It’s been a little while since I last posted. My last update was in late July, and now it's almost September.
I had intended to keep up with weekly dev logs for Itty Bitty Bites, my first mobile app. But life had other plans. And I want to talk about that honestly — not just the code I’ve written, but the stuff that happens around it, and how that shapes what I build (and when).
🎯 The Opportunity That Knocked, Then Closed
A few weeks ago, I got invited to a coding assessment for a new grad software developer role. It was a well-known company, and I was excited. The OA included four 1-hour technical assessments, plus required surveys. It was intense, especially as someone with limited daily time. I’m balancing parenthood, household responsibilities, and solo app development.
I studied whenever I could. I did LeetCode. I carved out time between toddler naps and late evenings. I passed all four coding rounds.
And then came the rejection.
No interview, no next steps. Just a “we’re moving in a different direction” email.
📉 That Familiar Low
I wish I could say it didn’t affect me. But it did — not just emotionally, but logistically.
Rejections like that don’t just sting. They disrupt.
As a recent CS grad (2025), I’ve already spent over 16 months in the industry across two strong internships (Samsung R&D, Article). During school, I was receiving interview invites from places like Rivian, Boeing, Samsung, and RBC, and I had fewer skills than I have now.
But somehow, now that I’ve grown, shipped more code, and taught myself full-stack and mobile dev, the market is quieter. Or harsher. Or both.
The rejection itself wasn’t new, but the disconnect between where I am now as a developer and the response I’m getting from the job market was hard to process.
🧭 Why I’m Refocusing on My App (For Now)
After the rejection, I took a step back to reset.
I realized how much switching gears — from indie app development to job applications and coding tests — was draining my momentum. Every time I paused work on Itty Bitty Bites to prepare for an opportunity, I’d come back days or weeks later feeling behind and disconnected from my own project.
And when the end result was just another auto-reply, it didn’t feel worth the cost.
So I’ve shifted my energy, at least for now, to focus fully on finishing my MVP.
Itty Bitty Bites is a mobile baby food recipe generator app built with React Native, Expo, TypeScript, and Supabase. It’s a solo build. I'm doing the UI, the backend, the prompt engineering, the state management, and the data shaping. All while learning how to ship a mobile app properly, step by step.
It’s not just a learning project anymore. It’s my real project. It’s something I want to release, polish, grow, and eventually earn from.
💡 This Doesn’t Mean I’ve Given Up
I want to be clear. I still want to work with a great team someday.
I still believe in the value of mentorship, collaboration, and working on larger-scale systems.
But I’m learning that self-sufficiency is also a career path, and that creating something end-to-end isn’t a fallback. It’s a skill. One that teaches you how to manage product scope, own your technical decisions, and stay accountable.
🧠 Things I’m Learning (Beyond the Tech)
- Indie dev is not a step down. It’s a step sideways with autonomy.
- Shipping something start to finish builds confidence like nothing else.
- The job market is not always merit-based, especially for new grads right now.
- It’s okay to protect your creative momentum, even while staying open to opportunities.
🧺 So What’s Next?
I’m finishing up the MVP flow for Itty Bitty Bites.
Once that’s done, I’ll focus on App Store prep, QA testing, and writing launch copy.
And yes, I’ll probably still apply to jobs, but more selectively. Not at the cost of burning out or losing progress on what I’m building.
If you’re also trying to navigate job hunting while building your own thing, or you’re a new grad feeling discouraged, I see you.
Thanks for reading, and if you’re building something too, I’d love to hear about it. 🧡
Top comments (6)
I think I just happened to slip in at the right moment, back when the air felt different. More than ten years ago, graduating meant people weren’t just hiring — they were actively competing to hire me. That’s how I landed this job in the first place: some recruiter reached out, I figured I could waste a few minutes to see what they wanted, and… well, here we are. 😬
But now? The climate is brutal. I hate that you’re stuck in the middle of it, carrying the weight of that kind of search on top of everything else. I really do hope something gives soon. 🫶
In the meantime, though — you absolutely deserve space to breathe. Let your project exist because you enjoy it, because you can. You’re picking up real skills along the way whether it feels like it or not. And maybe later, when the timing feels right, you’ll toss it into the open-source world and suddenly there’s a whole new layer to explore in this endless puzzle we call software. 🙂
And if not? That’s perfectly fine too. Keep at it. Shifting your focus doesn’t mean you’re closing doors. It just means you’re not camped out at some metaphorical bus stop, waiting endlessly for the “perfect” ride. You’re keeping your eyes on the road, watching the doors swing open, ready to move when it makes sense.
And when they do? Don’t just step through — kick that thing wide open. 🔥😁
Wow, thank you for this. Seriously.
It means a lot coming from someone who’s seen both sides of the industry — and as a parent who knows the daily rollercoaster of life. You're right, it really does feel like the air has changed, and some days it’s hard not to internalize the silence.
But your words are a great reminder that building something for yourself, out of joy or curiosity, is progress. I’m trying to hold on to that more consciously now and creating something I genuinely enjoy working on — and something I wish I’d had in those early days of parenting.
Thanks again for the encouragement. It genuinely helps. And when the doors do open? I’ll make sure to kick them. 😉
I made an account just to say I couldn't agree more.
I too am a recent graduate, just having finished up my BSCS in April of 2025, and I thoroughly underestimated the harshness of this job climate. I've applied to jobs way above and below my experience, made projects and websites, and it feels like nothing I've ever done is working. Nonetheless, despite the struggles I really agree with your insight and wish you the best of luck in your indie endeavors!
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, that really means a lot!
And congratulations on finishing your degree this year! I hear you 100%, this market has been way more brutal than expected, and it’s easy to feel like you’re doing everything right but still getting nowhere (cue Stop and Stare by One Republic 🥲)
I just have to keep reminding myself that the effort we all are putting in will compound somehow, even if it's not in the form of a job offer right now.
I wish you the very best too, and if you ever want to share your project or connect, feel free to reach out. We’ve got to stick together through this storm.
Building end-to-end isn't settling, it's skill-building. The right opportunities will recognize that experience when it matters.
Keep building.
Thanks Osman!
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