Developer Job Searching: The Not So Technical Parts

Finding a great job is really hard.

You want a developer job. But you don’t want any job. You want the right job. A job that supports you and aligns with what you find important.

Finding a job like that is not easy.

There is so much information out there on nailing technical interviews, yet so little information on finding a great job that is worth your time. But how do you know which companies are worth all that effort?

You need to know what companies align with your values and your skills as a developer.

And then you still have to decide which company is right for you.

You will need to choose between those companies. And that’s difficult.

What if you pick the wrong company?

You apply at a company, go through several technical interviews, and after all that hard work you start working there, only to find out you don’t really like working there. That would be a huge disappointment.

It’s not something you can completely prevent, but there are a lot of signals to watch out for before getting hired that could have helped not make that mistake.

Hopefully the companies you declined are still interested. If not, then you will have to start the entire interviewing process again.

How do you even manage all those interviews?

It’s not easy to keep track of all the companies that seem interesting to you without mixing them up during interviews.

Applying only to the right companies means you save a lot of time and energy. Time and energy that could be used for the interviews that matter.

With the right system you can remove a lot of guesswork from your decision making process. By applying a thoughtful approach to your job search you can save yourself hours of job searching, interviewing and completing time-consuming technical assessments.

Make confident career decisions.

Using a systematic approach for the job searching process will make everything easier and it will save you a lot of time. It will result in making informed decisions based on data instead of emotions when applying to companies.

This is the resource I wish I had when I started looking for my first job, second and third job.

What will you learn?

This book is full of information for developers about the entire process of looking for jobs, starting your new job, and changing jobs again.

The best parts of the book:

• A system for choosing which companies to apply for
• Market research
• Evaluating companies. Are they as great as they seem?
• Red flags to watch out for
• Networking
• Reflecting on your interviews. Do better in the future.
• How to turn down a job offer
• Salary negotiation & Accepting a job offer
• Starting your new job, the right way
• What not to do when you start your new job
• How to quit your job without leaving bad impressions
• Things to consider before the final day of your job

About the author

Hello, I’m Eddy Vinck! I wrote this book because I noticed a severely ignored but crucial topic: the searching part of the job search. There is an over-emphasis on the technical parts of the interviewing process.

I have been working on my programming career for over 5 years now, in which I have interviewed at many companies. I have come up with a job searching system that has worked really well for me.

I also share a lot of coding tips online via Twitter. Occasionally I write a technical blog post or do a presentation at a meetup.

If you want to:

• Stop wasting your time with the wrong employers
• Learn how to identify companies that match your needs
• Spend less time filling in online job application forms
• Start your probation period the right way

Then Developer Job Searching: The Not So Technical Parts is for you.

The Complete Edition Extras:

During your job search you will need some standard documents to apply, plus a few documents to help you make the right decisions.

• Portfolio Website Checklist
• Resume Template
• Cover Letter Template
• Job Application Tracking Sheet Template

The Portfolio Website Checklist is a PDF which offers tips and checks for your portfolio website, plus some background information on why you might want a portfolio website.

The Resume Template is a Google Sheets document, so you do not need paid software to use it. It has example information pre-filled which can help you decide what kind of information to include in your resume (or cv).

The Cover Letter Template is a Google Docs document, for which you also do not need other software to use it. This template is a custom cover letter. It has a few blank spaces so you can apply it to many different companies. During my job searches I have received a response from every company I sent this cover letter. This cover letter template includes tips on how to best fill in the blanks, so companies reading it will know you are a serious candidate.

The Job Application Tracking Sheet Template is a Google Sheets document which you can use to keep track of the many details of every job application you are going through.

Use these resources to save yourself the headaches of having to write or make these yourself, while also saving a lot of time in the process. These documents are easy to use, and have placeholder information you can just replace.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this book for?

Developer Job Searching: The Not So Technical Parts is for developers, aspiring developers looking to get their foot in the door, or people looking to change jobs in general who want to stop wasting their time with the wrong companies.

The book is heavily targeted towards developers as that is my profession and what my experiences are based upon, but many of the concepts could be applied to other industries.

Do you give refunds?

If you read the book and have found no value in it, then please send me an email and I will refund you. I don’t want to take your money if you did not provide you value.

Are updates free?

Whenever I update the book you will be able to download the latest version at no additional cost.

Does this cover algorithms?

No. There are enormous amounts of resources available to get jobs at large tech companies. These resources typically cover things like algorithms and solving technical interview questions. This eBook is about the process of finding a great job.

How is this different from other career books?

Most resources focus solely on hacking your way through algorithm and computer science focused interviews. This book is not about that. This book is about how to find a job at great companies that you’ll love.

It’s different because it does not make assumptions about your career goals. Not everyone wants to become a senior developer at a fast-growing startup or a large tech company.

Does this book guarantee the result of finding an amazing job?

Developer Job Searching: The Not So Technical Parts is based on my career and experiences as a developer, and because everyone’s circumstances are different I cannot guarantee success.

Applying all the knowledge and advice from the book requires effort and success is heavily influenced by the job market you are in.

Get the right job

Stop wasting your time applying for the wrong jobs, accepting a bad offer, and worrying if you would be quitting a job too soon even though you hate it there.

Getting a job that is right for you will be more fun, while also helping you progress in your career faster. When you get a better and higher paying job, this book will have paid for itself.