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My search for a software development job in 2025
(sopuli.xyz)
Context: Searching for a new senior level software development job over a 9 week period in summer 2025.
- Focused mostly on data engineering and backend roles that are in-person or hybrid in the SF Bay Area.
- Leads from recruiters on LinkedIn were much more likely to lead to interviews+offers.
- The winning offer came through my personal network.
- I mostly used Hiring.cafe for prospecting. They're a scraper with an interface I didn't hate.
It seems like personal networks are still, by far, the most likely way to get a job. Having an internal reference helps you bypass so many filters.
It makes sense for employers, too, because a confirmed human that really wants the job is already better than the majority of the crap they have to sift through.