexperienced. Recruiters are there to find their unicorn engineer : a guy who masters everything frontend,backend,DB,infrastructure, etc... and who would accept a below the market salary. And the guys who do the presentations use their presentations as an excuse for promoting their consulting business, or to add presentation skills to their resume. Meetups are about deaf people talking to each other. I agree with the idea of networking, but from experience, meetups are not the place for that.
@@johnsmith-ro2tw yeah great point, you're actually spot on, on this.
this is the most realistic and well informed video I have ever came across, thank you
Okay I've been following you for the tech advice, but.... I also Dj, when are you going to rock a live set? Joking, love the content.
Good advices, thank you
This is solid, sharing it everywhere.
Thanks, I will reach out to my uncle who works at the church. Wish me luck.
Just stumbled on this channel and learned very good advise. Subscribed.
Thanks for sharing this
Great video man!! I mean....They all are, but this was a great one among the great!
Congrats on completing almost 2 decades in Amazon. Onto the next chapter!
As always, great video!
Your the man Uncle Steve, keep making great videos.
Just have to say thanks, I learned valubale advice from it. Currently I am stuggling with lack of experince and getting well prepared for machine learning jobs, but it turn out harder than I thought, as a comprimise I am searching for backend jobs, and prepare for it everyday, since I am lack of experince and skill as well. Now I spend most of my time on learning backend stuff trying to get a beckend job first and spend small potion on reviewing machine learning knowledge I have spent a lot of time learned previously, I dont have a degree, droped out in college, and trying to get out while stuck in China. Although job market is likely to be much worse this year, I have to stay organized and disciplined. Anyway, Thanks.
Backend or DevOps will help you. May be MLOps but it is tough to get into ML without a graduate degree.
while I agree with most of the points, I do not recommend too much on tracking all the jobs applied. I have 8 years of experience, a Bachelor's in finance, a Master's in Marketing, and experience in Consulting and fintech. I stopped tracking where I applied because I never got feedback from my interviews (rarely got even a response email) and got depressed because I feel not worth enough.
I love you information & I will be in touch! You are awesome 🎉
Super helpful to make solid preparation
The lesson to be learned is to steer clear of job opportunities that excessively focus on algorithmic problems which are unlikely to be encountered again. Instead, dedicate your time to developing a complete application, ensuring to include your own documentation. Implement source control and embrace an agile methodology or another appropriate process. Employ a structured design pattern. This exposure to testing, build processes, and source control is invaluable. New developers have access to an array of resources, often without realizing it. This is not meant to be discouraging but consider this: there are many applicants for the same entry-level positions’ at large tech companies. If you don't get the job and you've spent all your time preparing for their specific questions, you end up with no practical skills. But hey, what do I know? I'm just a random internet sage offering pearls of wisdom. Feel free to stay in that tunnel if it's your cup of tea - just watch out for the occasional echo.
This comment doesn’t have enough likes. Just one fully functional web-app can wow potential employers at small-mid companies and even one of the big guys. It doesn’t even need to be crazy complex, just enough to showcase “Hey I can code, I know a bit about version-control, a bit about pipelines, and overall project management.”. A lot of times, they want to see proof that you’re competent enough.
If you do a phone screen like by calling through bluestacks android emulator, you can do voice -> text and feed the interviewer's questions into chatGPT. Also maybe with chatGPT you can have so much content you control the interview not allowing the interviewer to ask you dumb questions...
I always find it funny. Any time when I was in a high end cigar lounge or high end bar when I was slightly younger, people I start talking to always tell me that if I talk to them I would get hired pretty easily with very minimal credentials as long as I could do the basics. The thing is, almost all of them have said to me as they were all established in their fields, is that it is more important to know and be comfortable with the person you are trying to work with than it is their ability to actually work. The ability to talk and have a network of connections is far more important than your actual ability in the job market. As a military veteran of a relatively high end, technical job (I was a nuclear reactor operator), I was already in a huge network of people that refer others that made it easier to find jobs. Then just going out there and talking to people also helped me out greatly as well. Just being able to talk to people is rather important I have come to realize.
Wow, I am so glad I found this!
Hi 👋 , thank you for your videos, they are really helpful!!! I'll have an interview with Amazon soon. I'm more Bob from this story. Do I have a chance? I really like backend development, but I have no experience. But I really want to and I'm sure I can learn quickly. Will the possession of experience become a barrier?
