Career advice, why can't I get a job?
Ahmed Nefzaoui
Apr 16
Hello everyone, I'm looking for answers and advice. First let me lay it all out. I'm 24 years old Front-End web developer. I started out as a Mozilla volunteer in 2012 and that's where I learned the solid parts of Front-End development, with Firefox OS! See I have been doing freelance contracts to do WordPress themes, etc.. but I owe what I learned to that web-based Operating system which I still love. I was mainly working on RTL UIs, there wasn't many people knowing how to do it technically or conceptually. So I was the right fit. I speak the RTL language, I'm passionate about it, and I know the complex parts of CSS and JS that solves those issues.
That expertise landed me my first international job in 2015 with a startup in France! I hanged there for about 6 months but eventually the startup shut down since it's main revenue was based on contracts for carrier companies wanting to launch Firefox OS, and the OS project got cancelled.
I think I got enough attention back then to land me a short term job at Mozilla with the DevRel team, however it was short (2 months) to write articles about RTL.
Fast-forward a few months and I was the technical evangelist, and community manager for a new JavaScript based IoT OS for a former Mozilla CTO startup. Ive been brought to dive deep down with their community in technical subjects around IoT, NodeJS, OpenCV, etc.
8 months later, the company decided to go "closed-source", there was no more need for a community so I was laid off.
Everything I did was remote, well yes I had to travel a lot. But I was working from home.
I took few freelance projects after that. But for the love of God I can't find a job since end of 2016. And the situation is getting worse as recruiters are seeing a gap that's getting larger and I know it's scaring them off.
Back when I had a job I had multiples chances to move out and live in places like Paris, Germany, London, Canada and even the states! I think I was too arrogant and thought opportunities come in an infinite number and took down all the offers.
Now regret is eating me alive, on some days I feel like I'm gonna jump out of my skin over my situation. And the worst part, I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong that makes recruiters not reply back with even a no. And in some times, I get an interview, they like me, I get a test, I pass it. But then they apologize that despite my skills they had to choose somebody else.
You'd tell me to not give up, but after trying literally everything, exploring every method. Signing up for every recruiting website. All the tips and advises about the cover letter, the resume, etc.. I don't know what else to do.
I'm at my wits end and I have no idea what to do, I am dead broke, sold my car saving up for a plan to move out to Canada which also requires more experience than I got. Can't get an internship because apparently I've been out of college too long. I understand my work experience years are limited but it is truly getting discouraging. No one will hire me and I have no idea why. They tell me I'm a great interviewee, but I still can't get a job. Thoughts?
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Agh that is tough.
It seems like your primary means of dealing with this is going through recruiters. Have you tried attending meetups and other networking events directly with software folks? We tend to have an idea of what our companies and adjacent companies need and connections go a long way.
Of course, a web presence will help as well. If you want to write about your areas of expertise on dev.to you're welcome to politely mention that you are currently looking for work and how to contact you.
I promise that once you get over this hurdle it will get better.
My humble 2 cents would be: let go of the past. Firefox OS is dead and buried and focusing on that past won't help you. Start from scratch somewhere else: find what interests you and learn that. Build things, not necessarily huge, but build little things to show that you keep exercising your skills and you are keeping up-to-date with the new things.
I know that it sucks throwing away those experiences, but unless you can convincingly show why they are relevant, you should ditch them. Show that you knowledge is current and relevant, that you are moving forward on par with the industry and that you are keeping busy although you are not currently working.
I wish you the best of luck!