Note: This post is part of a series of posts about my job searching experience that have already been posted on my personal site (https://www.sarahlkatz.com/blog/). This post has not been edited since then - so all references to timelines and numbers of applications/interviews may not be current
A few weeks ago, I shared my thoughts about the difficulty of job searching and how I'm trying to stay optimistic despite the fact that it's easy to become discouraged. It's always scary to put yourself out there, but when you're willing to put yourself out there, things come back to you. Posting that blog has reminded me of this fact.
In the two weeks since that post, I've been a little busy. Here are some of the things I've had going on:
- Two calls with recruiters (one with someone whom I had met at a hiring event)
- A phone call and in-person meeting with a staffing agency
- A technical phone screen
- An onsite interview
And that's just the start.
Most of these things have been a coincidence. Some were in motion before that post. Others just happened to happen around the time that I put that post up. But at least one of those things happened as a direct result of me sharing that blog post. Someone saw what I shared about my job search and wanted to reach out to me and see if we could find the right match between my skills and some available opportunities.
I'm not trying to say that had I not shared how I was feeling, nothing good would have happened. Most of these things would have happened anyway. And at the end of the day, I don't know that any of the conversations I've had over the last two weeks will lead to a job. But what I do know is that you can decide how the world sees you. If you want to keep to yourself and not share much, that's fine. If you want to share some of your tech knowledge and nothing else, that's awesome too. But for me, I feel best when I share my triumphs and my struggles - tech-related or otherwise - and I like to think that when opportunities come to me after I share something difficult, that's the universe's way of rewarding me for being open about my struggles. I believe that you get back what you put out, and the more you put out there, the more you may get back.
Often you can't control what opportunities are available to you. But sometimes just by asking if there is something out there, the opportunities will start to appear. Put yourself out there. The universe will give you something back. So be open about your struggles and successes. Ask people if they or someone in their network has an opportunity that would be a good fit for you. Ask for help with a coding problem or a work problem or anything else.
Put yourself out there. Be willing to share. You don't know what the universe will send you unless you give it the opportunity.
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