I spent two months searching full-time and finally signed my dream offer last week. This journey was both stressful and transformative, so I’m summarizing the key takeaways and experiences in the hope that anyone in a similar situation can find helpful insights.
Why I’m Sharing This
A few months ago, I was laid off from my senior engineer role at a mid-sized tech company in NYC—and I still had an H1B visa to worry about. Suddenly, I was scrambling to send out resumes and practice coding problems around the clock. In the end, I interviewed with over 15 companies, faced various interview formats, and gradually learned what works and what doesn’t. Now that I’ve secured an offer, I want to share what I’ve learned.
1. Finding the Right Opportunities
- Companies That Match Your Background
Because I had experience with distributed systems and big-data platforms, several organizations reached out directly. If your resume shows the right type of project, you can often fast-track to the system-design round. - General-Hiring Firms
These companies typically start with an algorithm screen and then do a team-fit interview. Even if your core skills aren’t a perfect match, strong algorithm performance can at least get you to the next stage—though lacking direct project experience may stop you at team fit. - Local, High-Growth Pre-IPO Startups
In NYC, startups like StubHub, Rippling, and ScaleAI are hiring aggressively, but for senior roles, they expect highly specialized experience. If you don’t check all the boxes, your resume often disappears into the black hole.
2. Knowledge Prep: Identifying My Gaps
- Distributed Systems & High Concurrency
Some companies (Databricks, Netflix, HRT, etc.) not only ask for architecture diagrams but dive into OS-level optimizations—lock mechanisms, memory allocation, I/O strategies. I used AI resources to quickly review these concepts and then practiced multiple mock interviews to apply them verbally, so I could explain them clearly under pressure. - Practical Coding (VO/Practical VO)
Some interviews present existing code and ask you to debug on the spot or write a simple API. It might look like everyday work, but under time constraints and with an interviewer watching, it’s easy to freeze. I cloned open-source projects with known bugs and timed myself “debugging while talking” so that when real interviewers asked, I wouldn’t stumble over unfamiliar APIs. - Algorithms & System Design
Of course, classic algorithm problems (e.g., rotating an array, binary tree traversals, LRU cache) must be second nature. For system design, I rehearsed drawing service breakdowns, database selections, caching layers, and fault-tolerance patterns until I could sketch them quickly and explain my reasoning without hesitation.
3. Behavioral Questions: Keep It Concise
For behavioral interviews, use a “challenge → action → outcome” structure. In one feedback session, an interviewer said, “Your project wasn’t complex enough.” In retrospect, I realized I’d spent too long on background details, and never clearly stated the real challenge or impact. Now, I stick to two sentences max for context, two sentences for my specific role and solution, and one sentence for quantifiable results. That way, interviewers immediately see the scope and significance without getting lost in unnecessary detail.
4. Interview Rhythm: Surviving High Pressure
Every morning, I’d wake up and immediately check email and calendar for new interview invites, coordinate with recruiters, and plan my study time. The most stressful hours were 8 AM–10 AM: revisiting yesterday’s mistakes, prepping today’s possible questions, and fitting in a quick coding session before the first screen.
What helped most was staying physically active. A daily 15-minute walk, camera in hand, gave me mental reset—sunlight, street scenes, and fresh air helped break the cycle of anxious overthinking. By the time I sat for my next Zoom interview, I treated my racing heart as excitement rather than panic. That mental shift kept me focused once the camera turned on.
5. Mindset Adjustment: Turning Loss into Opportunity
- Deeper Technical Foundation
Interviewing around forced me to drill distributed-system design dozens of times. I went from “I’ve read about CAP theorem” to “I can diagram Raft consensus confidently” and even explain why Paxos ensures safety under a majority. - Reevaluating My Career
Losing a job reminded me that no company—even a big name—is bulletproof. The real security lies in continuous learning and practice. Now, if layoffs happen again, I know I’m prepared. - Connecting with Diverse Professionals
In this process, I met recruiters who ghosted me the moment they learned I’d been laid off, and interviewers who offered constructive feedback or shared their own stories. Some were condescending, others were openly helpful—often fellow engineers of Chinese descent who encouraged me to persevere. Each interaction, positive or negative, taught me a bit more about how to communicate effectively and keep moving forward.
Final Thoughts
The job search process is a journey of deep self-reflection—stretching your technical skills, sharpening your interview strategy, and strengthening your resilience. If you keep reviewing your weak points, practicing under pressure, and adjusting your mindset, you’ll eventually land on your feet. Good luck to everyone still in the thick of it.
Feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss more.