Unconventional Tactics Emerge Amidst Tech Hiring Slowdown and Excessive Interview Processes

Ed Jakubowski’s unorthodox interview strategy involves applying for a job online, allowing a few days for the application to enter the system, and then directly calling the company’s HR department. He confidently states he was instructed to call to schedule his interview. This method reportedly yielded five interviews in six weeks, a stark contrast to zero interviews from four months of traditional online applications. Jakubowski attributes its success to cutting through the “organized chaos” of recruiters overwhelmed by “thousands of applications.” While acknowledging two instances where HR personnel questioned his claim, he argues the high success rate justifies the minor risks. The strategy sparks debate, with the speaker suggesting it’s not “lying” but rather “advancing future events” or “a loan” of an impending truth, demonstrating high interest in the role. However, caution is advised for local markets like Barcelona, where close-knit HR communities can lead to “blacklists” for perceived dishonesty, unlike the more anonymous US market.

The discussion also highlights the increasingly strenuous nature of tech hiring processes. An alarming anecdote details a candidate subjected to 11 technical interview rounds and a one-week take-home project, only to be rejected. Another user recounted a similar experience with Google, involving multiple phone screens and eight on-site interviews. This trend prompts a call for government regulation, suggesting a maximum of three interview rounds to prevent significant time wastage for candidates. Concurrently, the US tech job market, particularly for junior roles, is described as brutal. While senior positions continue to see growth, junior roles are perceived to be in decline, despite the potential for AI to enhance junior productivity. Experts suggest juniors focus on building startups and personal projects to differentiate themselves. The overall market is characterized not by saturation, but by a slowdown in hiring, with companies prioritizing investment in technical capital (hardware) over human capital. A key distinction is made between “self-proclaimed” juniors and genuinely qualified entry-level professionals.