REFORGE

You're not broken. The system is.

A community where engineers support each other through job search — and stay to help the next person.

Now accepting applications for the first 100 founding members.

If You've Ever Been Laid Off
You Know...

Applying to 30 jobs, hearing back from 2
Getting ghosted after a round for no apparent reason
The 2 am anxiety wondering what to do next
Months of "still looking" taking its toll
The sense ofisolation that almost breaks you

No It's not you.
The hiring process is simply broken.
And we are here to change that.

Job loss can be one of the best times to rebuild yourself.

And you can do it better with a group.

What Is ReForge?

A private community of unemployed, underemployed, and fully-employed software engineers supporting each other — not just until we land roles, but after.

COMMUNITY HUB

Weekly check-ins with people who actually get it

MENTAL HEALTH

The real talk space — 2am anxiety, self-doubt, the hard stuff

MOCK INTERVIEWS

Practice with hiring managers and peers, friends, not strangers

RESOURCES

Curated guides, resume templates, not overwhelming dumps

PRIVATE JOB BOARD

Real jobs, employers must get back to you within 7 days.

WEEKLY EVENTS

Group events, in-person coffee chats, sponsored event meetups.

VERIFICATION

Verified members only, must be software engineers

SUCCESS STORIES

Celebrate wins, share learnings.

EMPLOYER PORTAL

Where companies prove they're different (Phase 2)

Not another job board with community features.
Not LinkedIn.

This is a community first, with a private job board.

Who This Is For

This Is For You If :

  • You're a software engineer who was laid off
  • You're actively job searching (not casually browsing)
  • You want to support others while being supported
  • You're tired of doing this alone

This Isn't For:

  • Currently employed engineers (consider join as a community supporter)
  • Recruiters or employers (consider join as an employer)
  • People just looking for job leads (we're community-first)
Brian Zhang

Hi, I'm Brian.

I've been in tech since 2009. Laid off April 2024. Instant rock bottom.

I spent months in a funk. The isolation was brutal. I kept thinking: "I'm an experienced engineer—why do I feel so broken?"

Turns out, I wasn't broken. The system is.

You've sent 200 applications. 4 responses. 0 explanations.
The market decides if you're valuable — not your skills, not your experience. You know for a FACT that you can deliver value to those companies from day one.
Yet reality is, when market is hot, employers and recruiters get ghosted. When it's cold, you're left fighting for scraps.

ReForge refuses to accept this. We're building a place where employers and recruiters are held equally responsible throughout the hiring process. Where your application gets a response — always. Where community support isn't transactional, it's real.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. - Gandhi

In the age of AI, more than ever, we need each other.
Let's start now.

— Brian Zhang

linkedin.com/in/brianchizhang

How to Join

1

APPLY

Fill out form (2 minutes)

  • → We ask: background, LinkedIn, what you need from the community
2

VERIFY

15-min call with a ForgeMaster (our admins)

  • → We verify you're actually laid off (LinkedIn + redacted docs)
  • → Not an interview — a conversation
3

JOIN

Get access to all 9 spaces

  • → Post your intro, get access to our private job board
  • → Show up to first event
4

ENGAGE

Weekly check-ins in Community Hub

  • → Mock interviews with peers
  • → Help others (especially after you land)

Timeline: Apply → Approved in 24-48 hours

Why ReForge, Not LinkedIn?

Other PlatformsReForge
Charge unemployedAlways free for unemployed
35-67% ghosting ratesAccountability enforced
No real communityWeekly support & check-ins
TransactionalMission-driven
Disappear after hiredStay to help next person
Ghost jobs everywhereNo ghost jobs tolerated
IsolationHumans supporting humans
Charge unemployed
→ Always free for unemployed
35-67% ghosting rates
→ Accountability enforced
No real community
→ Weekly support & check-ins
Transactional
→ Mission-driven
Disappear after hired
→ Stay to help next person
Ghost jobs everywhere
→ No ghost jobs tolerated
Isolation
→ Humans supporting humans

FAQ

Yes. Unemployed engineers never pay. That's the rule. Employers and community supporters help fund this project.
Because this only works if everyone here is actually going through this. We're not a networking group for employed people. We're a support system for people in crisis.
Celebrate! Then stick around to help others. That's the whole point.
For the founding cohort, yes. We want tight-knit first. We'll expand once we get enough of this group hired.
That's okay. Take what you need. Give when you can.
Feel free to join as employers or recruiters. We will need to meet first ensure you are a good fit for our community, after that you will have access to our private job board.
You're welcome! Events are recorded. Community Hub is async chat.

Your job search doesn't have to be lonely.

We're accepting the first 100 founding members.
Applications close when we hit capacity.

Find your core support group this week
In person events coming soon
Free to you if you're unemployed