“Author Dan Saffer provides some well-needed advice for job-hunters entering the fray. From the ageist attitudes in the tech industry to the importance of a well-maintained portfolio, Saffer encourages all to keep their heads high when the search can feel stressful.”

by Dan Saffer

“Note: I didn’t really want to write this article, but am doing so at others’ urging hoping it’ll give other job hunters some hope, some insights, or at least a laugh.

“There’s an idea held by many that the more experienced you are, the more accomplished you are, the better your network, the easier it is to find a job. I’m here to debunk this. I have 20+ years of experience, 10+ years in design management, a master’s degree in design from a great school, a seemingly good reputation, and my last role was at a high-profile company. Still, I was ghosted, given take-home design exercises, was told job offers were coming that never materialized, given ‘personality quizzes’ that I apparently didn’t pass, and suffered the same sorts of indignities during my exhaustive search for a new role.

“For about eight months, I hunted for a job. Unlike the last time I was out of work, I had no trouble landing interviews.” 

Read this opinion column in its entirety, click here.