Two Years and 2,000 Applications: How One Grad Finally Landed a Tech Job
Dianna Dimambro, 29, applied for nearly 2,000 developer positions over the past two years. She finally received offers from Target and a startup—and chose the startup. Dimambro said she never expected landing an entry-level engineering job would be this difficult.
"In 2022, at 25, I went back to university to become a UX engineer—a role that blends software engineering and UX design to build scalable applications for users," she said. Before that, she had worked in social media management and web design, already gaining experience in UX.
In her first year of studies, she had numerous interviews and recruiters reaching out, so despite the wave of tech layoffs in 2024, she remained optimistic about securing a full-time position as graduation approached.
She had been job hunting since 2024—until recently. Along the way, she took on freelance work, acquiring clients and doing web development while still in school. After graduating, she spent about five and a half months at a fintech company, though in sales rather than tech. The entire sales department was later eliminated.
She also juggled five side jobs, including dog sitting, website development, and helping local businesses with social media strategies.
Over the past two years, she applied to more than 2,000 jobs. Many never responded. Finally, this month, she received two offers: one for a full-time role at a startup, the other for an internship at retail giant Target. She weighed which would carry more weight for her career.
"I really wanted to work for a large company building applications for millions of users," she said. "That's why I leaned toward Target, even though it was just an internship."
But two years after graduating—and with prior internship experience—she worried that while a full-time offer from Target might come, the volatile tech job market, rife with layoffs, offered no guarantees.
Ultimately, she chose the startup because it would let her dive straight into the field and break into the tech industry. "When I realized I was two years out of school and confident in my software engineering skills, I saw the startup as an opportunity I was ready for," she explained.
She'll also be one of the only engineers at the startup, meaning she'll have a direct hand in shaping the project and its direction.
She never anticipated having to apply so aggressively for years on end.
"I did everything," she said. "I upskilled. I joined multiple organizations. I mentored and tutored other students. I built a strong portfolio with projects that showcased my abilities. I passed technical screenings and even landed an internship at a Fortune 500 company."
Around graduation, she felt secure. She networked, too, but faced stiff competition—many highly talented candidates, some technically stronger than her, given her career switch.
"Companies increasingly want mid- or senior-level engineers," she observed. "Hiring a junior carries risk—they might not perform well—whereas someone with years of experience already integrates AI into their workflow."
Entry-level jobs seem to be disappearing. Many of her classmates faced the same struggle and returned to school.
She chose this career path because so much of life now happens online. "As an engineer, I can design digital experiences that reach millions of users," she said.
She still believes software engineering is a strong career choice. "If I could go back, I'd study computer science and take this path again."
But the market shifted by the time she graduated. Employers now prioritize candidates with experience in AI integration over those focused solely on engineering and design. "Maybe I should have specialized in a specific industry instead of staying broad in tech," she reflected.
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