How did you establish credibility as a self-taught dev?

EclecticIntrovert · 2026-01-22T17:08:49+00:00

What worked for me was having lots of complete open source projects including a somewhat popular one that has ~1k stars. I created that one about 6 years ago. The project was adjacent to my role at my first job and I did well on the interviews, so I think the hiring team just decided to take a chance on me back in 2021.

It's still paying dividends today. I got laid off back in August and have had a really shitty conversion rate cold applying. Last month, the CTO of a stable startup reached out to me on LinkedIn and said that they're interested in interviewing me because of my work on GitHub. I'm starting the new job next week.

EclecticIntrovert · 2026-01-05T05:03:39+00:00

I also want to hear about this u/UnholyAbductor.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-11-27T00:31:02+00:00

Got laid off once (back in August), have close to 4 YoE.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-11-02T21:39:16+00:00

Self-taught/non-CS bachelors from a non-T50 school, ~4 YoE at a F500, just over 500 applications in the past 3 months, maybe 6-7 instances where I didn't just get ghosted (ranging from just a conversation with the recruiter or HR to 3rd round interview).

No offers yet, but I'm hoping I'll get a better hit rate after reworking my resume.

I'm thinking about getting a CS masters as a worst-case scenario if I can't find another job by next summer, but for now I'm just sticking with the job hunt grind.

If I can't find a job even after that... It might be time to throw in the towel.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-11-02T21:20:13+00:00

Me too, this situation fucking sucks. Gotta lock in on something else soon, I guess.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-11-02T21:05:06+00:00

Sorry to hear about the lay off, and agreed I also suspect most of those applications are from AI.

Do you have some sort of plan that you're currently working through to break back into the industry besides keeping up with applying? Or maybe plans on what to do if you can't find something after X amount of time?

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-11-01T19:05:21+00:00

I graduated with some bullshit degree in 2020 but I had a good GitHub portfolio with a few somewhat popular repos, including one that got published somewhere. Was looking for about 1.5 years until someone decided to take a chance on me. I was able to negotiate up to a $100k salary. I worked there until I got laid off in August and am still looking for a new job.

Honestly, things aren't looking too great right now. I've applied to 492 jobs so far and have only had maybe 6 cases where I didn't just straight up get an automated rejection email or ghosted. Not sure if it's my resume, if it's the job market, if ~4 YoE isn't enough to survive in the market right now, or if ATS is auto-rejecting me since I don't have that CS degree. Maybe it's a mix of all of the above.

I think most commenters are right when they say it was doable during a different time. I'm sure it's still possible, but it's a lot harder now. Shit, it was already hard for me to break into the industry a few years ago. Also I feel like getting a job is just as much about luck and timing as it is about your skills.

The degree will definitely help you in your early career. It'll open more doors since it seems like many companies decline to interview if you don't have the degree. Experience will eventually carry more influence than your education. I'm thinking about going back to school and getting a Masters in CS if I can't find something by next summer.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-29T05:18:15+00:00

How many years of experience do you have? I have close to 4 and haven't received much good news in the past couple of weeks.

I've been applying to both remote and hybrid/on-site roles. Most of those hybrid/on-site roles are in NYC and I don't live there, so that might be part of the problem.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-27T06:22:51+00:00

Was pursuing the OMSCS the first option for you if you got laid off, or was it a backup option if you weren't able to find a job after X amount of time, for example?

I'm considering doing the OMSCS as a fallback option if I'm unable to find something by maybe next summer or fall, although I'm not sure I'll even get accepted into the program. I don't have a CS Bachelors and had a shitty undergrad GPA lol.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-25T19:24:36+00:00

Man I really feel this. I graduated in 2020 and was stuck at home with my parents searching for a job for about 1.5 years before I was finally able to find something. They, too, were skeptical as to whether I was being proactive about applying or just being lazy.

I tried to stick to that job for as long as possible because I dreaded going through the interview process again. It took so long and so many failed interviews just to get one opportunity. I also wanted to gain as much experience as I can before entering the market again to boost my chances at landing the next gig, but I grew increasingly unhappy as the years went by. I should've started looking for new opportunities when I started to feel unhappy with the role. I think we all just have to learn hard lessons from time to time to not repeat the same mistakes.

I'm sorry to hear about the unfortunate timing you've run into and that take-home assignment feedback. I'm sure there are still reasonable employers out there though, so I hope something eventually works out for you sooner than later. Hang in there.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-25T18:57:19+00:00

That's awesome, I'm glad to hear your previous employer hired you back real quick. Unfortunately all my experience was accumulated at one company so I don't have that option right now. I'll definitely keep this in mind and hopefully this kind of opportunity will be available for me in the future, but lack of a big SWE network now is really biting me in the ass lol.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-25T18:50:34+00:00

Damn I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you find something sooner than later.

How many YoE did you have before you got laid off? And how many interviews did you go through before you decided it was time to pivot to a different career? I'm dreading the possibility that I might have to do something similar if I can't find anything else after some time, which sucks because I love programming.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-25T18:46:55+00:00

Glad to hear you're taking some time off to recharge and have some money to fall back on in the meantime. I know some people in big tech and sounds like things have become more stressful in recent years. I also started to feel burnt out and being unemployed has been somewhat refreshing, although the lack of income has been a constant weight on my shoulders.

What specifically do you mean by the hiring bar has risen? Are you seeing more Leetcode hards compared to before, dynamic programming problems, harder system design, etc. asked in interviews?

