I graduated in June 2009 from a UC just after the crash. It took me until September 2010 to find a job in the field I wanted and get my career going. I got super lucky and found that job off a Craigslist ad. Just remember the system isn't set up to support you, so you are going to have to be proactive, creative, try and network and be uncomfortable asking for what you want until you get it. These are core life skills. Grit 'n' Grind.

Yeah I'm sorry for your troubles. I have 8 or so years in the industry and some decent names on my resume, and nothing is really sticking for me either. It was bad in 2023, horrible in 2024, and maybe outright catastropic in 2025. You may indeed be way way smarter than I am, but if are this stiff with their senior market, the entry level market must be absolutely dead.

I wish I had better advice. I really only have some decent part time work from a blind linkedIn message. Luck really is opportunity + preparation. And these days, you REALLY gotta get lucky. Keep every channel up to advertise yourself, talk around to everyone in your community, and keep bolstering your portfolio. Grab any sort of job possible if you don't decide to move back. If you're willing t relocae for any role, all the better. Just be keenly aware of CoL, because it may slip under your fingers in these times.

I was sent out to an okay enough market that was still looking for people. You were sent out into a wasteland. Just remember that absolutely none of this was your fault. But unfortunately your goal right now is to survive and ride the storm out.

Best of luck.

Just keep applying and don’t think too much of it. Once you have 4-5 years of experience, you will be telling recruiters to back off and not spam your LinkedIn. Yet as a new grad the tables are reversed (for now at least).

Also since you’re still in school, I recommend pivoting to AI. AI still has a very hot job market, even if rest of software development doesn’t. In fact I’d say, AI is an employees market right now.

I was in a similar or worse state in 2017. I was on my OPT (International student). I was hugely successful in my job, then my company was taken private and I was laid off. Without job for a year and no visa either. Mounting debt too. Took a low level job that promised my h1b and slowly worked my was up through multiple legal (visa) issues, layoffs, abusive environments, and financial ruin. Now a senior director at a mid level company and going steady. Took me 6 years. Sometimes all you can do is just hold on to any strand of hay that you can get to stay afloat to survive, then you can crawl, sprint and thrive. At this time you only need one -'Yes'. It could be your next attempt or your 100th. Just keep going and you will be alright. I know it. What you feel is normal, I used to feel like that. Sometimes I wake up in the feeling that way, even if there are no threats. It happens.But you will be alright - just keep trying, and keep moving

I'm a MIT alumna who graduated in 2014 (Course 15) and now am a software engineer.

I suggest reverse-recruiting into a small startup - or if you're the entrepreneur-type, even starting your own.

Entry-level roles are often hard to come by, regardless of where you graduate from. If they see that you're willing to put in the work, smaller shops are sometimes willing to take a chance on you, when no one else will.

I entered the workforce in 08/09. At that time things seemed really dire. It felt to me like the whole house of cards was coming down, and I told myself that I would take any job that I could get.

I ultimately landed a job with an odd startup, eccentric founders, working out of an attic. In hindsight I couldn't have asked for a better start to my career. But, my expectations were rock bottom at the time.

Anyway, keep your mind open to all possibilities. You never know where an unlikely choice may take you. And, good luck!

Partner with the others and build a product / company...

A startup of your own still looks fine on your resume.

To me, it sounds like you need professional experience on your resume so that should be your goal. However, professional experience != a full time software engineer role. Can you find something really small that pays from a freelance site? Maybe it's just a python script that takes 4 hours and pays $10 - but with that you are a professional software engineer. Do you anyone who owns a website for a business? Ask them if you can do some really basic work for $1 - because if you do that, you're a professional software engineer.

Once you have some professional experience on your resume, it should get a little easier - it's still going to take some time and grit, but it should work out.

Yeah, the world is a illusion, it tells you "study here or there and you'll have an amazing job and will win a lot of money!" but a lot of times, that never happen. You ended up felting like "was all for nothing?". I see my dad now working with his 60+ years old and I can't say to him "You can rest now, I'll pay your bills", at least was something that I was dreaming for a long time and now I know that will never be possible. I can't give you advice since you and I are on the same boat (I'm not an MIT senior but you get it, right?) but try not to lose hope and don't be harsh with yourself

> What helped you push through when it felt like the system failed you?

The feeling of inadequacy is an absolute self-esteem wrecker such that it distracts you from reality. You and your friends got into MIT, that's a big accomplishment. You're like a Tony Stark or whatever. Be proud of that attribute.

But I'll give you some reality: accept that you probably won't find a job in your field any time soon. It may take years. Once you accept that you don't have the cards, your mind starts thinking up more possibilities.

There is no shame in serving happy meals for awhile, but start aiming for a trade, perhaps some city/state work.