White Noise

My Experience with Job Search and the Absolute Insanity of It

I dictated this on my phone and it ended up too long. So edited using Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT.

I’d like to share the story of how I secured a job at Company Q. Around December or January last year, I received news that my previous company was facing financial difficulties. I had worked there for approximately seven years, and it was a great place to work.

Everything was going smoothly until the last year when we ran out of funding. Our only option was to pursue an acquisition. We made an effort and managed to acquire a few companies.

One of the acquirers was actually Company Q, but they backed off at the last moment, and another company came in. They only acquired the intellectual property (IP) assets and patents, not the employees. I’m still not sure they acquired the IP and assets. I’m pretty sure they got the patents.

So, by the time I discovered that Company B wouldn’t be taking the employees, my company requested that I resign. Consequently, I had two months to give my notice, which amounted to 60 days. Therefore, I had 60 days to find a new job.

So, I decided to start job searching. I had no idea what I was doing, haha! I primarily used LinkedIn and Naukri to find jobs. I also started applying directly and asked for a few referrals. The majority of the calls I received were from LinkedIn and Naukri. I then began attending interviews. I was completely clueless at first! In my very first interview, I felt completely out of my depth and completely bombed it. I was so upset about it!

I had a feeling this was coming, because I’ve never been interviewed before. I did attend a few interviews a few years ago, even for Company Q, but they didn’t hire me. I have some experience, but I know I wasn’t quite up to the mark.

So the first one was a flop.

I noted down the questions after the interviews and studied them really hard. I even had another interview where I repeated the same process, taking notes and studying the questions afterward. I kept doing that until I was sure I could answer the questions confidently. I ended up attending almost 50 interviews in total, most of them were virtual, and some were in person.

Out of all the interviews I’ve had, every company I’ve encountered has been service-based. However, I come from a product-based background. I work in the development of digital radar chips for automotive applications, and I’ve always been drawn to a product-focused environment.

Let’s call my previous company, Company U.

So, here’s the thing, I had no clue about the difference between service-based and product-based companies. I didn’t even know what my actual role was until I started interviewing. Turns out, I’ve been working as a design verification engineer all along!

I was on the hunt for a job because I knew I’d be out of work in two months. So, I kept applying and attending interviews. It was a rollercoaster of successes and failures. I had some great interviews, but others weren’t so great. I was thrilled when things went well, but I was also a bit bummed that I couldn’t give it my all in the others. But hey, I didn’t let that discourage me! I made sure to study hard after each interview and kept pushing myself to improve.

My performance usually determines how the interview goes. But I didn’t know that the interviewer’s mindset and skills also play a role. I had a few tough interviews, maybe a few more, where I struggled to explain my work and answer questions.

So, I had this one interviewer who was super arrogant and totally ignored me. I answered all the questions right, but he still wasn’t happy. And to top it off, he was really rude. I was so frustrated after the interview that I went to my therapist to vent. I even thought about calling HR and giving them some feedback, but I decided against it. That was how bad it was!

Yeah, it’s true that some interviewers can be a bit tough. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. Some people just have a way of making others feel bad to boost their own ego. It’s just how some people are.

After much hard work, I received approximately 7 to 8 job offers, with even more coming in at different times. The first offer came from Company S, followed by Company E, then Company W, and so on. I received a few more offers, but I eventually decided to accept Company W. The first offer from Company W was the one I was most excited about. I also received offers from Company M, but I chose to go with Company W. Company M’s offer came from a referral from my previous manager, who told me they were ready to take me in without any interview. I was surprised but also skeptical. They believed I was a good candidate because of a few good words from my previous manager.

The main reason I wasn’t thrilled with the offers was the salary. It’s a common practice in many companies try and lowball you. They’ll always give you the lowest possible offer they can.

For instance, the first offer I received was from Company S, which offered a hike of 29.19%. Interestingly, another offer I received from another company was around 16.27%. Company E initially offered 37.81% hike, followed by Company S2’s offer. However, Company W countered with the an equal offer, prompting Company M to join the bidding war with 50.73%. Despite my disdain for all these offers, I am compelled to participate.

Finally, Company A arrived at the eleventh hour, almost a month after my initial offer! I had made it abundantly clear that I wouldn’t join any company that offered less than ~70% hike. However, they were genuinely interested in hiring me. They made me a great offer. After some discussion, they agreed to 72.26%, along with a joining bonus.

So, I had 3 companies, Company A, Company M, and Company W. However, Company W decided to increase their salary hike to 46.42% after I made a request. This was their final offer, and it was quite a good deal!

So, I found myself in a tough spot, having to choose between two companies: Company A and Company W. After chatting with Company A, meeting their teams, and getting to know them personally, I concluded that Company A was the better fit. It had a similar vibe to my previous company, which was really great. I had also visited Company W before, but it didn’t quite hit the mark.

So, I had three job offers lined up. One was from Company A, and I was about to accept it. However, I decided to reject offers from Company W and Company M. It was just the week before my joining date, and I was torn between the two. I was all set to accept the offer letter from Company A when, to my surprise, I found an offer from Company Q in my inbox!

