Get a McDonald’s job. Why would you move home to an abusive environment

having worked in professional setting for more than 7 years, I've given up on getting a job. I'm starting my own venture (although ive been trying to get that up since I was in school) with full commitment and almost no alternative of getting into the job market.

The job market is skewed and gamed.

You should change the way you're applying to jobs, and on the side, try to find cofounders who are starting some startup.

You can also join new ones who recently got funded. Some of the MIT folks work at windsurf, you can find similar startups that are need of engineers.

1. new founded startups 2. start one yourself (although this is risky, only reliable if you can get funding) 3. networking and meeting folks from your college 4. get a job you're overqualified for to keep your visa, (given you talk about going back to home)

Me personally have given up on jobs so im starting something of my own, although i dont have the pressure of going back home cuz thats already done, i'm back to my "toxic environment".

> If you've been through something similar—late job search success, unexpected turns that worked out, or just any advice—I’d really appreciate it.

So, I can provide my anecdote, at least. It took me the better part of a year after I graduated to find my first job. (That paid real poorly.) I lost that job after a year due to the role being eliminated and my contract not being renewed. I lost my next job at a startup after six months due to the company pivoting. I’ve been at my following job for 10+ years now.

2002 felt similar, although it was never so bad that even MIT grads had trouble finding jobs, just those of us from low tier schools.

The classmates who took non-tech jobs after graduating in 2002 never came back to the industry. They generally did alright, but taking a job outside the industry makes it really difficult to get back in. Employers expect to hire people with no experience straight out of school.

That MEng sounds like the best option to me. That was definitely the best option for my 2002 classmates.

That sounds bleak. If I were in your shoes I'd probably join the military. I'm thinking Air Force. They can use people with advanced technical skills. Plus, you get a bed, food, and a job. Regarding family (Spouse, Kids) there are financial benefits, cheaper housing, the ability to live and shop on base, etc. If it were me, I'd choose that over going back to to the environment you described.

I am seeing this in my community as well, it has become nearly impossible for early career folks to find opportunities and it is due to a number of factors. In addition to economy, the fast ramp up of hiring in covid and of course AI, we now have geo-political headwinds in the mix. If you are in this situation, or if you would like to help make a difference, please reach out to me, email is in profile. @Dang, if this is not appropriate, please let me know.

I received a campus offer in 2008, but then the recession hit. Since it was with a large company, I graduated in 2009 and was supposed to join afterward. However, just a few weeks before my start date, they postponed it indefinitely. I found myself back at square one and it took more than six months to land a job at a mid-sized company with a lower salary. Eventually, things worked out. So, don’t lose hope—just keep trying. Best of luck!

Start going to tradeshows for every possible industry you can think of, and bring resumes.

People who network in person almost always have an advantage compared to people with similar qualifications who sit at home and send out resumes.

You are guaranteed to make more connections if you speak to people at the booths. If you take a genuine curiosity in what they do there's usually something interesting to talk about.

Sorry to hear the challenge.

You and your friends should email me with your resume and anything you're proud to have built. I'll extend that to any MIT senior/recent grad who wants to discuss moving to SF and helping us apply LLMs to build product features that solve interesting customer problems.

I'm at james.peterson@fathom.video. Include "[responding to HN thread 43614795]" in the title. I'd love to chat.

Decide where you WANT to be (like, literally, location).

Plan to move there and get any job.

Don't be ashamed to apply for any and all government assistance you might be able to find.