Welcome to understanding how tech jobs really work! Most people think CS positions get posted and then filled, but the real process is much more complex.
The journey starts long before you ever see a job posting on LinkedIn or Stack Overflow - and many developer positions never make it to public boards at all.
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Based on what you just learned, why might a software engineer job ad read like it's written for a specific person?
Here's what actually happens first: An engineering manager realizes they need help. Maybe someone left for another company, the team got a new project, or they got headcount approval for growth.
But they can't just post a job immediately. There's an internal approval process involving HR, budget cycles, and leadership that can take weeks or months.
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Name one internal approval step an engineering manager likely faces before they can post a developer role.
Before posting publicly, tech companies have three internal options: promote a junior developer, transfer an engineer from another team, or ask current developers for referrals.
Many positions get filled at this stage. Studies show 70-80% of tech jobs never appear on public job boards!
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Why do you think tech companies prefer filling developer positions internally first?
This is what people call the "hidden job market" - real engineering positions that exist but aren't advertised publicly.
Networking becomes crucial because these opportunities only reach people connected to current developers, through GitHub contributions, tech meetups, or direct contact with hiring managers.
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Name one way you could tap into this hidden tech job market.
When internal options don't work, companies decide between posting publicly or hiring technical recruiters first.
The choice depends on how specialized the role is (senior backend vs. junior frontend), how quickly they need to fill it, and their past success with different methods.
