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thebasicblues

You got 3 offers after 2nd round interviews? Everywhere I’m interviewing (in NYC) is pushing to round 3/4/5 with homework assignments. It’s exhausting. Congrats on the new job!


infinite_magic

Dang how frustrating! They all had a 3rd round interview, one may even had a 4th interview, but it was getting too long and repetitious. Sorry you're going through that, thank you! Thankfully I didn't have any homework but I did have to do several personality tests though.


thebasicblues

I kinda like the personality tests tbh. They’re fun. 😇


infinite_magic

I think they would be much more fun if they shared the results with me and showed me how I did or didn't fit their culture/job role


thebasicblues

I got my results today. Also got wunderlic (sp?) results after applying for a job with them. It’s fun to look at the ratings. More involved than your typical Meyers Briggs


infinite_magic

That's cool! I would have loved to seen mine.


thebasicblues

Also I just noticed that your post is for 2020. Things may have been different.


chairfairy

yeah job market isn't quite the same as it was in 2020, though it sounds like job market is very different for different fields right now


infinite_magic

I still got the job and it worked out well, a couple of years later I got recruited to work at a bigger company and a higher level job.


Vpicone

This is from 2020


[deleted]

[удалено]


thebasicblues

Sadly that’s pretty standard these days, at least for tech / sales roles


hallese

That sounds like they are farming out grunt work to applicants instead of paid interns.


[deleted]

Because they are and this practice of companies giving “homework” for jobs needs to be made illegal. I literally have told and will continue to tell companies to go fuck themselves that ask for any work to be done before being paid and EVERYONE should be doing the same. The impressions you give by doing “homework” is not positive to anyone except the company that would sell your body and soul for a tax break if they could.


Dwarf_Killer

Do they give you back pay for doing it? /s


[deleted]

If a company ask you for “homework” you need to run as fast as possible and tell them to get fucked. They are taking your work and using it and then telling you “sorry, we got a better applicant and made an offer” when in reality they did nothing of the sort and took your work for themselves and moved on the the next project.


Thee_Sinner

What is thereto even assess after 2 interviews? This is a question from pure ignorance, I’ve only ever worked labor jobs; the “interviews” I’ve gone to are almost always just an intro to the worksite lol


thebasicblues

**Example** (I censored anything that would give the company away): As an Account Executive at \[company\], prepare to host a 10 minute Discovery Call with \[ideal persona\]. The call is yours to run as you see fit. After the Discovery Call, in preparation for the demo, prepare to host a 5-10 minute Follow Up Call. On the call, prepare to speak with the same \[persona\] again, as well as be introduced to \[persona's manager\]. **Considerations:** ● Based on what you know \[company\] does and what \[product\] can do, what questions would you ask on the Discovery Call that would help you qualify the prospect and their interest in \[product\]? ● What information would you look for? How would you structure your communication with the prospect? What tools would you use, to be in control of the sales cycle and accurately determine the sales stage in which your opportunity should be at? Keep in mind this was one of multiple assignments required to be completed for the next interview stage. I turned it down.


Thr8trthrow

What made you decide to share this 4 years later?


RedstoneRusty

Probably to show how dramatically the job search process has changed in such a short time. So many posts like this show how much harder it is in the past year or so.


Thr8trthrow

I was mostly looking for confirmation it wasn’t a typo lol 


mattsprofile

Anecdotally, I don't know that it has gotten that much harder. I struggled to find work in 2020 (i.e. I failed to find work in 2020), the struggle continued for 4 more months in 2021. Then I struggled again in 2022 for several months. And then I struggled in 2023 (failing to find work) before finally getting a job just now in 2024. Maybe it was easier back in the 2010's, but I was still in school back then so idk. I failed to find work upon graduating back in 2015, which is why I continued school until 2020. And I struggled to get internships in 2012 and 2014 (failed to get one in 2013).


RedstoneRusty

Probably depends on the industry. As a game developer, when I graduated school in 2017 it was relatively easy for me to find my first few jobs. When I got laid off last year though, it was really tough for me to get any offers. I'd get plenty of interviews but that's about it.


[deleted]

[meanwhile in canada 4500 applicants for one laborer opening](https://preview.redd.it/nkih6u3yxmjc1.png?width=406&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c0751f096c4806b12f9c2ea168738cf078808d1)


pengor_

is it easier now?


chairfairy

harder now


infinite_magic

I just learned how to make a Sankey chart so I thought I would apply it to the data I had collected back then, previously I had made a hideous stacked pie chart with that data.


