Start date: late June 2025

Offer accepted date: late September 2025

Start date: late October 2025

Search duration: 4 months

Sabbatical duration: 16 months

Companies applied to: 50-60

Time spent interviewing: ~40 hours

Offers received: one company (two teams)

Years of Experience: 10+

Accepted role: Senior Software Engineer

Cash salary percent change: -25%

Equity cash equivalent percent change (ish): +∞% ^[1]

Company type change: private -> public

Company HQ change: NYC -> SF

Remote/hybrid/onsite change: none (remote)

AI: Everywhere

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The first big rejection in early August was tough. I took some time off from interviews. After finishing all my interviews, I felt better. I was expecting an offer from another company but they sent a cold email declining after my last interview. I still don’t know why and wish companies would give concrete feedback after spending 8+ hours interviewing.

Michigan companies still interview like Michigan companies, not as “modern” as they claim. I interviewed with a Ford subsidiary and was shocked by the questions they asked. It felt like I was taking an exam rather than an interview. They were looking for textbook answers.

For r/recruitinghell, I feel thankful it was a short turnaround time for me. I hope I’ll enjoy the new job and keep woodworking. I still love building and creating with my hands; anything physical I can make reminds me I’m not a robot or AI.

Goal is to not burnout again. Work with cool people and interesting problems. Give talks and teach others. I’m super excited to have the opportunity to use Rust at Dropbox scale.

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Photo by Tim Gouw: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-white-shirt-using-macbook-pro-52608/

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^[1] I could talk for hours on startup equity. Here’s my opinion: private company equity is worth nothing and the vesting is meaningless, UNLESS they go public. But most startups won’t. A public company giving RSUs are cash equivalent, the equity being granted is already liquid. It’s been 7 years since I left Carta and still haven’t seen any liquidity on my stock.