Ask HN: Does last job experience 4 years ago make my application unattractive?

[inlineint]

I am looking for a job as a software engineer. I have more than 6 years of experience, but in my résumé the last job experience as a software enginer (in particular, senior software engineer) is 4 years ago. I am applying to all kinds of roles, but no company invites me to an interview.

How can I work around this? It looks like a vicious circle. I need a more recent job experience to be hireable, but I cannot get one.

My field is backend development, so my knowledge should not be really outdated.

[austin-cheney]

1. Explain the absence: family emergency/life change, alternate career exploration, education focus, traveled the world, whatever. Just explain it. Surely, you weren’t just sitting there for 4 years doing nothing but watching TV.

2. Tie the experience and learning from those 4 years back into your career focus. You are now a more well rounded developer.

I have taken time away from my job many times. I am part time military so I have time away for professional military education and numerous deployments the other side of the world.

Here is what I have learned from this:

1. Employers love more well rounded employees with advanced experience other developers don’t have. They also fear that you may be absent again in the future. Reassure them.

2. Advanced outside expertise erodes compatibility. Most software developers in the corporate world exist in tight narrow funnels of expertise. That provides them no ability to ask questions like why the fuck are we doing this, because it’s all they know and all they can do. When you ask such questions there will be nothing but friction. At some point you will get tired of repeating stupid when you have learned to bypass it in your other personal adventures.

[aristofun]

I had somewhat similar experience with ~>7 years gap from last pro software eng. position.

But the job in that gap was still in the same industry (management roles and startups). And big part of startup experience I could pack as hands on software engineering which it actually was.

And it happened not in the middle of a down market.

I still had to spend some time polishing cv and reaching for help, networking, etc. So it took couple months instead of couple weeks as with some of my engineer-engineer friends.

[sk11001]

What have you been doing in the past four years?

[lulznews]

Yes just make up something to fill the time.

[jononor]

Get your CV reviewed by some friends/people in the field. Probably there is room for improvement - generally, not just with what you perceive as the primary weakness.

[OutOfHere]

I would fill the gap with open source and personal projects that I have worked on. Include sufficient detail. Surely you've been doing something of technical interest in this time. Mark it as self-employed. Good luck.

If you don't have any, then start working on one now, preferably a challenging one, for which you can show impactful results, then go to step 1.

[imissfirefox → OutOfHere]

It’s not a given they were doing something related that could go on a resume. Could have been time off for parenting, caring for an ill family member, unable to legally work (for example living abroad for a partner’s education or work assignment), personal health problem/treatment, etc.

For the community: What are some ways to support a person getting back into the field and avoiding discrimination against time out of work?

[OutOfHere → imissfirefox]

That's true. I think the simplest way back in is to accept a lower paying job as long as the work itself is at one's level, then use it as leverage to get back into the bigger game. For example, a remote senior engineer might normally expect 160k, but someone in the op's shoes might have to settle for 120k for the same role until there is more leverage. Also, a contract role may be easier to get than an FTE role.

[taurath → imissfirefox]

Give referrals and connections for referrals mainly. Walk them thru interview processes, help them brush up on skills, new advancements.

Had to take 3 years for a health problem during which I mentally just couldn’t code. Still looking and now finally able to practice projects again; it is difficult!

[silverquiet → OutOfHere]

If I had a good chunk of time off, I would really prefer not to spend that time developing software. As it is, people have to pay me a good chunk of money to do that.

[wruza → silverquiet]

So your employer prefers to save a good chunk of money cause you’re likely a little rusty.