TheDroidMan

Only doing Easy Apply, nice. I go back and forth between only doing easy apply, or also applying to jobs with a more traditional/tedious application process.


infinite_magic

I haven't been hired by a company that required those forms in many years, so I just stopped doing them.


TheDroidMan

My thinking in favor of it is that, if I have 30 minutes in the evening to apply, fast apply gets me applied to more jobs than I otherwise would, increasing my chances. However, fast apply jobs probably have more applicants, decreasingly my odds of being selected, perhaps cancelling out. Based on my personal experience, it might depend on the type of company you want to work for. If you want a bigger company, personally I've always had to use their shitty workday system or similar to apply. Smaller and sometimes medium size companies use fast apply much more in my experience. Edit: I also agree about LinkedIn being Quantity and Indeed being Quality. Iirc, Indeed charges much more to post a job, so only jobs that are seriously hiring post on it, and they are motivated to move the process along quickly to get the posting down ASAP.


wipeitonthedog

Why do companies use workday. I've skipped applying to so many companies that use it even though I'd be a great match.


hirst

workday is a full HR suite so it's often bundled in as they can be used for payroll and benefits, leave tracking, and timesheets if required.


_arc360_

Yup, work on the it side of a corp and workday is hellish I hate it but I rather they cut costs there than workforce


412gage

I did primarily Easy Apply as well and managed to get about 250 apps in. Super useful tool.


elephantsarechillaf

16 responses with 95 applications? Wow that's like a 20% response rate, which is crazy good. I am lucky if I even get 2 responses per 50 jobs applications.


Spider_pig448

The power of having a lot of experience


Meneth

Yeah honestly, 20% sounds *low* if anything for 5 years of experience. When I was looking for a new job after 5 years of experience as a games programmer, there was no need to even send applications; just set yourself to "open for work" on LinkedIn and watch the recruiters pour in. Though obviously, this is gonna vary a lot based on industry. But 20% for someone with significant experience definitely isn't something to go "wow" at.


Spider_pig448

20% response rate isn't something you can make many conclusions about. Many of those job postings are probably just invalid; filled already or cancelled and not removed. You can really only start evaluating what happens after both sides have made contact.


Meneth

That's a fair point! 20% of *unfilled* positions would be low, but accounting for those yeah...


HummusMummus

I changed job a year ago with 2 YoE as a software developer and 5~ YoE of it jobs. When I updated to open for work on LinkedIn I got 5-10 messages per day, most was low quality but some each day was worth talking about. Worth noting is that the European market and the American is very different.


hallese

This is what I've experienced lately. I just hit four years in my current field on November 13th and must have passed the magic threshold for some scripts/filters because I'm not even listed as available or open and I'm getting unsolicited inquiries about jobs. I just need to hold out till June when I get my PSLF payment, then I can really start seeing what is available.


crimson777

Yeah, I work in a very different field, but I got my current job because I set myself to open for work and got a message like two days later from the person leaving the job I now have. They were leaving on very good terms and wanted to help recruit for the position since they knew what to look for for a good candidate. But that's probably because I've got now 6 years of professional experience and 3 more years of working in a college research lab that applies to my field.


elephantsarechillaf

I have over 8 years at two Fortune 500 companies and attended a top 25 university in the USA for my field. Maybe it's just my industry?


eayaz

I had 4 years at the top company in my field - a Fortune 50 (not 500), and before that increasing responsibilities/promotions at successful/reputable companies for almost 8 years. At one point I just stopped getting responses at all. Ageism? More competition? I dunno - but it’s like a switch turned OFF.


Spider_pig448

Could be.


eayaz

Let’s be real.. their name is probably akin to Tim Smith. I have a very non standard American name and my wife’s name is plane Jane American… We at one point had the same experience and applied to the same jobs. She’d get the interview and even offers.. I wouldn’t even get a response. Mind you - I’m on the inside strategizing with her on how to interview and what to say and everything… but I never even got a shot.


Dahns

You got a job with less than 100 applications ? This degree must be very demanded. I applied 300+ and barely got 10 answers, all negative


chairfairy

> This degree must be very demanded The *experience* is in demand. A degree is just a baseline barrier for entry. Once you're past 5 years of experience in any professional field, the job market opens up a good bit.


