The Job Search Struggle - Again
These past months, I’ve been actively searching for job opportunities, and it’s been quite challenging. The embedded systems market presents a peculiar situation: there are limited positions in big organizations, and while I don’t have enough expertise for senior roles, I’m apparently overqualified for junior positions.
With startups and smaller companies, there’s a different problem. When I mention where I worked previously and my last salary, they often don’t call me back to continue the process. It’s like being caught in the middle—too experienced for some, not experienced enough for others.
Almost There, But Not Quite
At my last job at Dextra Technologies (a Deloitte business), I was close to being promoted to senior engineer. Unfortunately, the “hunger games” started about four to six months before I could reach that milestone—you know how it goes with layoffs in tech.
This reminds me of my last unemployment period during the pandemic. Back then, I had the same issue: not enough experience for big companies, yet somehow too much for smaller ones. At least I’m improving the situation this time around.
Back to the Basics
I’m studying again—going back to the fundamental topics that I remember companies asking about in interviews. My plan is to keep learning while also exploring opportunities in adjacent fields until the right embedded position comes along.
I have a little hope that the email I received yesterday from Aptiv will end up with me “selling my knowledge to the evil” (as we developers like to joke about big corporations). We’ll see how that goes.
A Silver Lining
This process has given me an idea: I’m planning to translate my list of interview questions for embedded developers and finally answer some of them myself. I’m thinking of doing it in both English and Spanish—it could be helpful for others going through similar interviews.
If someone is reading this post, thanks for stopping by. It means a lot to know there are people following this journey.
See you around!