8 lessons learned by software engineers being fired from the company



It is

reported that 10 times more technical jobs will be lost in 2022 than in the previous year due to the sudden economic slowdown from the middle of 2022, and it is feared that 2023 will be an even tougher year as the economic recession becomes more serious. will be Under these circumstances, Steven Buccini, who has worked as a software engineer for Apple and Uber, has compiled eight lessons for those who have been fired recently or have been fired.

8 Hard Truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job | Steven Buccini
https://www.stevenbuccini.com/8-hard-truths-on-getting-laid-off

◆ 1: Dismissal is a very lonely experience
Buccini said he was surprised by the loneliness he felt when he left work in April 2020. When the layoffs were finalized, the word 'support' was included in every message he sent to Buccini, from his employer contact to his former colleague's social media posts. However, that support suddenly stopped as soon as the process of dissolving the employment relationship, such as insurance procedures, was over.

Software engineers share everything from choosing a text editor to writing code on a whiteboard to the pointlessness of interviews, but rarely mention getting fired. And there are no mentions of layoffs in the school curriculum or in the various boasts posted on LinkedIn. As a result, Mr. Buccini could not find someone who could sympathize with the situation he was in, and ended up holding a sense of rejection and fear alone.

These lessons led Buccini to say, ``Don't underestimate the physical side of loneliness. It disappears and I lose all my casual interactions with my co-workers, especially as I have had to rebuild my new routine and relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic. The connection with people helped recharge the battery in my heart that was worn out by looking for a job.'



◆ 2: Recovery takes longer than expected
According to Buccini, software engineers tend to underestimate the long-term effects of layoffs. Because the general view is that software engineers, especially those with a solid background, will always be in demand. Mr. Buccini was initially optimistic that he would return to work in three months, including a two-month vacation.

However, Mr. Buccini took a year to actually find a new workplace, which was a big financial blow and was also disadvantageous during the interview. In this regard, Buccini believes that applying the old craftsman adage of ``assume the worst, then double it again'' to engineering would have at least reduced the psychological stress. Advice.



◆ 3: Offers cannot be relied on
According to Buccini, ``Just because you get a lot of interview invitations, it doesn't mean you're a hot seller, nor that you're likely to get an offer.'' This is because companies will try to interview a lot of candidates without even intending to offer them a job offer.

Multiple strategies are involved in the background of companies posting many job openings despite the recession. For example, we may be raising the bar dramatically to focus on extremely talented people, or we may be trying to retain people for when business conditions improve. Also, the hiring department may be the first to be cut off, so it's possible that the recruiter is accompanying you to make your presence known.

Even if you get to the end of the hiring process, it could be just waiting for the job seeker to compromise on terms of employment, so Buccini said, ``No matter how well you think you did in the final interview, Let's always keep new plans in parallel.'



◆ 4: I have to do what I don't want to do
During the buyer's market period, it becomes difficult to get good jobs. For example, sometimes you have to interview for a job in a language you make fun of, or you have to join a non-remote company where you commute every day. Also, it is not always possible to work for a company with a good reputation.

From this point of view, Mr. Buccini said, ``If you do not accept the same thing as eating vegetables reluctantly at an early stage, you will be absurdly dying or throwing away the opportunity in front of you.'' I advised that it was unavoidable to work at a real workplace.

◆ 5: Most offers of help are spinal reflexes
In Silicon Valley's startup culture, it's common practice to respond reflexively, 'If there's anything I can do to help, let me know.' The application of such an offer to a job seeker is, 'Let me introduce you to my employer,' nothing more, nothing less.

Of course, it's not a bad idea to ask for help from anyone who offers to help, but Buccini concludes that it's important to set your expectations to the right number: zero. increase.



On the other hand, on the social news site Hacker News, an experienced person who survived the dot-com bubble in the 2000s and has hired hundreds of engineers said, ``Actually, if something happens, there are 30 people who want to introduce jobs. I have a list of as many people as possible.Those who survived the bubble survived through hard work and networks.If you are thinking of changing jobs, the new year is a great opportunity to reconsider your abilities and connections, so make an acquaintance. Make a list and tell them you're looking for a job on the phone.If you're not getting asked often to 'send your resume' or 'is the site up to date?' then change is needed. ” was written in the advice.

◆ 6: Do not write everything honestly on SNS
'You shouldn't lie in an interview, but you shouldn't tell the whole truth,' Buccini says. For example, in an interview, instead of revealing that you were fired, you should speak more positively about your reasons for applying, and you shouldn't speak ill of your ex-colleague even if it's true. It's also important to remove controversial profiles and posts from social media.

The lesson about SNS is based on Mr. Buccini's own bitter experience. Mr. Buccini posted the record of the interview on Twitter in order to release the stress that continued to fail after receiving an interview for nine months, and in the hope that he could draw sympathy. However, one day when I called the recruiter, the other person said, ``I saw the interview record you posted on Twitter, but I already knew that you weren't a good fit for our company. I just took this call as a courtesy to the person who introduced you.'



◆ 7: Determine the job offer
It's tempting to jump in when a job offer comes out after all the hard work, but Buccini says it's time to take a breather and examine the offer. Buccini cites the voice social networking app

Clubhouse as an example.

Clubhouse was all the rage for a while and attracted the most attention in Silicon Valley. Just like the rise and fall of Clubhouse, Silicon Valley's IT industry undergoes major changes in a year. Therefore, Mr. Buccini says that even after entering a new company, he will spend a year evaluating whether the workplace is suitable for him.

Even Mr. Buccini can't fail to find a job, and if the job doesn't suit him, he can quit immediately. But before you jump on the offer, think twice about whether the job fits your goals in terms of whether the company is on track, the health of your market segment, its potential, and your relationship with your future boss. Buccini pointed out that you should take a look.

◆ 8: Many things can be learned from dismissal
Mr. Buccini, who was put in a difficult situation due to dismissal, said that the first thing that came to mind when he was unexpectedly fired was a sense of security. At that time, the pandemic was in full swing, insurance was no longer available, the stock market crashed, assets were depleted, and borders were closed even though I was abroad. In such an environment, even though I realized that I didn't like my current job, I didn't have the courage to quit, but it was the dismissal that pushed Mr. Buccini's back.



Mr. Buccini is now able to reconsider himself and his work by switching from 'a state of being chased by work' to 'a state where I can't even want to work'. On the other hand, in a normal job change, where the next place of employment is already decided, you will be preoccupied with handovers and new jobs, so this is not the case.

``I didn't know it at the time, but I needed a few months to sort out what I had achieved in my youth and the mistakes I made,'' Buccini said of the experience. I am living the most fulfilling and productive life I have ever had, thanks to the blood and flesh of my awareness.”

in Note, Posted by log1l_ks