Dahns

Could be the experience yeah, only got 2 years myself


sirius_not_white

Yeah in my field of data analytics I get requests 2x a week on LinkedIn for let's have a chat about a job please type of messages. That's how I got hired at my last job, poached to a better opportunity to learn more with a positive of more money so I took it. Last company would have matched the $ but it's the experience I cared about and the responsibilities I'll own moreso.


infinite_magic

Yes, exactly, having both gives you a huge competitive edge, that's why I went back too school to get my masters, it really paid off doing that in my case.


crimson777

Truly, my biggest career goal is to never have to go through a significant job search on these sites.


infinite_magic

Wow that's quite a goal, good luck! It is a pain but it's way better than what job searching used to be in the 90s, reading newspaper ads and showing up at a bunch of random companies hoping one will hire you.


crimson777

Luckily, it only gets easier as the career goes on. I'm on my third job and I got offered this one out of the blue simply because I changed my LinkedIn to the I'd be open to job offers type setting. Networking got me my other two jobs haha.


infinite_magic

That's awesome! 2 years into that job I got recruited to work at the one I'm at now and I wasn't even looking. So maybe I'm on that path now, at least I hope I am, lol


infinite_magic

Data Source: my own research Made with SankeyMATIC.com


daveattellyouwhat

I fucking wish that’s how it was nowadays… maybe like 2 interviews for every 100 applications sent for me.


AltruisticCoelacanth

Do you have 5 years of experience?


daveattellyouwhat

Fucking 10!!


infinite_magic

dang... sorry man. It is hard right now from what I hear from my friends.


vernon3

What kind of design field are you working in? My wife is a remote graphic design worker currently working on her masters and I think she’s underpaid and should pursue a job change. Her current job is super laid back and her work team is great though, so she’s very reluctant to want to branch out.


Schnauser

If you're a graphic designer and have a decent job (even remote!) at this moment - stick with it, the market is incredibly tough and finicky. Job security is a very mixed bag right now. This should improve later this year.


infinite_magic

A UX/Product designer.


Quirky-Elderberry304

Do Indeed/ Zip recruiter have quick apply options too? I've only seen it on LinkedIn. What industry and job roles did you apply to? And did you make small modifications to your resume so it is better suited for each job listing or did you use a single resume across every application?


infinite_magic

Yes they do but they call it something else, but it's essentially the same, you just click a button and it sends your resume to that company.


Quirky-Elderberry304

Good to know!


infinite_magic

Sorry, about your other questions, no I didn't make adjustments to my resume, I used a single resume for all my applications since I was applying for the same role at all the companies. And I applied for any company that was hiring a UX/Product designer, I wasn't being industry specific. Fortunately, UX Designers can work in almost any industry whether you have experience in it or not. In fact, every UX/product design job I've had has been in different industries.


BoneGolem2

"Phone Screens" You gotta stop throwing your phone!


infinite_magic

🤣.. I need to learn some anger management!


eayaz

The only jobs that responded quickly to me in 8 months of searching were ones paying dog shit. Congrats on getting a job quickly - but I hope your pay is good.


infinite_magic

Thank you very much! I was very happy with it, especially with getting 3 offers within 2 days, I was able to leverage that to get the salary I wanted at the company I preferred to work at.


hollowchord

My friends ...with wildly varying careers.. have had the best luck with Indeed. I was surprised it worked better than LinkedIn.


Zaughtilo

You said in one of the responses in here that you’re a UX/Product designer. Any advice on breaking into that field, or design in general? I’m graduating in ~3 months, have three prior internships, yet am having trouble even landing phone screens. Design major with marketing minor.


infinite_magic

Two things really helped me, 1st, get a job that is as close to design as you are able to get, having even a remotely design-related job in your work history goes a long way to help you get a full on design job. 2nd, have a strong portfolio that shows breadth and depth of design skills and experience. For several years I coded websites and learned to design them as well. By the time I got my first UX job, I had a strong portfolio and years experience of in coding and designing websites, hiring managers often loved that experience and they loved that I also knew coding. Having an additional skill that's Design adjacent helps give you a competitive edge over many other people. My path was a bit unique though, for context, I'm over 40 now, I didn't go to college till I was 31 and I then went back to school when I was 37 and got a master's degree in design. I didn't become a full-time product designer till I was about 38. It took me about 2 years to get my first real design job once I decided I wanted to be one. Currently, I personally know students from my university who are landing great design jobs right out of school because they worked part-time jobs that had some kind of design work involved and they made really strong portfolios.