I just came accross your video and i like it. Now I am gonna subscribe.
What are your advice for a beginning master's student looking to make the jump from data analyst (not too technical) to being a software engineer?
One reason many companies are laying off ppl is US passed a new amendment to tax law 174 so now tech companies cannot fully deduct employees’ salary anymore so companies are reducing cost and tax
Time to change industry
True, they can’t deduct software developers specifically
"I know a person with a master's in computer science delivering pizza rn"
A7A
well, I am one of those. now all of those food delvery graduate people are applying for a phd. I am too. After 5 to 10 years, no one needs phd, lol
@@MS-rw3rh ex Uber (driver) ex Amazon (fulfillment center) ex Facebook (market place drop shipper) software engineer lfg
A master's degree was useless to begin with. Don't expect to learn useful skills from professors who have little or no industry experience. Which is the case in my experience.
It's getting common and clever people does it.. Pick a work that can feed you and plan for your dream job or venture. Very common in India btw highly educated doing security guard or a gatekeeper or some do nothing job and prepare for civil services.
I’m actually considering altogether leaving my electrical engineering life behind. After 2 years of doing mostly electrically testing PCBAs (some design every now and then) at a job that I got right out of college… the company underwent an acquisition, and layoffs started happening. On July 2023, I ended up getting laid off myself. Immediately after since then, I’ve continually applied, updated my resume, took phone calls/emails from recruiters, and interviewed… IN VAIN! For 8 months. All while my skills are rusting. Now I’m only able to shower when I can hit the gym, I scrape and scrounge and buy food when I can eat, and I sleep in my own car. I don’t have my own place anymore; I’m lucky to even sleep under a friend’s roof. Now every time I apply for an engineering job, I just go with the motions. I don’t nearly as much the effort for it anymore; I’m burned out. Hell I don’t nearly have enjoyment in engineering anymore. It’s like I wasted my life. I’m already considering moving into other industries just to even make it in life and just leave engineering behind. If 2 years is my cap, then I won’t bother anymore…
Wow, your story really touched me Eric and almost brought tears to my eyes. I’m really sorry that you’ve come down on hard times, and I’m praying for you. Please don’t give up - life can change in an instant.
@@servantofthelord8147 I don’t have time nor forever to just wait for the market to get better. I’ve gotta do something else to make ends meet and get back to where I’m supposed to be as an adult - my own place, my life ordered as it’s meant to be.
Hello. I have a Computer Science degree too (Bachelor's only) I also work at Amazon but laid off due to my disability. (One reason I hate Amazon and eventually they got trouble for it)
This is very good advice.
Thankyou so much sir
That was a great video! Being a Masters student I'm curious to build my interviewing skills. It would be a great help to millions of students like me, if you could make videos to improve the interview skills.🙂
Bob has a higher chance by far... Greater number of applications means exposition, something that is well known in an advertising perspective. This also means more chance to interviews and the opportunity to really practice that and improve
Comments provided better guidance than the actual video
Amazon was born with you sir.🙌
Hi, I’m looking into learning a new skill to secure my future in case my business plan doesn’t work. I’m considering learning web development. Is this something you would recommend? I have seven years of experience in customer service, and I am tech-savvy, but I sometimes have trouble staying focused. I would appreciate your advice.
Am I missing something here? If the person you interviewed is really well qualified, but he failed the interview. Doesn't that mean that the interview process is flawed?
Yes. It has been flawed for years and management who no longer code have been making it worse and worse. It was like this when I graduated in 2018 and somehow it's still like this for me with 7 years of experience in multiple disciplines. I spent my unemployed time launching a business and learning to build software in tech stacks I have never touched. My last interview they said they didn't wanna hire me cause I have only USED pyspark and don't know how it works under the hood. They are idiots.
Thank you
Hi uncle steve nice video, i wonder why you never talk about decision to stay or leave a company?
Hey I kept on staring at your watch, what timepiece brand is it?😂
Bob described me exactly
Your video has been very useful and inspirational to me. Thank you so much, sir.
