Ask HN: What does one need to do to get a software job out of University
Job search doctors will tell you that hiring is an elimination process;  if you are getting interviews then your resume is &quot;good enough&quot; and it isn&#x27;t the problem,  it is your ability to pass the interview.<p>Most people make mistakes in the interviewing process that cause them to interview below their level.  Don&#x27;t be that guy.<p>One class of mistakes is actions that offend some people:  the range of these are large and if you want the job you won&#x27;t be leaving posts on social media complaining that other people are too sensitive.  For instance I interviewed for a job at a company that was making small satellites in Southern NH and got turned down because I touched the knob of an oscilloscope without permission and the guy who ran that particular lab thought that meant I couldn&#x27;t be trusted and I was passed over,  even though everybody else thought I was great.<p>When you become aware of this you can certainly stress it because any person you see could blackball you but you have to eliminate any sign of negativity,  hostility,  etc.  If you radiate &quot;I&#x27;ve been hurt&quot; it is all over.<p>One way or another you have to face it and you will.<p>You can certainly try a temp agency like Kelly if the wolf is at your door,  but you can get paid better anyplace else.<p>Don&#x27;t think about remote if you don&#x27;t have experience.  If you want to move somewhere I say anywhere but the bay area.  New York City is great in 2018,  but there are tech scenes in cities like Boulder, CO;  Henderson, NV;  Boston , MA as well as general areas such as Southern California,  New Jersey,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Salt Lake City,  and Research Triangle Park.<p>If you can get a security clearance (clean rap sheet) you will find work that is often interesting and innovative for defense contractors who are geographically distributed and might even move you around from one site to another in the flyover states.<p>I&#x27;d suggest figuring out a way to live light and move to a low-cost tech hub and get into that scene and be ready to move again in 6 mo to 1 yr.<p>I like the SkillIQ tests at Pluralsite for a quick assessment of &quot;how well you know a technology&quot;.  I have taken many of them and they reflect my own assessment of things I am good at and not good at.