Hungry for success: plea from homeless web developer goes viral

After a woman saw a homeless man handing out resumes, she took to Twitter and now even tech giants want to help him out. Photo / Twitter

Unemployed web developer David Casarez moved to Silicon Valley in California in the hope of breaking into the tech industry but ended up homeless.

Desperate for work, he took to the streets to ask for help and after his unorthodox approach to job hunting was shared on social media by a stranger his prospects are looking up.

Twitter user @jaysc0, or Jasmine, saw Mr Casarez asking people to take a resume and shared a picture of him on Twitter and in just under 24 hours, her tweet has 55,000 retweets and 77,000 likes.

Mr Casarez's resume says he is a college graduate from Texas A&M University, is "detail oriented and highly adaptable professional with experience developing, testing and deploying software".

He is currently freelancing in Silicon Valley, the home of the tech industry, however has hit a bump in the road and resorted to sleeping in parks.

Since the tweet went viral, Jasmine has kept in contact with Mr Casarez.

David Casarez's resume, which he was seen handing out on the streets of Silicon Valley. Photo / Twitter

In response to her initial tweet, she said she understood Mr Casarez's 'pain' as she had been "stuck in the whirlpool that is Silicon Valley" herself, which is why she is determined to help out.

Silicon Valley is a double edged sword. Where it has helped many be successful at the same time many have become homeless or are having a difficult time to survive. I feel this man's pain.

— NLEChoppa_StanAccount (@ImOatMilkFarmer) July 28, 2018

Many people applauded Mr Casarez's hustle and some users did their best to help find a job for him.

People generally underestimate two things

1. How hard it is to get your foot in the door as an outsider. I lived in a car for months in Palo Alto with no prospects, connections or money to break into Silicon Valley

2. How wide doors are open once you’re on the inside and hustle

— 🏜️ Austen Allred (@Austen) July 28, 2018

Emailed him. He’ll be taken care of one way or another, probably doesn’t even need us. Anyone else with this much gumption and hustle please send my way. https://t.co/RnAiNd3pfr

— 🏜️ Austen Allred (@Austen) July 28, 2018

Jasmine then informed her following that technology giants Google and Netflix among many others have reached out to Mr Casarez.

Update: We’re putting him up in housing so he can focus on interviews, have a computer for him if needed, and he’ll be working with the @LambdaSchool careers team for interview practice if he doesn’t land a job quickly.

I’ll be shocked if he isn’t hired a month from now. https://t.co/RnAiNd3pfr

— 🏜️ Austen Allred (@Austen) July 29, 2018

Since going viral, Mr Casarez has signed up to Twitter, and took the time to thank Jasmine and everyone else for all the support.

Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support! I am completely floored by how many are interested in my #Hungry4Success story. I have met several who have been or currently are in the same situation tell me their story. I am glad to be an inspiration for you all.

— David Casarez (@DavidCasarez17) July 29, 2018