I Battled 50+ Rejections to Land My Dream Tech Job in Silicon Valley.After months of nonstop interviewing and enough rejection letters to wallpaper my apartment, I finally landed my dream software engineering role in Silicon Valley. It was a long battle – but so worth the fight.
Between economic uncertainty, hiring freezes, and cutthroat competition, breaking into tech right now is a rollercoaster ride. But with determination, skill-building, and a lot of perseverance, you can absolutely make it.
In this raw, detailed post, I’ll share my journey battling interview fatigue, crushing rejection after rejection, and learning to fall in love with the process. You’ll walk away knowing:
- How I kept up morale through 50+ rejections
- Big interview wins and stinging failures – my most dramatic stories
- The side hustle that saved me between roles
- How I honed my skills to be irrefutably hired
- My hard-earned formula to handle rejection and bounce back
The road is rocky, but your network is everything. Together, we’ll make it through these difficult times. My story is proof the tech dream is still possible, even now. Buckle up for the wild ride!
After a grueling 6 months of job hunting, I had collected over 50 rejection letters. Each one stung, no matter how nicely worded. As rejections piled up, I struggled more and more to stay motivated.
Finally, I realized I needed an emotional reset. I implemented a self-care routine to cope with rejections in a healthy way. Here is what helped me bounce back stronger:
Let It Out – I’d take 15 minutes after each rejection to vent out loud, cry, or journal my feelings. Bottling up emotions just led to blow-ups later.
Get Moving – Exercise like jogging, yoga, or boxing helped me physically work through the frustration. Endorphins were key.
Talk It Out – I’d call up close friends, mentors, or my career coach to discuss rejections. Getting a second perspective really eased the blow.
Celebrate Small Wins – I reminded myself of any positive parts of the interview like getting to an advanced round. Keeping perspective was crucial.
Focus on Growth – Each rejection showed me something to improve on. I saw them as stepping stones to keep honing my skills.
Quiet Inner Critics – I had to shut down those negative inner voices telling me I wasn’t good enough. Rejections said nothing about my worth.
Don’t Isolate – When I wanted to hide away, I’d force myself to be around supportive people who reminded me of my strengths.
With my toolbox of coping mechanisms, rejections started feeling less catastrophic. No longer did one rejection ruin my entire week. I could grieve then refocus much faster. By changing my mindset and routine, setbacks during my job search didn’t derail me.
Remember, you aren’t alone in facing constant rejection. Build your support squad, focus on personal wins, and know there is an opportunity out there waiting for you!
Sample Templates
Erica, your professional journey really stood out to me. I’m very interested in building my career as a [role]. Since you’ve been in that position, would you have some time to offer me a bit of advice on pursuing this? I would really appreciate a brief call at your convenience.
Hi Kristi, you’ve built a really interesting career in thought leadership, and [mutual contact] mentioned you were a great resource as she revised her resume. Since I’m hoping to advance from [my current role], I’d love to get your brief take on my cover letter if your schedule allows it.
Hi Cameron, I saw that your company is recruiting a marketing assistant. Since it seems you’d work directly with this person, it would be wonderful to hear your thoughts on the role. I’m looking to get some clarity on the role and responsibilities before I apply. Do you have a few minutes to speak with me about it in the next week or two?
Divya, your posts on edtech in the STEM education forum have been really thought-provoking! I’ve interned for a few startups in this space and am excited about my own next steps — but I definitely could use some guidance from an experienced pro like you. Would you be open to chatting about this?
Eitan, I’m looking to join a mission-driven team like yours and just happened to see your colleague’s post about the product manager role. Would you be the right person to ask about one of the technical requirements? Let me know if I could send an email your way.
‘Engineering manager hiring’
“Generated Invite message for Linkedin”
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
I am impressed by the remarkable work at [Company Name]. As a talented software engineer, I would be honored to contribute to your team’s success. Let’s connect and discuss how my skills align with your needs. Thank you for your time.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Resume Samples
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SHV_IJJZym12sdj4BRdAvvGk3jQDL-lLJL0o6l1zMzE/edit
LinkedIN Personalized Invite
Avoid using in-mail , prefer using personalized invite message in connection, 1. to save in-mail 2. if people reject in-mail, you can’t do a second message to connect
Here are some tips on the wording :
If you’re looking to network with someone about a new job or business opportunity
- Be brief and to the point.
- Share your goal and any common associations
- Mention the profile content that prompted you to write.
- Share any mutual experiences, interests or connections.
- Explain what you’re hoping to achieve from the conversation.
- Adopt a conversational, enthusiastic tone.
- Choose words that reflect your personal voice.
- Express interest in helping them in their goals too, don’t cut and paste the job description or URL to the job post.
- Give them a reason to reply by asking for advice, opinions, or referrals.