2 Years of Experience – Fullstack Developer (rewrote with my question AI)
I worked at a Fortune 500 company for two years but left during COVID, about four years ago. Since then, I haven’t worked professionally but left on good terms and remain confident in my ability to perform the role. However, I feel self-conscious about proving myself again. With no recent experience and few recruiters reaching out, it feels daunting. Is the job market really that challenging, or am I overthinking it?
I recognize the employment gap may raise questions, but I’m eager to return to the workforce. Here’s what I’ve noticed and my plan moving forward:
Observations:
- AI tooling is everywhere – staying competitive means adapting quickly.
- High competition – some suggest showcasing a working SaaS project with active users to stand out.
- LeetCode (LC) is still essential – problem-solving skills remain a benchmark.
- Personal branding matters – LinkedIn articles, posts, and thoughtful engagement can open doors.
My Plan:
- 90 minutes/day: Applying to jobs.
- 40 minutes/day: Personal branding and marketing via LinkedIn.
- 120 minutes/day: Practicing LeetCode problems.
- 240 minutes/day: Contributing to open-source, building projects, and experimenting with AI.
Questions:
- Would targeting smaller companies where software isn’t the core product help me rebuild my experience?
- what should I focus on tech wise(next.js, devops) – Whats funny is I got asked non of this stuff – Just DS/Algo and system design for previous job. should these be lower priority.
- Have I become less hireable than a new graduate?
Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!
submitted by /u/myztajay123
[link] [comments]
r/cscareerquestions 2 Years of Experience – Fullstack Developer (rewrote with my question AI) I worked at a Fortune 500 company for two years but left during COVID, about four years ago. Since then, I haven’t worked professionally but left on good terms and remain confident in my ability to perform the role. However, I feel self-conscious about proving myself again. With no recent experience and few recruiters reaching out, it feels daunting. Is the job market really that challenging, or am I overthinking it? I recognize the employment gap may raise questions, but I’m eager to return to the workforce. Here’s what I’ve noticed and my plan moving forward: Observations: AI tooling is everywhere – staying competitive means adapting quickly. High competition – some suggest showcasing a working SaaS project with active users to stand out. LeetCode (LC) is still essential – problem-solving skills remain a benchmark. Personal branding matters – LinkedIn articles, posts, and thoughtful engagement can open doors. My Plan: 90 minutes/day: Applying to jobs. 40 minutes/day: Personal branding and marketing via LinkedIn. 120 minutes/day: Practicing LeetCode problems. 240 minutes/day: Contributing to open-source, building projects, and experimenting with AI. Questions: Would targeting smaller companies where software isn’t the core product help me rebuild my experience? what should I focus on tech wise(next.js, devops) – Whats funny is I got asked non of this stuff – Just DS/Algo and system design for previous job. should these be lower priority. Have I become less hireable than a new graduate? Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated! submitted by /u/myztajay123 [link] [comments]
2 Years of Experience – Fullstack Developer (rewrote with my question AI)
I worked at a Fortune 500 company for two years but left during COVID, about four years ago. Since then, I haven’t worked professionally but left on good terms and remain confident in my ability to perform the role. However, I feel self-conscious about proving myself again. With no recent experience and few recruiters reaching out, it feels daunting. Is the job market really that challenging, or am I overthinking it?
I recognize the employment gap may raise questions, but I’m eager to return to the workforce. Here’s what I’ve noticed and my plan moving forward:
Observations:
- AI tooling is everywhere – staying competitive means adapting quickly.
- High competition – some suggest showcasing a working SaaS project with active users to stand out.
- LeetCode (LC) is still essential – problem-solving skills remain a benchmark.
- Personal branding matters – LinkedIn articles, posts, and thoughtful engagement can open doors.
My Plan:
- 90 minutes/day: Applying to jobs.
- 40 minutes/day: Personal branding and marketing via LinkedIn.
- 120 minutes/day: Practicing LeetCode problems.
- 240 minutes/day: Contributing to open-source, building projects, and experimenting with AI.
Questions:
- Would targeting smaller companies where software isn’t the core product help me rebuild my experience?
- what should I focus on tech wise(next.js, devops) – Whats funny is I got asked non of this stuff – Just DS/Algo and system design for previous job. should these be lower priority.
- Have I become less hireable than a new graduate?
Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!
submitted by /u/myztajay123
[link] [comments]