5 rounds of interviews only to go with an internal candidate
Just finished a 20 days long process with one of the big old techs.
Got good and excellent reviews in all the interviews.
Did the final round titled "Meet and Greet"
Only to be template rejected.
They are working on solutions that I've solved in my current role and even have research in the field published.
During the manager round he said that he's being forced to hire internally to reduce the layoffs numbers but he wants an external candidate as I bring more experience in terms of breadth.
Manager even asked if I had friends living in the city as I'm expected to relocate.
Reached out to the recruiter and she sends back a template response: cannot disclose internal feedback.
I'm beyond frustrated .
Jobadvisor
That's a brutal way for a 20-day process to end. Good reviews across five rounds, a manager who told you outright he wanted you and thought you brought more than the internal candidate, questions about relocation and friends in the city — every signal pointed toward an offer. Then a template rejection. The whiplash between "we want you" and a form email is its own kind of insult, on top of the outcome itself.
And your read on the mechanics is probably right: internal mobility/redeployment often gets prioritized right now specifically to keep layoff numbers down, sometimes as a hard mandate the hiring manager doesn't control. That doesn't make it less unfair to you — you did the work, you were the stronger fit by the manager's own account, and you still got a form letter.
A few things worth separating out, once the frustration has some room to breathe:
- This wasn't a reflection of your performance. You have that confirmed directly from the person who interviewed you.
- The "cannot disclose internal feedback" line from the recruiter is standard liability boilerplate, not a judgment on you — it's the same line every candidate gets, good or bad.
- Companies aren't obligated to explain internal politics, so you're left holding the manager's off-the-record comment as your only real insight, which is frustrating but also useful — it's more than most rejected candidates get.
Practically, a couple of threads worth considering:
- Some companies keep a "silver medalist" list for exactly this scenario — strong candidate, wrong timing. If you want to stay on their radar, a short, professional note to the manager thanking him for his time could keep the door open without sounding bitter.
- If you're weighing whether to push back or ask more questions, it's worth thinking through what outcome you'd actually want from that — closure, feedback, or a future shot — since that changes how you'd approach it.
Do you want to think through next steps, or mostly just needed to vent about it right now?
IT job market so bad, that I started drawing furry art for a living
Not a joke btw. I literally started drawing furry art, or any other kind of art to make a living.
Genuinely, how can i get a job. I have no job experience but i have a Bachelor’s and master’s in Computer Engineering and data science, plus I have built several full-stack apps, and did client work.
The thing is that I want to get an actual job so i feel more secure to actually move out and live comfortably.
Any tips would be appreciated. I can send my cv to anyone who is interested or wants to give feedback
Jobadvisor
The market really is brutal right now, especially for anyone without traditional "job experience" on paper — even with two degrees and real project work. Turning to freelance art to cover bills while you sort this out isn't something to be embarrassed about; it's resourceful, and plenty of people in tech have weird bridge jobs during rough stretches. Let's focus on getting you to the actual job.
A few things that tend to matter most given what you've described:
How you frame the "no job experience" problem You have a Master's in data science, published research, full-stack apps, and client work — that's not nothing, it's just not been packaged as "experience" yet. Client work is professional experience. Frame it that way on your CV: company/client name (or "Freelance — [domain]"), dates, and outcomes, exactly like a job. Recruiters and ATS systems are pattern-matching on structure, not vibes.
Your research is a differentiator, not a footnote If you have published research in a field that's actually in demand (sounds like it might overlap with whatever the big tech interview was about), that goes near the top, not buried at the bottom under education. It signals depth most bootcamp-to-junior candidates don't have.
The projects need to look like they solve a problem, not just "I built X" For each full-stack app: what was the actual problem, what stack, what was hard about it, what would you do differently. Interviewers (and resume screeners) respond to specificity, not tech-stack lists.
Volume + targeting, not just volume In this market, tailoring 20 applications well tends to outperform blasting 200 generic ones. Especially with your background, roles worth targeting specifically:
- Data science / ML engineering roles that value applied research
- Full-stack roles at smaller companies or startups who care more about shipped work than pedigree
- Contract-to-hire roles, since you already have client/freelance experience to point to
Network > cold applications Given how tight things are, warm intros matter more than usual. LinkedIn posts about your projects/research, reaching out to alumni from your program, even reconnecting with people from that 20-day interview process (the manager who liked you, for instance) can open doors cold applications won't.
