Are you someone who completed your graduation in a tech-related course? Maybe you spent months learning Python and even built an impressive portfolio on GitHub.

You have exhausted every possible job-hunting video on YouTube and threads on Reddit, after having applied to tens and hundreds of roles on LinkedIn and Indeed.

You might have even mastered the art of tailoring your resume and cover letter to pixel-perfect precision so that it matches the job description.

Yet, no calls? No offer still? Did they decide "to move on with another candidate"? Did that hit too close to home for you?

Well, the good news is, you are not the only one in this! And the bad news? You are not the only one!

You might have read headlines circulating on the internet that there is always a skyrocketing demand for developers or that tech shortages never end. However, the problem is, if you are at an entry-level, the disadvantages are a lot higher on your side than the advantages.

As open as they may seem, the gates to the tech world are guarded by unexpected norms, burn-it-down hiring practices, and a viciously competitive applicant pool.

So, despite your impressive accolades, why is landing your first tech job so difficult in 2025?

The Catch-22 of Employment Pool

Let's begin with the irony of how most "entry-level" jobs require 2 or more years of experience.

Why are companies raising the standard for junior positions so much that they might need a mid-level applicant to qualify for it?

With tech-layoffs flooding the industry at the time, companies are favouring candidates with highly specialised skills and "proven experience", for entry-level jobs.

The vicious cycle of tech-employment is when you need to have entry-level experience to be able to apply for a position that is supposed to provide entry-level experience.

Rather than offering entry-level positions to new grads or self-taught developers with calibre, companies are easily replacing them with desperate displaced engineers with real-world experience.

This leaves true beginners trying to step into the industry out of the hiring funnel.

The paradox is that even for comparatively newer positions, the case remains the same.

About 35 percent of job postings labelled as “entry-level” actually required prior relevant work experience.

There is an influx of candidates who are willing to take up entry-level jobs in spite of holding more than three to five years of experience in the industry.

It is given that hands-on experience in a particular role is a convenient measure of ability.

The problem with this method is, however, you will most certainly miss out on candidates who are promising up-and-comers without experience yet.

Is Your GitHub Portfolio Good Enough?

There has been a rise of self-taught developers and coding bootcamps currently. This has shifted the value from diplomas to the ability to demonstrate skills.

That still does not warrant you a recruiter call just because you were able to slap together a to-do app.

Hiring managers expect to see problem-solving, creativity and relevance.

If you think having a great functional portfolio is going to cut it, you are wrong. You need a contextual one, something that shows your "whys and hows".

When it has become normal for a company to take you through a 5-stage interview process, yet with no hint of your salary package, that is when you know that you are not just being evaluated.

These processes test not only technical knowledge but also problem-solving speed, communication under pressure, and cultural fit — areas where preparation and mindset are as critical as raw skill.

Your Résumé vs the Algorithm

So, here is the public secret to hack the first level of hiring pool. Get your résumé ATS (Application Tracking Systems)-friendly.

What does that mean? Well, your résumé probably is not even getting read by a human, at least initially.

This is exactly why the hurdle is even higher for you to jump across. These ruthless systems are filtered out on the basis of punctuation or formatting errors.

The most brutal of them is because your résumé is missing the keywords that the algorithm was looking for.

Hundreds of applicants have already processed an application on LinkedIn for an entry-level post in the first hour the job listing went online.

The hiring market is oversaturated, and standing out in this competition is all about your numbers and content.

It was revealed that over 99 per cent of Fortune 500 companies use ATS software, and that only 25 per cent of résumés get past it without keyword optimization.

So, the first step could be to revamp your resume.

Soft Skills: The Most Underrated (Unless You Don't Have Any)

In technical interviews, unfortunately, as much as getting the correct answers by exhibiting the calibre and right skillset required for the position, you are evaluated on how you think and communicate as on whether you get the right answer.

This leads to a larger number of candidates failing to impress the interviewer, as their mere focus was only on their technical acumen.

Especially with non-native English speakers, this might hold to be true to an alarming number.

The underdiscussed presumption that the inability to express your technical skills in a second language equates your inability of the skill itself is baffling.

Companies like Google, Meta and Shopify rank collaborative problem-solving and resilience (demanding exceptional language prowess) higher than the technical skill while assessing their junior candidates.

How Can You Navigate the Process?

These challenges may sound unbeatable but there are strategies that can effectively bypass the hurdles in the hiring landscape.

Build a Portfolio with Real Projects

Take up freelance work, include open source contributions and demonstrate practical skills beyond your résumé.

Continuous Learning

Stay on top of the industry by constantly updating your knowledge on trends, tools and practices. Take up bootcamps and online courses if you are looking at coding platforms.

Network Strategically

Your LinkedIn should be your launch-off pad where you connect with professionals in tech communities, attend meetings and seek guidance and referrals.

Pair with Mentors

Employing platforms like ADPList and MentorCruise can help you connect with professionals who could offer assistance to polish your strategy.

Develop Soft Skills

Chisel your communication and collaboration skills. Problem-solving is not efficient unless you can clearly word the strategy out. You can always take up volunteer roles and group projects to help with this.

Rigorous Interview-Prepping

Practice coding challenges and system design basics. Challenge yourself with behavioural questions. Get your knee deep in mock interviews. Make use of Leetcode and HackerRank to assist you.

If you are aware of your setbacks and is willing to leverage your skills to work towards a better strategy, you might actually land that interview you were trying so hard for.

The tech world is vast and evolving. But, no, that does not open a free arena to walk in unless you are strategic, persistent and resourceful.

So here's to failing, learning, and building!

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah