I quit my swe job to start a startup, regretting it now | Hacker News Reader

I quit my swe job to start a startup, regretting it now

15 points_ildb3 comments

If you're an SWE thinking about quitting your job to build your startup, do not do it in this economy. I used to read posts like this and scoff at them, especially since I had already founded and sold a semi-successful startup. VCs are super selective towards anything non AI at the moment which results in very lowball offers, b2b isn't viable as it used to be because businesses don't have that kind of money anymore, many of which are even laying off their employees.

Anyways, I am back in the job market (due to some issues at home which have increased my financial needs). So if any of you are hiring. that'd be great

Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhruv-atreja/

I had a sweet job at a NY based unicorn and I was among the highest paid junior sde's in my country. I have also founded and sold a venture in the past, did well at competitive programming and have also been selected for entrepreneur first's grad cohort. i have also been to the finals of prestigious international competitions. I quit my job thinking worst case scenario, I would just freelance till something works out, but alas, that market is flooded with laid-off swe's which are driving the prices to the bottom.

Tech stack: React, Typescript, Node.js, Next.js, Javascript

I would prefer to work with a startup but open to other options as well

This may come as little to no consolation, however I'm in a very similar boat. Left employment over a year ago, and while I don't regret that per-say it definitely wasn't the time for me to try my hand at a startup.

I put feelers out for a CEO/sales type founder leading up to this but came up empty handed. Decided to take the plunge anyway and work on finding funding and partner opportunities along the way. Built out an MVP over the past year, tried shopping around for opportunity, and came up empty.

A lot of this is due to me, having recognized early on but now having fully accepted, not being that CEO/Sales type and having limited success trying to force myself into that role. We would 100% need such a person, with connections, on board to raise and handle business development to move forward. Particularly in this climate.

Now to stop the savings burn, and for family reasons, I'm entering the job market again. And it's ROUGH. Two years ago and for the decade before I would have recruiters reaching out constantly. Two years ago I had easy job opportunities through my network. Now, it's been hard to get on the phone with even 4-5 interested parties in 2-3 weeks of actively seeking. And two of those are through HN who wants to be hired, and 2 are through recruiters I've previously worked with. The interview processes are SLOW right now too; companies dragging their heals and indulging in the glut of options.

I'm happy for those reporting the market is fine for them. But for myself with 14 YOE, "name brand" previous employers, successful startup exit experience, and a somewhat significant body of work on GitHub it's very cold out there ATM. Same story for many I know, even on the hiring side; a friend trying to get more head count for over a year now in a good sized, growing, and successful startup.

Businesses have plenty of money, they aren't laying off to save money. The wave of layoffs happened mainly to satisfy investors, and in reaction to higher interest rates. The fact no one wants to say: many companies overhired (and overpaid) marginally skilled people when money was cheap (low interest rates) and they wanted to show constant growth to Wall Street. Then conditions changed and now those companies need to show profits.

Freelancing and consulting are better than ever for experienced freelancers with a track record and professional contacts. The companies that laid people off still need to get things done, and I'm seeing more companies looking for freelancers than two years ago. But they want people with business domain experience who can add value from day one, not people racing to the bottom on Upwork. Piecework through online "freelancing" marketplaces is the shallow end of the freelancing pool, and you're right that newly unemployed programmers are trying to freelance and pushing prices down. Competition is always most fierce at the low end.

React, Typescript, Node.js, Next.js, Javascript describe a very narrow range of skills, and very common resume checkboxes among the mass of recently laid-off programmers. You might want to focus on more fundamental and long-term skills like relational databases and SQL, system administration, security, and learning some more programming languages. Cultivate business domain expertise.

Consider focusing your presentation more on business value and less on a "tech stack." No employer needs 1,000 lines of Javascript this month. All employers need people with business domain knowledge who can solve problems and add value. React and Node are tools, not business value.

The best way to find a job is through real contacts -- friends, former colleagues, classmates. A LinkedIn network doesn't count -- everyone has that and everyone understands LinkedIn connections and GitHub stars mean very little. Expand out of the narrow world of startups, which struggle to get funding right now, and look at companies that make money where you can get business experience, expand your skills, and work with people who will count as real professional contacts.

I'm not sure what the take away is supposed to be. You are a hotshot young genius with a track record, yet couldn't secure half a billion in VC funding - therefore us simpletons are all screwed? Get over yourself.

Sorry to hear you failed. I hope the lesson you communicate to others isn't that they shouldn't take risks. I'm just a dumb-dumb without any of the accolades and awards you have, however.

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