
Ask HN: Software Engineer looking for work – Any suggestions? - floating_cloud
Dear HN members,<p>I am a Software Engineer with 10+ years experience in low-level middleware frameworks(not kernel or device driver) using C, EC++ (some C++) on Linux based platforms (mobile and desktop). You can see my CV here: https:&#x2F;&#x2F;drive.google.com&#x2F;file&#x2F;d&#x2F;0B5_wVHETBRUKaVI2bUlUTlJuNFE&#x2F;view?usp=sharing . I have been unemployed since last 3.5 years due to some family reason(details below). But now I am available to take on work. It will be okay if I am not paid for next two-three months(I won&#x27;t mind if I get paid for my work though) because I will have to take one month leave in January to attend to the family issue again. The obvious question you might ask is, why can&#x27;t I wait for next two-three months and then apply for jobs and in the mean time do some personal project? Well, if I start a personal project I will get sucked into it and I don&#x27;t want to do that because I <i>will</i> have to take on paid work by January as I am on the verge of bankruptcy. Another reason is that, if I am anyway going to start paid work, then why not give my future employer an opportunity to try me for two-three months. That way it will help the company understand if I am a match for their requirement. I am ready to work remotely and travel or relocate (but the company will have to bear the cost of travel and&#x2F;or relocation). And after the trial period(2-3 months) I expect a paid long-term contract or permanent position, obviously only if the employer is happy with my work.<p>You will be wondering what got me into the situation that I am in today. Well, I wrote the details here but HN submit-form refused to allow more than 2000 chars hence I am writing the rest of the message in the document here:  https:&#x2F;&#x2F;drive.google.com&#x2F;file&#x2F;d&#x2F;0B5_wVHETBRUKRlNNQjFEMU9SZk0&#x2F;view?usp=sharing . Let me know if there is any work available that I can take on now which can be extended after 2-3 months as a contract or permanent position?<p>Thanks and kind regards,<p>Ajit
======
jt2190

      > if I am anyway going to start paid work, then why not 
      > give my future employer an opportunity to try me 
      > for two-three months.
    

Because you should instead spend those extra weeks looking for an employer who
can derive enough value from your skills to pay you a fair market salary.
Inviting employers to "try for free" will invite those who may not really know
how to turn your effort into money. You say you're near bankruptcy, so now is
not the time to screw around with getting paid.

    
    
      > I am a software engineer with 10+ years experience...
    

Yes, but how does that help your employer make money? How does your
programming effort:

    
    
        * get a product to market faster?
        * make customers buy more?
        * increase referrals?
        * decrease support calls?
        * etc.
    

Your employer has to make money so they can pay you.

------
skynetv2
Sorry to hear about your situation. But it looks like you havent started
looking yet. Whether you are in India or in the UK, someone with your skills
will easily find a job. Just start contacting your team at Intel and ask or
you know you can easily look on Intel site and start applying. There are many
open positions and since you were not fired, there is no reason why a new
manager or your previous manager wont consider hiring.

And start working your contact network, start sending CV. But I suggest you do
this now with an availability date of Jan. If the hiring team likes you, they
will wait or they will try and find a place in the company for you.

Large companies typically dont take on temp workers directly. So I would avoid
proposing that. Just say you are taking care of family and need the time to
settle things so you can focus your energy on the job, come Jan.

good luck

~~~
floating_cloud
Thank you for the suggestions!

------
thorin
Where can you work? You have a good CV (certainly the bits I read) and some
good experience. I wouldn't recommend working for free though. If a company
needs your skills they should be willing to pay from the start.

~~~
floating_cloud
@thorin Where can you work?

I can work in UK without constraints. But I am also ready to work remotely and
travel or relocate (the company will have to take care of the travel and
relocation expenses though)

~~~
thorin
If you can work in London I'm sure you can find something through an
agency/jobserve/linkedin without having to work for free!

