I used to be very good at playing the getting-hired and negotiation games, on behalf of myself and others. Times have changed, and I've probably lost the pulse, but now, like back then, a big part is understanding what game the other side is playing. This is a very good post to read for early- and mid-career folks: https://lobste.rs/s/mroowi/being_kicked_out_tech_industry#c_tvw4yk