Recognizing the Signs of Change

In early 2024, I started considering new job opportunities. While I was still employed, I had growing concerns about my future in the company. The projects I was working on were challenging but didn’t provide the level of impact I hoped for. They lacked clear direction, and despite the effort put into them, they never went live. This raised a red flag for me—if the company’s own projects weren’t generating revenue, what would that mean for my position in the long term?

As time passed, I began visualizing my future within the company, and unfortunately, the forecast wasn’t promising. I knew I had to prepare myself for potential changes, seeking new opportunities elsewhere.

Enrolling in a Guide AI English Program

One of my career goals was to work remotely for an international company. I loved the idea of collaborating with people from different countries in English, and I knew that improving my fluency would open doors to better opportunities, including the possibility of studying abroad.

With that in mind, I came across an ad on Instagram for a guided AI-powered English course. I downloaded the Praktika app and enrolled in the program. The first lessons were promising, so I set a clear goal: commit to three months of continuous learning before applying for international job opportunities.

Today, there are other apps like Promova, which also seem like great options for language learning. If you’re curious about how AI-assisted English learning works, check out my article: Learn English Like Never Before: Chatbots & Apps That Make Learning Fun.

Skills That Matter

My first focus was on Globant, an international outsourcing company that offers long-term contracts and benefits like family health insurance, remote work, and children’s bonuses. I started their hiring process in July 2024, but despite my strong experience, I quickly realized that many of their projects required two key skills:

  • React – While I had extensive front-end experience, React was a must-have in most of the interviews.
  • English Fluency – Strong communication skills in English were essential in several projects.

After three unsuccessful months of interviews for different projects at Globant, I realized I needed to improve my skills. Understanding this, I set clear goals: learn React and improve my English. I also expanded my job search to other international companies with competitive salaries.

Taking Action Before It Was Too Late

In December 2024, I had an interview with Stephanie Bueno, a recruiter from Remotely Works. After a great conversation, she gave me an eye-opening piece of advice:

“Your experience and personality are great, but we cannot move forward with the hiring process. If you improve your English fluency, you’ll have another opportunity with us—possibly with an even better salary than you’re asking.”

That conversation was a turning point. After our meeting, she followed up via email, recommending Anytime English, an affordable program offering one-on-one lessons with a real tutor for just $8 per hour. The email also highlighted that if I completed the program and was eventually hired, the company would cover 50% of the investment.

I immediately enrolled and started working with Teacher Lyn, whose lessons were incredibly helpful. Around the same time, I had already enrolled in a React course to strengthen my technical skills.

Treating Job Searching Like a Full-Time Job: The Strategy That Worked

A Critical Moment: Losing My Job

On January 30, 2025, due to a company restructuring process, I was laid off. I knew that day was coming but didn’t know the exact time. I had a lot of feelings in that moment, but the most immediate ones were about financial responsibilities: mortgage payments, car insurance, and more. Even though I am someone who tries to save money, my budget wouldn’t cover more than two months. That same night, I officially started looking for a new job.

A Structured Job Search Routine

After day one, I approached the job search with discipline and focus, treating it as a full-time job. This was my routine during the job-seeking period:

  • Sitting in my office chair from 8 AM to 5 PM to apply for jobs.
  • Taking technical tests and improving my interview skills during those hours.
  • Updating my LinkedIn profile and showcasing my latest work.

One of the companies I focused on was BairesDev, whose hiring process involved multiple code challenges. At first, completing them boosted my confidence and technical skills, but as the process dragged on, it became a major stop point in my job search. The hiring cycle started to feel as long as Globant’s, with multiple interviews and unexpected technical questions that didn’t align with what I had anticipated. This shift turned my initial enthusiasm into disappointment. After spending several days on tests and code challenges, I realized I needed to keep my options open and avoid investing too much time in a process with unpredictable timelines.

An Unexpected Breakthrough

When I least expected it, on February 20, a company I had been in contact with reached out for an interview. The process moved incredibly fast, much faster than the usual long hiring timelines.

I first met with Jhossy, the recruiter, and at the end of our conversation, she immediately connected me with the hiring team. What made me happiest was the enthusiastic reaction from the hiring team. Not only were they impressed by my experience, but they also expressed genuine admiration for my web portfolio, Juliandigital.com.

The next day, she scheduled a follow-up meeting, where she shared exciting news:

“The company is very interested in you.”

The Power of a Strong Portfolio

I built my first portfolio in 2018 after successfully creating multiple websites for friends and relatives who needed a digital presence. Over time, I realized the importance of having a personal brand in the tech industry. So, in 2023, I decided to redefine my portfolio, transforming it into a blog focused on articles, technical insights, and industry trends rather than just a showcase of past projects.

This new version, Juliandigital.com, was designed to be the best portfolio possible. I spent countless hours coding, but without a clear design direction, I decided to hire an experienced designer to craft something unique. The design was inspired by freelancer portfolios worldwide that I had carefully chosen as references. It took weeks to finalize both the design and development, ensuring it stood out from typical developer portfolios.

At the time, I saw it as a way to establish credibility and showcase my expertise, but I never expected it to be a key factor in getting hired, especially since most companies prioritize coding challenges over portfolios. Yet, it turned out to be one of the most impactful decisions of my career.

Lessons from My Job Search Journey

This job search was challenging, but in the end, it was all worth it. Reflecting on my experience, I see how investing in React and, especially, English significantly expanded my opportunities. My portfolio played a bigger role than I expected, proving that showcasing real work can sometimes be more valuable than passing technical quizzes.

One of the biggest lessons? Persistence and discipline. Some hiring processes, like those at Globant or BairesDev, can take months, not necessarily due to a slow process but because, in my case, Angular, my main skill, was in low demand among their clients. Ironically, one of them moved forward just two days after I was already hired. This reinforced the importance of keeping my options open: while big companies often have long and complex hiring cycles, other opportunities might move faster. Keep this in mind if you’re aiming for a role in a large company.

Finally, the contrast in interview approaches was eye-opening. Some companies focused on real-world skills, while others emphasized theoretical knowledge that felt disconnected from practical development. I believe the best hiring process should evaluate problem-solving ability, real experience, and adaptability, not just memory recall.

If you’re currently job searching, my advice is simple: keep learning, stay adaptable, and don’t limit yourself to one path, the right opportunity might be closer than you think. 🚀