Last week, I also attended interviews at Company Q, thanks to a referral from my junior coworker at my previous company. Initially, I was hesitant because I doubted my chances of getting into Company Q, just like with other product-based companies. I had almost given up, as securing interviews with these big companies seemed incredibly challenging.

I attended two face-to-face interviews—one in my current city and the other in a different city. The interview in my current city went exceptionally well; I answered all the questions correctly. However, despite this, I was asked to attend an additional online round, possibly because they were not fully satisfied with my previous responses.

I had a severe fever during the second online interview. I’m not sure if it was the fever or something else, but I gave it my all. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, and they didn’t call back.

I had another interview scheduled in a different city. Unfortunately, I came down with a fever, which prevented me from attending. I requested them to postpone it to the following week, and they kindly agreed. I attended the interview the next week, and it was a very tense situation.

I realise that this was my only opportunity, and unfortunately, the interview did not go well. The questions were quite challenging, focusing heavily on scenario-based situations, although there were some basic ones as well. Despite giving my best effort, I felt I did not perform as well as I had in previous interviews. Nevertheless, I completed the interview, met the interviewers, and then returned.

Outside, a group of people were requesting donations. I had a brief conversation with a female representative before getting into a cab and returning to my city. Additionally, there was another interview scheduled in this city, but it did not take place.

Since I felt I didn't perform well in the interview, I assumed I had failed when the HR didn't call me back.

I thought I wouldn't receive a call back. Fortunately, I had mentioned that I was about to join Company W soon. This seemed to prompt them to decide quickly, thinking, "Since he doesn't have much time, let's just extend the offer." Additionally, they had interviewed a few more candidates, but some rejected the offer, with at least one person explicitly declining it.

They reached out to me just four days before my joining date, which was a timely gesture. I accepted their offer because it was superior to what Company A had proposed. Company Q’s offer included over 174.10%, with bonuses, and stocks. It was an excellent deal.

I shared this with the person who referred me to Company Q, and he mentioned that I should have negotiated for more. When I approached the HR regarding this, their response was indifferent, suggesting that if I wasn't satisfied, I could simply reject the offer. However, considering it was the best offer I had received so far, I accepted it without hesitation.

It was a risky decision to ask for more; I did it just for the sake of it.

Unfortunately, this meant I had to decline opportunities with other companies. Interestingly, when I informed Company M that I had accepted an offer from Company Q, they immediately matched my current offer and even acknowledged that I was a strong candidate.

When other companies learned about Company Q, the enthusiasm in the HR representatives' voices noticeably diminished. Initially, they were excited about the prospect of me joining their organisations. However, once they realised I was considering Company Q, their interest waned, almost as if they had accepted that I wouldn't be joining them. I completely understand their reaction, given the effort they had put into trying to hire me. In the end, I politely bid them farewell.

I think only because of them I got into Company Q because unless these company giving me their offers and giving me some confidence, I would not have able to do this to achieve this basically.

I initially faced some challenges after relocating, which made settling in a bit difficult. However, after resolving these issues, I’ve finally managed to settle down. That said, I'm still dealing with some food-related problems, as my allergies have resurfaced. I’m working through these issues, but overall, things are progressing.

This phase of my life felt quite unusual. However, it taught me an important lesson—I realised I have the potential to achieve more. I even inquired about a distant relative working at Company Q, and he mentioned that I could have secured a better offer. Perhaps I could have earned a little more, but given that I didn't have a stronger offer at the time, this was the best I could attain.

I believe this is an experience. I’m not sure if it’s an experience I needed to have, but it seems like the job market is different for everyone. Some people have a different experience, while others, like me, have a different experience.

Now, the best part is that I’ve received a significant raise of approximately 174.10%!. This is great news, considering that I had only experienced a maximum increase of 30 to 40% in other offers. I believe I am being compensated for my worth in the market.

Okay, so I have the capability to do more, which is why they pay me more. Another thing I’ve learned is to keep trying, no matter what. Just give your best effort, whether it’s good or bad. Don’t just give up and say, “Okay, that’s it.” Instead, make use of all the opportunities that come your way.

Don’t let ego hold you back. Keep thinking and exploring the possibilities. Do whatever it takes to make your goals a reality. Essentially, I would say, create opportunities for yourself. You may not get opportunities if you’re not actively looking for them and actively trying to make them happen. You have to knock on doors, and some doors won’t open. Sometimes, you have to break them down.

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After securing the job at Company Q, I decided to keep the news from everyone initially. I shared the exciting news with a few close friends, then posted it on LinkedIn, and finally, I personally called each one to inform them. Overall, I’m quite pleased with the outcome.

I had to take care of a few things. I need to be better than I was in my previous location in many aspects. I know I can handle work-wise, but I need to focus on my personal life. I need to become a better person than I was before. I just need to keep trying, and that’s about it.

Should I have not revealed the offers I had? I should have inquired about their offer before presenting mine. That way, I would have been aware of the industry standard. Unfortunately, I can’t alter the situation now. I feel undervalued, and this is not a positive feeling.

Key take aways from this experience

#life #story #work