Job Search 101.
Job search is always stressful even when economy is in good health. I don't want to tell how stressful with this current economy conditions. But always stay at positive is basic mantra for successful job search. Based on my experience, we have to decide what would be the correct job description before we start searching job. This is specially important for Software related jobs. I have decided to stick with Sr Software Engineer 3 or 4 category, this is normally 30-40% design, 40-50% hands on and remaining would be mentoring team member and helping other organization initiatives such as PMO, Product Management etc.
Brush up fundamentals
I have decided to spent at least 2-3 months to search a good job for me with my expectations. Before starting job search, we have to brush up all fundamentals, coding exercise and puzzles etc., even though you are a 10-15 years experienced professionals, most of the companies want to test your academic level knowledge, very fundamental computer language knowledge and then your project related questions. I found one good book, Programming Interviews Exposed, this is really good book and it covered all basic data structures, algorithms and commonly asked puzzles. One more book I bought to prepare job search is Puzzles for Programmers and Pros I wouldn't recommend this book, it is nice to have. Since I took Java 2 certification in 2003, those books helped me to brush up Java fundamentals. For design patterns I used Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (a.k.a) Gang of Four, I can say that almost every software professional must have read this book multiple times. I found some difficulties to understand some patterns so I read Head First Design Patterns also.
Start Attending Interviews.
Once we finished all reading and have confidence, now start applying jobs and start attend interviews. Most of the companies first do a telephonic screen before asking you to come for face to face interview. We have to make sure to talk with low pitch and reply as much as short answers, because the interviewer may judge you as aggressive if you speak in high pitch and as talker if you talk most of the time, because the body language totally missed here. One web site even recommended that consider telephonic interview as face to face, so wear formal dress with suit before attending telephonic interview, but I didn't buy-in that idea. Low pitch and short answer are most important. I found some difficulties, when some interviewer asked me to write a code over phone because I have to write code in paper and explain at same time in phone. But after one or two try I'm okay.
Face to face interviews
This is most important one and face to face decides whether you are going to get an offer or not. As a candidate, our main thing is capitalize the environment and not to get nervous or stress. Most of the interviewers assist you get settle down first by asking some easy questions and later on some complex things and coding exercise. Based on my experience, some interviewers get rough and tough on you, that could be to test your character or they don't know how to contact an interview. Any ways, face to face would be most important one and basic is not to get nervous and calmly you have to explain what ever you know, how you solved an issue, your project experience etc.
Brush up fundamentals
I have decided to spent at least 2-3 months to search a good job for me with my expectations. Before starting job search, we have to brush up all fundamentals, coding exercise and puzzles etc., even though you are a 10-15 years experienced professionals, most of the companies want to test your academic level knowledge, very fundamental computer language knowledge and then your project related questions. I found one good book, Programming Interviews Exposed, this is really good book and it covered all basic data structures, algorithms and commonly asked puzzles. One more book I bought to prepare job search is Puzzles for Programmers and Pros I wouldn't recommend this book, it is nice to have. Since I took Java 2 certification in 2003, those books helped me to brush up Java fundamentals. For design patterns I used Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (a.k.a) Gang of Four, I can say that almost every software professional must have read this book multiple times. I found some difficulties to understand some patterns so I read Head First Design Patterns also.
Start Attending Interviews.
Once we finished all reading and have confidence, now start applying jobs and start attend interviews. Most of the companies first do a telephonic screen before asking you to come for face to face interview. We have to make sure to talk with low pitch and reply as much as short answers, because the interviewer may judge you as aggressive if you speak in high pitch and as talker if you talk most of the time, because the body language totally missed here. One web site even recommended that consider telephonic interview as face to face, so wear formal dress with suit before attending telephonic interview, but I didn't buy-in that idea. Low pitch and short answer are most important. I found some difficulties, when some interviewer asked me to write a code over phone because I have to write code in paper and explain at same time in phone. But after one or two try I'm okay.
Face to face interviews
This is most important one and face to face decides whether you are going to get an offer or not. As a candidate, our main thing is capitalize the environment and not to get nervous or stress. Most of the interviewers assist you get settle down first by asking some easy questions and later on some complex things and coding exercise. Based on my experience, some interviewers get rough and tough on you, that could be to test your character or they don't know how to contact an interview. Any ways, face to face would be most important one and basic is not to get nervous and calmly you have to explain what ever you know, how you solved an issue, your project experience etc.
My Experience
I attended 5 or 6 telephonic interviews and 2 face to faces. I got an offer with my 2nd face to face last week. I just followed what ever I explained here, stay positive is the most important thing to find a job.
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