Fyreside Newsletter - 4/6/26

Hey Reader,

Short one today because it should have been a long weekend. I'm not particularly passionate about Easter, I just think we need more holidays.

I'm applying for jobs!

Which is not something I planned to do again after starting this business, but that's life. The reality is that the world is a nightmare and, as much as I love being self-employed, it's not providing the stability that I'd hoped. I am still freelancing through Bahnfyre! In fact, I had a consultation call last week that went really well! But the more things start to look like 2008, (or 2000, or 1981, or 1929...) the more I am starting to hunt for a consistent paycheck.

If you'd like to work with me, please don't hesitate to reach out! I am still looking for a few additional clients! Help me not need to find a new job!

Anyway, here's what that's like...

My stories are not new or unique; anyone who has applied to a job in the last four years will recognize these experiences. However, for those of you who haven't been on the job market recently, I think it's important to be transparent as to what that experience is like these days. So, without further ado, here's how it's going:

I've applied to ~30 jobs in the last 4 weeks. I've heard back from 6, and 4 of those were automatic replies letting me know I wasn't moving forward.
One job that offered me an interview told me that I should expect to do 3-5 interviews with them, as well as a working project day before I'm offered a job.
I have filled out an additional ~20 applications that, upon completing the process, informed me they were no longer accepting applications.
I have found ~15 jobs that listed remote positions only to discover that they require you to live within 15 miles of a particular city.
Nearly every job I've applied for has asked me to list my desired salary, but only 3 jobs have listed a salary range for the position.
One position asked me to submit a portfolio. I asked what type of things they'd like to see in that portfolio and they said "whatever I thought was relevant." After sending my portfolio, they replied to let me know that it didn't include the types of things they were looking for.

And now for some interview stories...

When I asked one interviewer how they would measure success in the role they were hiring for, the interviewer replied with "I don't really know." The interviewer will be the direct supervisor of that position.
Same position, same interviewer, I asked what project areas they expected this position to own or focus on in the first few months of employment. Their response was again, "I don't really know."
A different interviewer started the interview by saying, "I don't know anything about you and I don't have your resume, so tell me about yourself."
An interviewer asked how I've implemented AI Chatbots into my day-to-day life. There was no mention of AI in the job description.
Another interviewer said "Well the boss screams at me sometimes, but the pay is fine. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
I was scheduled for a phone interview for a role. They did not give me a number to call and did not ask for my number. I did not have the phone interview.

Friendly reminder

Plenty of people apply for jobs they never get, myself included. However, many of those people will remain customers of the places they've applied. It is, in fact, possible to make your hiring process so painful that it burns a customer. Don't be that person.