Is quitting job right now a bad idea?
I'm working as a software engineer consultant (Deloitte Delivery Center) looking to transition to a product company. I feel like I am not growing as a software engineer and mostly deal with grunt-work just so that I am billable to the client. I am not challenged from a technical perspective, but only challenged in dealing with consultancy management BS where I am expected to work 10 hour days + weekends on top of dealing with crazy deadlines. I would like to find a place where, if I am going to be putting in insane hours, I would be at least solving technically challenging problems to grow my career. My question is: does it make sense to quit my job and go 100% all in to prepare for SWE interviews? Or should I do try and do it on the side after work? I feel like being mentally sharp to prepare could be difficult after such stressful days. I would be interested in hearing people's experiences from either end of the spectrum of my current situation. Thanks in advance. YOE: 3 TC: $110k #softwareengineer #consulting #swe #interview
I don't have an answer for you - just commenting that with COVID in the mix, hiring for entry-level and mid-level engineers is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than pre-COVID. It is also really hard to study when you've got a full-time job that sucks the life out of you. I was able to snag an engineering offer at a tech company recently, but I've been prepping on and off for about a year AND I got lucky. If you were to quit, you have to be prepared to not get anything (or something worse than what you have) for 6 months, hell even a year plus.
Normally I would say yes because I’ve always had better luck snagging a job when I quit and was able to focus all my energy on the job hunt... but with COVID it’s now a toss up. My advice is see if you can get a referral somewhere else first to increase your chances of landing an interview.
How long have you tried to search for a new job while working?
I’ve been trying for a couple months, but haven’t been able to give it my all for reasons stated above. I’ve gotten interviews at great companies but fail because I haven’t been able to properly prepare. Or maybe I’m just weak and need to power through it.
It’s hard if you are not motivated. For me I want a better role but impossible to motivate myself when I don’t really want anything,, 😒 in a funk.
Last quarter of the year, COVID-19, shortage of entry level jobs with lots of competition from recently laid off folks. In short, wait until January to quit, unless you have an offer and a start date.
Don’t do it. A job in hand is worth 10 future offers. Keep the job and interview for next one.
I'm in the same dilemma. Want to leave desperately but can't focus on interview prep while still on the job. As an experiment I updated my LinkedIn to say I'm looking, and received 25+ recruiter emails in three days, from companies of varying desirability. So at least it's not entirely bleak, and I'm not even in the Bay area (I specifically stated in my LinkedIn profile that I am not interested in Bay area offers). But maybe they can afford to be more picky and will try to low ball in this job market.
Yes! The employers definitely have the upper hand right now
Do it on the side
In the same boat in consulting hang it there ride it out
Yes. Don't do it.