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I do have a relatively prolific online prescence, with some blog posts that do precisely that; they're quite fun to write! Contributing to open source is also a great idea.

I don't feel frustrated, I feel relieved, actually. My vague sense of idealism is no more. I'm amazed that I opened this thread and received so much valuable and candid advice. I can now refocus and move forward. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Yes, I've been reading about people's experiences with visas all afternoon now, it does indeed seem quite different from what I've known.

To be honest though, I kind of wanted to believe. Breifly reading the visa requirements and being told the direct contrary was definitely concerning but I think I just put faith in the possibility of being an exception. Still possible, but now I know the likelihood. <1%.

I've always thought that because it's not a big monetary investment relative to the TC they're paying, it's more about the lack of legal capital a company has (esp with the startups I targeted), the hard # limits on H1-B's, the time investment, and all the bureaucracy.

But yes, this makes total sense and it's easy to see why filling entry-level positions with local talent is far more rational.

You're crass, but not an asshole. And no, I'm not trolling. Like I've explained throughout the replies, it appears as though I've been grossly misinformed.

You're right; I did way too little research, but again, I was told by recruiters working for the bootcamp not to worry about visas, and that the visa requirements were 'malleable enough', to the point where the degree requirement for H1-B's could be exchanged with literally 0 years of experience. (At the time of graduation)

I was even told of someone a few cohorts before me that was in a similar position. They took the bootcamp after high school, graduated at 18, then got hired at Google soon after. I don't believe this happened anymore, and again, I think this was told to me due to the bootcamp's incentives being where they were. I do feel slightly cheated, but I undestand that I'm responsible for my own due diligence.

This is surprising. Can you point me toward some sources where I can learn more?

The idea of climbing a corporate ladder doesn't jump out at me personally, but this is definitly something to consider.

My ideal company size is like 2-10 employees. I thought I could just waltz into SV, join a cool early-stage startup, etc etc. Lol. Startups seems even less likely to sponsor than large companies, as they don't have the capital to spare on a bureaucractic process like that. And European tech hubs just don't have the same culture unfortunately. By the time I'm eligible to simply pick and choose startups to join in SV, I'll (hopefully) have too much responsibility to risk like that.

Thanks for the advice anyhow.

I have the same experience. As soon as I'm asked whether I'll need sponsorship, it's done. Thank you for sharing.

Nothing– I was under the assumption that 'the job market was on fire' and 'there is an endless need for devs' and that 'just keep going, you'll make it!'

Up until today, I was following naively optimistic advice from recruiters on my bootcamp's alumni network, without considering where their incentives lie.

I now realise that they're incentivised to encourage their alumni beyond truth, to never give up, because persistence is on average the best heuristic for getting a job (or doing anything, for that matter).

What I failed to consider was the nuance in my particular situation. I didn't research much, I just leaned into the job search, always trying to avoid inaction and premature optimization like a cancer. I 'put my head down' and 'kept grinding'. I now can see the dogma of persistence and how futile the last few months have been. Thankfully, this isn't much time in the grand scheme of things. C'est la vie.

Nah. Went back to EU after bootcamp and worked there.

for the record it wasn't lambda school lol

Do you think my age is a positive or a negative signal for people in SF? And what about other places?

Can you elaborate? I do have _some_ competitive advantage from being a tourist here.

Primarily, I thought more companies would return to in person interviews after everyone got vaccinated. This was mostly wrong. A US mobile #, being in the same TZ, networking irl, have all helped marginally however.

To address the legality of what I'm doing– yes, it's dubious.

Your experience is insighful. Thanks for sharing!