Unemployment - Day 0

The "Wattpad" Backstory

Listen, back in high school, I never looked at people who read blogs and thought, "Wow, those guys are cool." I honestly didn't even know why they were called "blogs." I just assumed it was either someone sharing a great experience or trauma dumping their worst ones.

But I always had this itch to write something that someone on the internet would actually read. So, naturally, I went to Reddit to test the waters. I shared my thoughts, and the response? Brutal. People were like, "Bruh, your tone is way too imaginary for a high schooler. Blogging is for experts. If you want to share personal opinions, go to Wattpad."

Whatever. IDGAF.

English isn’t my first language - it’s not even my second. But there’s nothing wrong with sharing personal encounters, whether it’s about people who changed me or situations that humbled me. If you find my English bad, it’s okay. As long as you get the vibe, we’re on the same plane. I know you’re bored of the fluff already, so for God’s sake, let’s takeoff.

The 1:02 AM Reality Check

The real problem is… where do I even start?

It’s 1:02 AM right now. I’m torn between mocking the inconsistency of students, praising the college system (yeah right), or spiraling about my unemployment. Honestly, I’m just going to trust my instincts here.

To give you the brief: I just got out of a CS degree from a Tier-3 (or maybe Tier-4, who’s counting?) college in India. And unlike the LinkedIn success stories, I’m out here without a job. I just need to land one so I can finally buy myself a waffle and scream, "Say my goddamn name!"

/**
* Whenever we ask our college "where are hiring ppl?"
*/
int year = 2022;
while(true){
     cout << "The recession still going on" << endl;
     year++;
}
// and idk when this will ever break (ifkyk!)

The Paradox: Winning vs. Doing

Here is the one harsh truth I’ve lately realized: The process of winning a competition is far different from what you actually do inside that competition.

Surprisingly, schools and colleges only teach you the second part.

Just like everyone else, I did the grind. I participated in hackathons, I built scalable SaaS solutions that actually worked, and I was even the first guy in my entire class to land an internship. I thought I was ahead. I thought I was "doing" it right.

But I lost because I failed to learn the very first skill: HOW TO WIN.

Where the F* Did I Go Wrong?

When I look back at why I’m sitting here unemployed while people with half my dev skills are getting offers, it comes down to two massive mistakes. I was too busy building "real world" software that I forgot to play the game.

1. I never inverted a binary tree. While I was building microservices, I completely forgot to grind Leet Code. I never solved a pattern-matching algorithm because I was too busy figuring out actual system architecture. Big mistake.

2. I forgot native SQL. I relied too much on ORMs and forgot the raw queries that interviewers love to ask.

3. The "Common Sense" Trap. The worst rejection skill of all: Aptitude. They call it "common sense," but let’s be real—calculating the speed of a train leaving a station has nothing to do with how well I can code an API. Yet, that’s where they filter you out.

The Resume Trap

I networked hard. I made a resume that looked absolutely stunning. But here’s the kicker: What is the point of knowing the work if you don't know how to prove you’re a better fit than the next "X" person sitting next to you?

I knew how to do the job. I didn't know how to pass the test to get the job.

The Tier-3 Label (and the Chip on My Shoulder)

Coming from a Tier-3 or Tier-4 college in India puts a chip on your shoulder that weighs more than the extra 2 pounds I just gained. You have to scream twice as loud to be heard half as much. We don't get the fancy campus placements where Google just walks in and hands out offer letters like flyers. We have to fight for every referral.

But here’s the twist: that struggle made me a better developer. I didn't have a syllabus that spoon-fed me modern tech stacks; I had to go find them. I learned to survive on documentation and Stack Overflow while the "Tier-1" kids were busy with their campus fests. My degree might not open doors, but my code can definitely kick them down - once I figure out how to get past the security guard named "Aptitude Test."

The New Algorithm

So, what now? Do I cry about it? Maybe for five minutes. Then, I get back to work.

I’m rewriting my internal operating system. I’m pausing the "build cool sh*t" daemon and starting the "grind boring sh*t" process. I will invert that binary tree. I will memorize the SQL syntax I usually just Google. I will treat the interview process like a game level I just haven't beaten yet.

Unemployment isn't a permanent state; it's just a really annoying loading screen. And when I finally respawn with a job offer, that waffle is going to taste like victory. I got many things to share with you on my journey. but hey,

Say my goddamn name!