What do you think about the recent development of AI and the future of SDE jobs? Can be an idea for a video
Ya, i guess most people lack follow thru, like we'll follow thru when we're motivated --but not when we're down in the dumps
Person on KZhead: - Everybody has a network… Person who just came to the country, and the only network they have is a spouse without language and kids to feed: - ok. Thanks.
Wishing you the best! I know many immigrants usually have some type of immigrant community in the country they’ve just moved to - hopefully you have somebody in there that can help you with something.
Yah, but if you're referring people you don't know does your referrals still have value?
What are your thoughts on AI's impact in the going forward?
Listening to this channel made me realize why many large tech companies are so easy to beat even though they have a huge head start and insane resources. They hire the wrong people with the wrong motivations. They are either trying to maximize their earnings by spending all their time on gaining skills that will help them interview better instead of being creative…I would never hire an ex Amazon or ex Google or ex Meta ….unless they could demonstrate creativity and actual achievements and outcomes. Most start ups who load up on ex Amazon and ex Google and ex Meta are going to to run out of money and not have much to show for it…JMHO.
I'm currently getting a Google Professional Cybersecurity Certificate, and will get all the other google career certificates, I know that my getting these certificates alone won't get me a job, but because I have more certificates, will I be more likely to get a job?
Hey I’m tryna build a tool to use to network with would be software engineers and would be engineering managers, serious question… what email clients do companies use for corporate emails? Gmail, outlook, anything else?
Ms exchange usually
yes tailor your resume so you make the company feel more special when they reject you. Tailoring your resume just isn't feasible in this market.
Coding problems have 0 relation to real work. They shouldn't be in interviews.
Alice Learns AI, perfects DSA, logs all jobs she applied to, tailors her resume for every job she applies to, and solves world hunger all before noon.
"I am currently working as a service analyst and I'm confused about whether to pursue a career in cloud computing, cybersecurity, or artificial intelligence. I'm interested in becoming a cloud architect, but I'm worried that AI might replace this field in the next 5 years or should i go Cloud solution architecture- Generative AI ?? anyone please suggest
I applied to an Amazon listing where I fit the listing verbatim (and my resume reflected that). Auto reject in less than 24 hours. 🤷♂️
How do Alice and Bob have somewhere to live without a minimum wage/Dead-end job?🙃
What do you think software engineering or cyber security?
Do you think the number of vacancies in AI will increase? And how much harder will chatgpt make finding a job for newbies?
Teaching me with the wine cellar behind me 😭
Step one learn every framework, language and have 5+ years experience in each. That gets your foot in the door😂
the first sentence is literally me and SEVERAL people from my cohort
A Life Engineered: "Keep your interviewing skills warm even if your not getting any callbacks". Employer: Why is everyone leaving a job they just got for another one? They must not want to work.
I think I read this story in his newsletter
That 3b1b inspiration :P
Excellent video, well done. Another tip I’d suggest to job seekers out there is to differentiate yourself as much as you can. E.g. heavily contributing to an open source program, producing videos/blogs/posts, positioning yourself as a specialist at something, etc… Invest efforts in your personal brand.
Almost lost it when he said he doesn’t even have a degree and got a job from working at Chuck cheese. Holy shit
What's your take on the ethics of "quiet firing"?
Still feels like it boils down to who you know and not your skillset which is... demoralizing to put it PG.
Right Sir
Nice alcobar in background
Hi Looking to enter the IT field, currently in Nursing, would you be able to share your thoughts on outlook for Java developers? Would that be a good / high demand position?
Even though IT seems nice soon some beginner skills that take a big chunk of the work will be automated by AI and nursing is a better in demand skill than the tons of laid off FAANG engineers looking for work as well
The problem is I would have hundreds and hundreds of entries and an Excel sheet. It’s not that realistic when you’re doing that many for almost a year. I would say I applied to you well over 1000 jobs that’s too much to put into an Excel sheet and remember so I guess this only applies if you do applying very little.
Spreadsheets? TaskWarrior and CSVs.
Hi I don't have any strong connections so I am still in a search of jobs I am aerospace engineer interested in research based activities. Can anybody please give good suggestions that how I can make good connection in such kind of jobs Thank you
I think volume is everything! My brother graduated a bootcamp and was able to get job interviews because he applied to so many! He used this service called Apply Ninjas and they apply to like 150 jobs for you but he did it like 4 times. It's hard not to get an interview