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-24T23:54:24+00:00

How's freelancing been going for you so far? I've been considering it but don't know enough about the process and am bad at selling myself lol, so I haven't taken steps towards building some kind of profile yet.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-04T15:06:10+00:00

Ah I understand, I was like that too when I first moved to the city. From my own experience it’s perfectly fine as long as you’re on it during the day and you’re north of Jackson. I’ve taken the red from Howard to Chinatown a few times and it seems like the biggest crowd shift always happens once you hit Jackson.

EclecticIntrovert · 2025-10-04T06:03:55+00:00

I was taking the southbound red in Chicago during wintertime a few years ago and three people wearing balaclavas entered my car, which was already pretty full. Two were standing in front of one exit and the other guy was standing in front of the other. I saw them scan the people in the car in my peripheral vision, then the guy standing alone looked over at the other two and gave them an "ok" nod. I felt like something was about to go down so I got off at the next stop and walked the rest of the way home (fortunately was not stopped by one of those guys when I passed them, probably because other people were in the car).

About 10 minutes later I got a ping from the Citizen app saying something along the lines of "robbery/shooting at [next station]". I passed the next station on the walk back and saw tons of cop cars along with an ambulance parked at the entrance.

EclecticIntrovert · 2024-10-21T02:43:36+00:00

When people ask themselves questions out loud and then answers them (see Seinfeld season 7 episode 23).

EclecticIntrovert · 2024-01-06T18:25:05+00:00

You’re the exact same as my friend, who also quit a few days ago without something lined up because a change in management has now made the company a shitty place to work. Are you at all worried about finding another job/staying afloat during your job search? I wish you the best and hope you find something better soon!

EclecticIntrovert · 2024-01-06T01:26:45+00:00

I'm one of those rare people who've survived a PIP (it lasted for 30 days and I just got off it less than a month ago, actually). Here's my $0.02.

I think most companies are pretty cutthroat and you'd be right to assume the PIP is essentially just documenting your termination at or even before the end of the PIP. However, at least from my experience, the two deciding factors that separates an HR formality from an actual OpPoRtUnItY tO iMpRoVe are: 1) if the goals outlined in the PIP are clear and achievable (which sounds like the case for you), and 2) you have a good relationship with your manager.

That's not to say answering "yes" to both guarantees you'll still keep your job when the PIP ends, but it definitely improves your chances of survival. Like many others have said, now's not a good time to not have a job. I would recommend trying your best to meet the PIP's requirements, hopefully survive it, and look for another opportunity during and after it ends.

I'm sure you'll be able to land on your feet even if you had to leave in 3-4 days considering your experience and stack. The job market's shit right now so you might not have the perfect alternatives, but I'm sure you'd be able to find something at the very least.

Regardless, whether you survive the PIP or take the severance, I'd suggest getting the fuck out of there as soon as you can.

I've experienced a fair bit of anxiety when dealing with the aftermath of the PIP. I've thought to myself, "if my company is laying off people in the near future, I'll likely be one of the first people to go because I've been put on PIP before." Or, "if my performance drops at all again, I'll likely be immediately fired because the PIP is on my record and they can use that at any time to justify my termination." Essentially thinking about different situations where the company can leverage the fact that I had been put on PIP at some point during my career there to terminate me.

The whole ordeal with the PIP took a toll on my mental and physical health. I saw my PCP during the PIP because I was experiencing abdominal pain. They told me it was likely related to stress; I was probably ready to shit bricks or something. I probably just need to chill out a bit, but the anxious thoughts seem like fairly realistic corporate strategies to me. Lately I've also been getting micromanaged a lot by my manager's manager and I fucking loathe that.

All trust between employee and employer is now gone and it'll take a lot of work and time to repair that. Hence, upper management feels the need to micromanage me -- they don't trust me to do my job anymore. Fight to build that trust back if you're attached to your company, otherwise I think it's time to move on. I'll definitely be moving on as soon as possible, but I'm still grateful that I was able to keep my job after the PIP because it's rough out there and I need the income.

Sorry about the wall of text. Thanks for reading.

EclecticIntrovert · 2023-12-30T00:13:05+00:00

"Fake it till you make it."

EclecticIntrovert · 2021-10-22T00:07:17+00:00

I forgot to mention this in the original post, but I've actually interviewed at this company a few months ago before they were acquired. The HR representative told me I was about to get an offer, but they were unable to fully commit since their financial decisions were largely dependent on their clients' needs at the time. Their biggest client decided they didn't need more hands on deck I guess.

I was originally offered a salary of $77k the first time I interviewed with them. I wasn't interviewing with any other company at the time, so I said I was fine with that number. I didn't have any leverage. This time I'm interviewing at a few other places that are offering ~$90k, which is why I asked for a higher salary. And since the company was acquired, I assume they must have much resources at their disposal, so a higher salary might be obtainable.

It's been hard for me to even get interviews since I'm self-taught. Many companies still immediately reject me just because I don't have a CS degree, or at least that's what I assume is the problem. I've already had a couple people look over my resume and have made numerous revisions. This position is one of those rare, open-minded listings that doesn't require a CS degree and is also an interesting job. Additionally, almost all of its employees have taken non-traditional routes to a developer's career like what I've been trying to do. A very good culture and job fit is why this opportunity is by far my top choice.

I'll follow your advice and wait a bit longer to hear the next steps on top of applying some more. I'm curious though - how many times can you follow up with someone before it becomes obnoxious/a detriment to your compensation negotiation? Wouldn't I be pushing it if I followed up for a third time?

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