[ehto]

I'm in London. Today was a low point. I've been slowly expanding the aperture of what I would be open to doing, and haven't been going for volume applications because of my weird background.

The last few rejections have really shaken me because I (to my detriment) get invested. As best I can tell I'm perfect, get a first round interview, excitement builds, then get rejected...

For me a big learning is that your CV and fit ONLY serves to get you into the first round. They do NOT get to the end and then 'add up' everything they know about you, such that being outstanding in terms of relevant experience can offset whatever petty box ticking result they get from the interview. You have to be perfect in the interview. Provide perfect examples of your experiences. Precisely detailed and structured answers. Highlight impressive outcomes.

It simply doesn't matter what you have done, in that interview if you don't bring it you are kicked from the process. It hurts.

I can't help feeling like I am wired wrong if I can't give them what they want.

[jechamt]

I am in the US, but otherwise your situation highly resonates with me, and I feel your description could be used to describe my own search.

I've been looking, applying, and interviewing (though not as often as I would like nor expect from my volume of applications) for 8 months. After some recent disappointing news, I am looking to be moving away from software development and systems-at-scale roles, and spending more time and effort at IT support / system administration roles in the future as I can't help but feel the industry just isn't interested in any desire to grow and develop professionally, they just want the perfect applicant that has already used the technologies they need for 2-5 years and won't waste time on anyone else.

It doesn't help my own confidence that I have "FAANG" experience (I'll leave it to the reader to decide which FAANG belongs in quotes), and it hasn't helped my response rate or evaluations.

In any case, it's disapointing, and I feel your struggles. I wish you the best, and hopefully your newfound perspective separating the CV and the interview will help you spend less time and anguish over the less important parts

[ehto]

Appreciate the support jechamt. Good luck on your own journey.

It's undeniable that practice makes for better interviewing - I tend to index way to much on researching the company and industry, and not enough on the tricky art of impressing them by emitting words in the right way!

[alexfromapex]

I have “FAANG” too but as a contractor and I feel like it’s hurt me more than it’s helped because everyone wants to give me super rigorous coding assessments or questions my few month gap.

[codingdave]

> if I can't give them what they want

I don't know if it helps or not, but getting rejected does not always mean that you cannot give them what they want. It means that they found someone else who can and chose them. You never know if your rejection was a case of them not liking you at all vs. them being really crushed by having to choose between you and another person, both of whom they really liked.