The Challenge of Landing a Tech Job: A Fresher’s Personal Travails

The technology sector has long been heralded as a land of opportunity, an innovative and dynamic industry where brilliant minds can thrive. However, through my own recent experience trying to break into this field after graduating, I’ve had the curtain pulled back on the harsh realities many fresh graduates face. The struggles I’ve encountered paint a sobering picture of the obstacles littering the path to a coveted tech career.

A Recent Grad With a Perfect Transcript

I know these challenges all too well. Despite graduating with an immaculate 4.0 GPA from a top university’s math and computer science course, coupled with an impressive portfolio packed with research projects, I found myself stuck in a frustrating loop of rejections since earning my STEM degree in December 2021.

Tech is a skills game, not a credentials game.” A perspective that appears to be widely held by many already established in the field

My situation seems to be disturbingly common, as I’ve connected with numerous other graduates whose stories echo the same disheartening sentiment: that stellar academic credentials are not carrying the weight they once did in the tech job market. As one industry professional bluntly told me, “Tech is a skills game, not a credentials game.” A perspective that appears to be widely held by many already established in the field.

Flooding the Market: Layoff Aftermath

Part of what makes landing that critical first job so difficult for me is the sheer volume of candidates currently vying for open roles. Through my own job search, I’ve come to see how the wave of layoffs that rocked the tech world throughout 2022 and into 2023 has been a major contributing factor. As firms trimmed their workforces, they unleashed a deluge of experienced developers, engineers, analysts, and other tech professionals back into the job market.

This double whammy of saturation has created an extremely lopsided playing field that I’ve experienced firsthand. Not only am I competing against my fellow recent graduates for entry-level positions, but I must also go toe-to-toe against a surplus of candidates who may have significantly more real-world experience under their belts. As one industry professional pointedly asked me, “Why would a company hire a green college grad when they can get someone with 5 years of experience for the same entry-level salary?”

Why would a company hire a green college grad when they can get someone with 5 years of experience for the same entry-level salary?

Internships reign supreme.

If there is one piece of advice that has been drilled into me throughout this arduous job search process, it is the paramount importance of internship experience. Numerous industry professionals have adamantly stated that a candidate like myself with a lower GPA but one or two internships on their resume would be viewed as vastly more hireable than an impressive 4.0 student lacking any professional experience.

The logic behind this prevailing wisdom is simple: an internship allows a graduate like myself to practice applying our studies in a real-world environment while gaining critical skills that can immediately transfer to a full-time job. It demonstrates we can hit the ground running with practical know-how instead of just theoretical knowledge. As one blunt hiring manager told me point-blank, “Book smarts are great, but workplaces need people who can actually do the work.”

Furthermore, I’ve learned that internships are invaluable for making vital professional connections that can pay dividends down the road. Those coworkers, managers, or mentors from an intern’s tenure can potentially get their foot in the door by putting in a good word or even directly referring them for open roles at that company or elsewhere down the line. It’s an opportunity I missed out on because I was so confident I would land a job sooner.

The importance of networking

Which segues into another crucial piece of advice that has been hammered home for me: the critical importance of working my network relentlessly. I’ve been urged to scrutinize every possible connection, no matter how tenuous it may seem. Former classmates, professors, family friends, membership in university clubs or societies—all of it is fair game to tap into for leads, introductions, or referrals.

Platforms like LinkedIn have proven to be indispensable tools in this networking effort. I’ve had multiple pieces of advice emphasizing the importance of having an optimized, accomplishment-rich profile and making regular engagements to boost visibility among connections in my desired field or at my desired companies. As one succinctly put it, “Networking is the best way to separate yourself from the slush pile.” Another stressed the importance of attending tech meetups, conferences, or other community events to get crucial face-time with potential employers.

The Evolving Nature of Tech Employment

Another aspect compounding these challenges I’ve run into is the evolution of how tech companies operate their hiring in the first place. Through my job search, I’ve come to see the industry shift toward a contractor hiring model, with more firms opting to source talent through staffing agencies, recruiters, or consultant firms rather than directly.

In this outsourced arrangement, companies can rapidly scale their workforce up or down as needs dictate while avoiding expenses like benefits. For candidates like myself, it often means our actual employer is the contracting agency rather than the company itself. As one industry veteran stated, “You have to impress two sets of people—the agency that hires you and the company that wants your skills.”

While potentially creating more job openings, this agency model breeds additional complexities that I wasn’t prepared for. Contractors lack insider familiarity with a company’s culture, team dynamics, or proprietary technologies. It compounds the challenge of being a newcomer with no professional work experience.

The Evolving Skillset

Of course, even completing internships and networking energetically is often not enough on its own, from what I’ve encountered. Discussions with those in the field have revealed that the requisite skillset for tech professionals is also rapidly evolving. Programming languages, software tools, and best practices are constantly shifting. As one seasoned developer emphasized to me, “If you’re still talking about that JavaScript framework you learned in college, you’re already 5 years behind.”

The advice I consistently receive is to immerse myself in self-teaching the most modern, in-demand skills from sources like online courses, coding boot camps, or active developer communities. As an aspiring data scientist, I’ve been urged to build portfolios showcasing my statistical aptitude through case studies, freelance data analysis projects, or even Kaggle competitions. Those pursuing cybersecurity roles are counseled to pursue ethical hacking certifications.

The tech industry moves at lightning speed. If you’re not upgrading and refreshing your abilities constantly, your resume is going straight into the reject pile.

The overarching message is clear: continuously iterating on your skills is the only way to avoid getting left behind in this fast-paced environment. As another tech veteran succinctly warned me, “The tech industry moves at lightning speed. If you’re not upgrading and refreshing your abilities constantly, your resume is going straight into the reject pile.”

A Perseverance Test

For someone like me who remains determined to break into these coveted tech roles, the journey laid out by those with experience is daunting—overcoming the dual hurdles of saturation from downsized professionals while also separating myself with tangible skills and experience. It requires networking relentlessly, hustling at every possible internship, and logging around-the-clock hours sharpening my tools just to get that first foot in the door.

It is an enduring test of resilience that many have described as “paying your dues.” As one pragmatic voice advised me, “Rejection is part of the process, but the opportunities are there for those willing to constantly upskill and outwork everyone else.” For the unmotivated or faint of heart, an alternate career path may be advisable.

Ultimately, while the tech industry continues to be mythologized as a cash-flush oasis overflowing with opportunity, these unvarnished insights reveal that the oasis may currently be more of a mirage for the vast majority of recent graduates like myself. Breaking through requires incredible drive, adaptability, and perseverance. I know now that it would be wise for me to take these firsthand accounts to heart when reassessing and redoubling my own efforts.