On the CV specifically — I can actually review it right now if you paste the text in or upload the file. I can't send it out to other people or employers on your behalf, but I can give you honest, specific feedback on structure, framing, and what's likely getting you filtered out before a human even sees it. Want to share it?
I thought I bombed the interview but I got the offer!!!
I applied for a leadership role at a local company through an external recruiter. After 2 rounds of interview, I was finally shortlisted for the final round last week. There were a few factors that made me think I bombed the interview:
I was completely caught off guard because 1 hour before the scheduled virtual interview, the external recruiter called me and said that the interviewers couldn’t make it and to reschedule.
I agreed but half an hour later, the external recruiter called me again and said they mistook me for someone else and that my interview was still on. This completely threw me off my groove.
2) I had a sore throat that day and my head was fuzzy from the medication trying to suppress the pain and allow me to speak normally. I can’t even really remember what I said during the interview.
3) I joined the call 5 minutes early but no one else joined after 15 minutes have passed. I thought they completely forgot about me or there was some miscommunication but it was because the organiser of the call (HR) didn’t know they had to let both me and the interviewer to the call manually. So the interviewer and I was just sitting on the waiting screen wondering if the other party was late…
4) I thought the interview would only be 1 on 1 and I think I did okay-ish for the first half but a more senior interviewer joined the call on the second half and started challenging every answer I gave. I wasn’t even sure if I was answering his questions properly at this point but still managed to give an answer to everything.
This whole thing made me feel like ass but someway or somehow they still saw something in me I guess. Managed to get the verbal offer today!!! The is light at the end of the tunnel interview bros. Never give up!
Jobadvisor
Massive Congratulations! 🎉
First off: take a huge bow. Getting a leadership offer after enduring that absolute gauntlet of a day is nothing short of incredible!
It’s hilarious (and completely valid) how much of a nightmare that whole setup sounded, but if you look at it from their perspective, you actually passed the ultimate "stealth" leadership test.
Why You Actually Nailed It (Even If It Felt Like a Disaster)
Here is what that chaotic hour and a half proved to them about you:
Extreme Adaptability: Getting jerked around by the recruiter’s scheduling mess, being tossed into the waiting room limbo for 15 minutes, and still showing up ready to talk? You demonstrated patience and grace under administrative pressure before you even opened your mouth.
Composure Under Fire: You were battling a medication-induced brain fog and a sore throat, yet you stayed in the ring. In leadership, half the job is showing up and delivering when you don't feel 100%.
Grace Under Interrogation: That second senior interviewer jumping in late and playing devil's advocate to every answer? That’s classic stress-testing for senior roles. They didn't want polished, rehearsed answers—they wanted to see if you’d crumble or push back calmly when challenged. You answered every single question. You held your ground!
The Takeaway
"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor."
When things go wrong in an interview, we tend to fixate on the awkward pauses, the fuzzy brain moments, and the unexpected curveballs. But decision-makers aren't looking for perfection; they’re looking for resilience, poise, and substance under pressure.
You proved you have all three in spades. Enjoy this win, get some rest for that throat, and go celebrate that offer! 🥂
The axe is falling-what’s the going rate for severance?
Hi there,
63M, been working on an exit strategy over the past 18 months. But the axe just fell a little early and now making plans for cobra, IRA distributions, and tapping a modest pension. Wondering what the average severance package is for someone like me. 20 years with the company but they are struggling and have laid off 10-15% of the staff in the past 2 months. Previous coworkers a couple years ago have gotten 1 week’s pay for every year of service. I fear we are getting much less due to the struggles and the large number of layoffs. But what is considered a reasonable severance package? Am excited regardless, but have had this happen a couple other times and it worked out great.
Jobadvisor
Twenty years is a real anchor point here, and it sounds like you've been through this cycle enough times to know the ropes — that experience is worth something even in a stressful moment.
On severance norms: there's no legal requirement in the US for severance at all (unless a contract or WARN Act violation applies), so it's entirely at the company's discretion. That said, common benchmarks:
- 1 week per year of service is a fairly typical baseline, especially at larger, older companies — matching what your former coworkers got.
- 2 weeks per year shows up more for senior/long-tenured employees or in more generous packages, though it's less common when a company is in financial distress.
- Companies doing large layoffs (10-15% of staff, as you're describing) sometimes do scale severance down when cash-strapped, but plenty also stick to their standard formula because changing it invites legal and morale risk. It genuinely varies a lot by industry and company health.
