Software Engineer Job Hunt
Hi everyone,
It’s been incredibly tough to land a steady stream of phone screens, let alone interviews.
I'm a software engineer who recently relocated to Wollongong from overseas. I have about 9 years of experience, mostly specializing in mobile and web development, and I integrate modern AI tools heavily into my daily workflow to move fast.
I am trying to figure out if there's a blind spot in my process or if it's just a reflection of the current Australian market. For the past 2 months, I've been focusing on:
- Building production-ready side projects: Launching real web and mobile apps on the stores to keep my skills sharp, rather than just leaving them as raw GitHub repos.
- Networking on LinkedIn: Engaging meaningfully with local developers and sharing actual tech insights (no generic, AI-generated spam)
- Local community: Joining the Siligong tech community on Slack to connect with locals.
The results after 2 months: I've had around 5 phone screens and made it to the final technical rounds with 2 companies. Unfortunately, no offers yet: one went with another candidate, and the other is frozen until their new financial year budget clears up.
I've been targeting a mix of remote roles across Australia and hybrid/onsite roles here in Wollongong.
I absolutely love the city and love building software, but the rejection is starting to take a toll. I’d love to hear from other local devs or tech professionals:
- Are there specific local platforms, meetups, or channels I might be missing?
- Any brutal honesty on my approach?
Thanks for reading!