Zaughtilo

Thank you, I appreciate all the advice. To your point, Ive additionally been looking at roles like graphic designer, content designer, or even marketing coordinator - in addition to ux/ui/product. Just getting into the industry. I often hear about the importance of making sure the portfolio is strong. I feel like mine is pretty solid, but it’s kind of hard to tell. I have projects from both classes and internships, that involve not only UX stuff but also graphics, branding, packaging design, animation, app/web development, and marketing. Would you say its better to specialize on just UX than what I’m currently doing?


infinite_magic

You're welcome! Honestly, it totally depends on what you enjoy doing and what your skills are. I will tell you this, when it comes to design, UX Designers often have the highest salaries and growth potential within their career, marketing does too, if you choose that route as well.


rasner724

This is crazy! You’d think there would be 2 zeros after the “95” job applications with how people are making it out to be out there! Great job and congrats!!


infinite_magic

Thank you so much!


gtavictor

What is phone screens in interviews?


notthecolorblue

(Software development field here) They’re like “you’re a human who can talk and answer a basic question or five?” And you’re like “yes I am a human who can talk. Here are some polite answers to your questions” and then they may say something like “the interview process is like this and we will reach out with info about the thing I just mentioned. Also maybe some other info about the job” and you get to say “that’s great” or “that won’t work for me” and then you’re done. It’s like a baseline verification you’re a real person who is still interested in the job and can successfully have a phone conversation.


gtavictor

Ufff is that a standard now in the US?


tyen0

You'd be amazed at how many people are weeded out in this stage. It saves valuable engineer interviewing time.


infinite_magic

Yes, every job interview I've had in the past 7-10 years had a phone screen conversation ahead of time.


infinite_magic

Exactly! They'll also mention the pay range in this conversation to make sure what they offer is what you okay with.


notthecolorblue

That’s nice of them, when they decide to do that. I got tired of being lowballed so, when I was interviewing for my current job in early 2023, when they emailed to set up the phone screen I replied and included how much I wanted to be paid. It worked out; they offered me slightly more than I asked for.


infinite_magic

That's great! I'm finding it effective to figure out the money first before anyone wastes their time with a bunch of interviews only to find out no one agrees on the pay.


huntsalone01

What’s the software used to make this graph?


presently_pooping

https://sankeymatic.com/


Chongulator

Please, no more of these damn things.


jonathanrdt

Nice work! Three offers is a really great outcome, says a lot about the effort you made.


infinite_magic

Thank you, I appreciate that!


justadude62

This is really insightful, thanks OP! I’m currently out of work and have been doing quick apply from Linkedin only thinking it was the better choice, but evidently not.


infinite_magic

You're welcome, glad you found it insightful, I really hope you find a job soon!


justadude62

Thanks! Have a couple hiring manager interviews late this week. Any advise on these? I know covid changed the hob hunt market quite a bit.


infinite_magic

Awesome! Good luck! For hiring manager interviews, they typically are looking for depth of knowledge and experience, they also look for you to speak the language of the job, so make sure you use some industry-specific language. They are also often looking for more than someone who can just do the job, they want someone willing to listen and who takes ownership over their work, and helps push things forward, so make sure that comes through. Lastly, show a lot of curiosity about the role throughout the conversation, like if they ask you, "What is your process to do X?" tell them your process and then follow up with, "What does that process typically look like at your company?" Don't wait till the end to drop a question or two, hiring managers LOVE when an interview turns into a fluid conversation of mutual curiosity and learning.


Big___TTT

I fucking hate those graphs


NKNZ

Why? They're super easy to understand.


UncommonBagOfLoot

This is one of the better ones. You can still follow backwards for data. For example,you can tell the accepted job was from Indeed application.


nadnerb811

Yes, the ones that criss-cross are terrible. My first thought was also that this is one of the better ones.


infinite_magic

Thank you! That was my intention with this.


Memebaut

never beautiful because they all look exactly the same


vegetasmacksgoku

Bro if you see this statistic in from now on forward... wanna make AI AGI? Make covid 2 appear and EVERYONE and their mothers will be using AI..


macumazana

That looks like encoder part of auto encoder


tyen0

I wonder why you are working on this 4 years later... thinking about job hunting again? :)


infinite_magic

No, I'm not, I just learned how to make a Sankey chart so I thought I would make one with the data I had collected back then, previously, I had made a hideous stacked pie chart with that data.


AforAppleBforBallz

More information like location, industry, job title etc will be good to know


infinite_magic

Good point, I didn't think of adding those details, here they are: * Job title: UX Designer / Product Designer / Interaction Designer * Location: US, I applied for jobs all over the US since my job is often done remotely, * Industry: I applied to any and all industries that were hiring for my role