A few things worth knowing given your specific situation:
Age-related legal protection: If you're 40+ and being asked to sign a severance agreement that waives age-discrimination claims (ADEA), the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act requires the company give you at least 21 days to consider it (45 days if it's part of a larger group layoff) and a 7-day revocation window after signing. Don't let anyone rush you past that — it's your legal right, and it's also useful negotiating time.
Negotiation angles people sometimes miss:
- Payout of unused PTO (sometimes bundled, sometimes separate — worth confirming)
- Extended health coverage or a COBRA subsidy period rather than just the standard severance number
- Outplacement services
- Whether any unvested equity/pension components can be accelerated or adjusted
On the financial mechanics you mentioned: at 63 you're past 59½, so IRA distributions won't trigger the early-withdrawal penalty, but they're still taxable as ordinary income — worth thinking about timing relative to when severance and unemployment income land, since stacking them all in one tax year can push you into a higher bracket. That's a good conversation to have with a tax preparer or financial advisor before you start pulling from accounts, since the right sequencing depends on your full picture (pension timing, Social Security claiming age, etc.) — I can walk through general tradeoffs, but I'm not a substitute for someone who can see your actual numbers.
Given you've navigated a couple of these before, does this one feel structurally different, or mostly just worse-timed than you'd have liked?
Going to lose my job
24M.
I work at Wells Fargo and everything thats happening around here, I am convinced they are going to lay off me within 5-6 months.
I am preparing for job switch but not much hopes as I am not getting any interview calls
Dont know whats in the future.
Jobadvisor
It is completely understandable to feel anxious right now, but your gut instinct is rooted in real signal. Wells Fargo has been systematically downsizing and trimming headcount across corporate, tech, operations, and risk roles over consecutive quarters as part of a ongoing efficiency push.
Seeing the writing on the wall 5 to 6 months in advance is a massive tactical advantage. Most people get zero warning. You have a half-year runway to build a financial shield and revamp your job search strategy.
1. Tighten Your Financial Defense Immediately
Before fixing your resume, audit your money. Knowing your exact "runway" eliminates existential dread and replaces it with clear numbers.
Build a "Panic-Free" Liquid Reserve: Calculate your essential monthly burn rate (rent, food, utilities, minimum debt payments). Aim to stockpile at least 3–6 months of lean expenses in a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA).
Freeze Major Discretionary Cash Outflows: Pause major purchases, non-essential subscriptions, or voluntary high-cost trips until you are safely settled in a new role.
Understand Your Severance Potential: If laid off, Wells Fargo generally provides a severance package based on tenure (typically 1–3 weeks per year of service, plus benefits continuation). Never count on severance as your primary plan, but treat it as a potential bonus runway buffer.
2. Why You Aren't Getting Interview Calls (And How to Fix It)
At 24, with early-career experience at a major bank, your resume shouldn't be getting ignored. When qualified candidates get zero callbacks, it usually comes down to two specific traps:
Trap A: "Internal Jargon" Bottleneck
Big-bank resumes are notorious for using internal company acronyms, software tools, or specific risk/compliance framework names that external Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruiters do not recognize.
The Fix: Strip out internal Wells Fargo jargon. Rephrase bank-specific workflows into generic industry standards (e.g., replace internal process names with standard terms like data pipeline optimization, process automation, or cross-functional risk management).
Trap B: Over-relying on Cold Online Applications
Applying cold to open postings on major job boards yields low conversion rates in the current financial and tech market.
The Fix: Shift from "100% online forms" to a 70/30 strategy:
70% Direct Outreach: Reach out directly to alumni from your university, ex-Wells Fargo colleagues who recently moved to other firms, or team leads at target mid-tier/regional banks, fintechs, or credit unions.
30% Standard Applications: Submit applications within 24–48 hours of a posting going live, ensuring your resume keywords match the job description line for line.
To Tailor an Actionable Gameplan:
To give you a precise breakdown for your job search and financial preparation, share a few details:
What is your specific role or domain at Wells Fargo? (e.g., Software Engineering, Risk/Compliance, Operations, Analyst, Branch Operations)
What does your current financial safety net look like? (e.g., How many months of expenses do you currently have saved?)
Are you open to relocating or pivoting outside traditional banking? (e.g., Fintech, corporate finance, consulting, tech)