HACKER Q&A
📣 mehwishh247

How do I get out of learning loop


I have a question that maybe some of you can relate to and I am hoping someone maybe able to answer it too.

I am a programmer. I code in Python. I also have a formal CS degree. But I was never able to land a job.

First it was some personal issue due which I couldn't relocate (My city does not have much IT jobs). Then, when I could relocate, I still couldn't secure a job. Reason: I cleared interviews and got job offers, but there was a huge salary disparity. Like more than 50% less salary than a male candidate was getting. I couldn't afford the relocation with those salaries. Before anyone ask, REMOTE wasn't an option in the country I live in before covid. It still isn't much of an option. I spent the next two years trying to get some job, a menial one, an IT support one, anything... But I couldn't. Reason: I had a gap from my education to my career entry.

SO, I started re-learning. I enrolled in courses. I got stuck in that loop. Because there was too much. It felt like I learnt nothing before.

And at this point, after four years of my graduation, I feel like I have no knowledge. My DS is rusty (I know them, and I keep learning them). But when I try to solve a simple problem, it takes me more hours then it should. My confidence is shattered at this point. I tried other careers, but I just cannot get myself to do them long term. I feel at home while coding. And it isn't like I am bad at it. I never was when I was a student. I was really good at it. I am good at Mathematics and all the technical subjects. They come naturally to me. But when it comes to a job, I don't know how to land a it.

I want to get out of this learning loop where I keep experiencing that I know nothing so I keep learning and I think I am good for it and then I apply for jobs and the loop repeats itself.

I could really use some advice. Anything. How to land a job, how to actually learn something (if I am missing something), or how to move on if it isn't meant for me and where to?

Sorry for the long post, sorry for emotional dump, and thank you in advance for any advice.

  👤 AnonC Accepted Answer ✓
Just a random thought which may or may not be possible for you to try — apply to The Recurse Center [1], ask for financial assistance and spend time there. Recurse makes money from jobs or job offers that its attendees may accept, and companies recruit from Recurse. Instead of trying to “boil the ocean” and studying everything again, you may be able to focus on something smaller but worthwhile in your job search.

[1]: https://www.recurse.com

👤 shivc
I can suggest 2 things to try, been in similar shoes as yours.

1. Try to look into open source contributions or building a project of your own, start to finish - a project that actually has some real world utility.

This will hopefully get you from a learner to builder mindset and help you showcase something strong and valuable in your portfolio as well.

2. Start attending networking meetups wherever you can - physical meetups and online, both count here.

A strong network is what will really help you land jobs or internships at least - don't shy away from internships or taking a salary cut for the short term.

Whatever salary you get today will not be the salary you will have in a year from now or 2 years from now.

Short term salary cut to get you in the job market is worth the trade - people who get job offers usually are the ones who are already in one(or do not need a new job right away)

The goal is to get you building valuable things and at the same time get in touch with people in the industry while also showcasing your skills as fast as possible - a higher salary will just hinder the speed - get started imo

👤 aynyc
What country are you in? In the US, it's much easier to get a job while you have a job, sounds stupid but it's true. So I would take a reasonably relevant to CS/Dev/IT jobs and look for another while building your resume.
👤 romerocarlos
It's understandable that you're feeling stuck in a loop. Remember, you're not alone in this journey, many programmers face similar challenges. By focusing on your strengths, practicing your skills, and staying persistent, you can break out of the learning loop and achieve your career goals.
👤 sujayk_33
It sounds like, you need a break from all this. Just Restart yourself and you'll see the change.

and also don't expect things

I don't even have a CS degree, I'm just a self-taught but then I kept trying and caught a break with an internship, it paid me more than $600 a month and I didn't even ask for it, they offered it generously.

👤 aristofun
> Like more than 50% less salary than a male candidate was getting

I wonder how do you know how much exactly new male candidates get for same role in same companies?

👤 stathmarxis
1)Thinking about what is really important for your business right now 2)Take small focussed learning steps towards this3) Implement this learning in order to actually make progress 4)Make yourself accountable
👤 meiraleal
So in retrospect your best option would have been accepting that job. From there you would have had a way easier time getting a better opportunity. Don't let another opportunity like that pass by.

Another thing I'd recommend is to start a project and publish it by yourself while you are looking for a job. You can then claim that you've been working on it for some time, that's a valid working experience, successfully or not

👤 dyingkneepad
> My DS is rusty

What is DS?

👤 runjake
- Create a portfolio of projects on Github.

- Network with lots of other people locally and online. Try to be helpful and, I hate this term but, "provide value" to others.

- Potentially take on small gigs if that's your thing. If not locally, then fiverr.com or whatever the current hotness is for freelancing.

- Work on your soft skills. It's really hard to follow what you've written. Work on communicating more simply.

- The bar for entry is so low, if my area is indication. If you can write simple code on your own, without copy/pasting, you're already ahead of a small but decent chunk of professional programmers.

- Good luck, you can do it.

👤 a2code
> I want to get out of this learning loop where I keep experiencing that I know nothing so I keep learning and I think I am good for it and then I apply for jobs and the loop repeats itself.

So? Just stop learning. Close that book, video, course. Go make something people want. Or you want. What would you like to make?