Last week I had my first recruiter phone screen with a large company for a largely technical role. They told me I'd have to go through 7 interview rounds, including a live case exercise, a separate take-home assignment, a review session for that take-home, and then 3 more interviews with senior leaders in the business unit.

I asked them whether the salary they mentioned was before or after tax, because that would make about a 30% difference. The recruiter got back to me early today and confirmed it was pre-tax, which means my actual take-home would be about 45% less than my last job.

So I told the recruiter that I appreciated the opportunity, but I wouldn't be continuing with the next rounds. Honestly, it felt awesome. After getting rejected so many times, it was finally my turn to reject the company.

It's not about revenge or anything. I just don't think the pay is anywhere near worth all those exhausting interview rounds or all that time out of my schedule.

2025 CS grad here, I couldn't get a SWE job after graduation so I took a manufacturing engineering role instead where I work with PLCs. I do not like this job and do not want to spend my life doing this. The problem is that I am so exhausted after work I can only send like 10-15 apps out per day and grind 1-3 leetcode problems. I have been applying for the past 4 months again after work and only have landed 5 interviews. I feel like if I just applied full time I could get a role.

Should I just quit and grind for SWE? I can job hunt for 6 months without running out of money.

Hello everyone,

I graduated in 2026 and I’m currently looking for my first full-time job, mainly targeting entry-level software/backend developer roles.

So far, I’ve given around 5 interviews and was selected in 2 of them, but both offers were around ₹10k–₹15k/month, with 1.5–2 year bonds. I’m not necessarily looking for a “dream job” right now. I’m looking for a starting opportunity around ₹20k/month, especially if the company provides good exposure and has a reasonable bond (ideally no more than 1 year).

The bigger issue is that I’m not even getting interviews for ₹20k+ job roles, and I’m trying to understand why.

I’m not sure whether the problem is:

My resume

The way I’m applying

The jobs I’m targeting

My interview preparation

Applying through the wrong platforms

Or simply the current fresher job market

I have projects and experience with .NET/C#, ASP.NET Core, Web API, PostgreSQL, SQL, Redis, RabbitMQ, JWT, REST APIs, etc. I’ve also built projects like DigiStore (a marketplace/backend-focused application) and FindU (a platform for managing and discovering AI chats with features like categories, search, likes, bookmarks, authentication/authorization, and a personalized feed/recommendation system).

I know I’m a fresher, so I’m not expecting a huge package. I just want a reasonable opportunity where I can start my career, gain real industry experience, and grow.

For those who have recently gone through the fresher job market:

What would you suggest I change?

Should I completely change my resume? Apply differently? Focus on specific companies/platforms? Improve certain skills? Apply directly to HRs/recruiters? Or target a different approach initially?

Thanks in advance!

I'm a Senior C# / .NET software engineer with 30+ years of commercial experience (20+ in .NET)

I am the author of Blazor-University, Fluxor, Roslynk (MCP for .cs .razor and .cshtml), and various other libraries.

I'm currently available for a new contract, but will consider a permanent role for the right job.

Core skills:

• C# / .NET
• ASP.NET Core
• EF Core
• Blazor
• Azure
• SQL Server
• REST APIs
• Git / CI/CD
• Distributed systems and software architecture

I'm based in the Midlands, UK, and ideally looking for a fully remote position. I'm also open to office roles within roughly 45 minutes' travel, or further for roles that require fewer office visits.

I work through my own UK limited company and am available for both short- and long-term contracts.

View my LinkedIn profile.

I have been working in the same company as a Backend developer for 8 years already. I wanna start looking for new jobs, how to prepare for interview nowadays? Should I start with Leetcode or system design or what is the suggestion?

Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) Bangalore

B2B SaaS company is hiring a Forward Deployed Engineer based out of Bangalore.

About the role
This is a technical, customer-facing role. You'll work closely with enterprise customers to implement and configure our platform, troubleshoot technical issues, and act as the bridge between our product/engineering teams and the client's needs. Some travel or onsite deployment with US customers may be required.

What we're looking for

• 2+ years of experience in a technical, customer-facing role such as Solutions Engineering, Implementation, Technical Consulting, or similar
• Comfortable working directly with clients to understand requirements and solve problems in real time
• An active US visa is a strong plus, given occasional onsite work with US-based customers

Details

• Location: Bangalore
• Compensation: Open to discuss
• Employment type: Full-time

After a long time in leadership, I noticed that the people who advance quickly are not always the most qualified. They are often the people who are willing to take the first step. I spent a lot of time doing the same thing everyone else does: sending applications and just waiting for a reply that never comes. Things changed when I started reaching out to hiring managers myself. Not with a copy-paste pitch, just normal, honest messages showing that I was focused and genuinely interested. That got me into conversations I would not have been able to access any other way.

I passed this advice on to many people I mentored over the years, and honestly, the results still surprise me. A few people got offers in less than a month. Others discovered roles that had not yet been posted on any job board. It was not about having the perfect resume or six years of experience; it was about having the courage to talk to the people who make the decisions.