Landing Your First Tech Job: The Struggle Is Real

The Application Abyss

You’ve polished your resume. You’ve applied to hundreds, maybe even thousands of jobs. And what do you get in return? Silence. Absolute radio silence. It’s like sending your resume into the void, hoping some hiring manager on the other side of the galaxy actually sees it.

Every day, you refresh your email, clinging to hope, only to find yet another “We regret to inform you…” or worse, nothing at all. Meanwhile, job descriptions are demanding 3 to 5 years of experience for an entry-level role. Sir, I just graduated. My only experience is surviving this job hunt.

If this is where you’re at, let me tell you, it’s normal. Every developer goes through this phase of rejection, self-doubt, and questioning every life decision that led them here. But here’s the truth: you will land a job. And probably when you least expect it.

And then, after what feels like an eternity, it finally happens. You get an interview. The relief lasts about five seconds before full-blown panic sets in. Because now you have to actually talk to someone.

The Interview Meltdown (And Why It Doesn’t Matter)

Let’s talk about interviews. Because you will bomb some of them.

Maybe it’s a behavioral interview where they ask,

"Tell me about a time you faced a challenge at work."

And you freeze, because technically, your biggest work challenge so far was figuring out how to sound professional in your cover letter.

Or maybe it’s the dreaded technical interview. You’ve prepped. You’ve studied. But the moment they ask you to center a div, your brain decides to shut down.

The good news? They won’t remember. Seriously. Hiring managers interview so many people, they’re not lying awake at night thinking about the moment you blanked. Unlike you, who will replay it in your head at 3 AM for the next six months.

The key is to keep going. Bomb an interview? Move on. Didn’t hear back? Apply again. You’re going to get rejected a lot, but it only takes one yes to change everything.

The Moment It Finally Happens

The funniest part of the job hunt? The moment you stop stressing, start applying just for the sake of it, and barely prepare because you’ve already accepted defeat. That’s when you get the job.

You’ll walk into an interview, totally relaxed because you’re convinced nothing will come of it, and suddenly it clicks. The interviewer actually laughs at your jokes or at least politely chuckles. You’re not sweating through your shirt for once. You leave the call thinking, That felt… too easy?

And then, boom job offer.

You’ll stare at the email, re-reading it five times to make sure it’s not a mistake. Maybe HR did mean to send this to someone else. But no, it’s real. You did it. You survived.

Final Thoughts: Keep Going, Even When It Feels Impossible

If you’re in the trenches of the job search right now, hear me out. Do not quit. The right opportunity will come, even if it takes longer than you’d like. Every developer has gone through this struggle. You are not alone.

In the meantime:

• Keep applying. Even when it feels pointless.

• Keep learning. Not because companies expect it, but because it keeps you sharp.

• Keep networking. A lot of jobs come from connections, not applications.

• Keep laughing at the absurdity of it all. Because sometimes, you just have to.

The grind is brutal, but the moment you land that job, it is so worth it. Soon enough, you’ll be on the other side, looking back and realizing every rejection, every ghosted application, every awkward interview was just part of the process.

Hang in there. Your “Yes” is coming.

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