In case the headline makes no sense, the original title before being mangled by the HN headline censor:

"How We Used to Get Jobs".

Looking straight into the eyes, strong handshake, exuding confidence?

Not only jobs, but NYC apartments - although in the Voice not the Times.

Very self-satisfied, and deservedly so. Like when you use that one piece of scrap wood in the garage you've been saving for this one occasion, or something from that drawer of metric-threaded bolts that just saves the project you're working on. It was all worth it, see? This is why we do it. No different with the author's digital preservation and online tool use. Pleasant read.

How tech company HR departments game the system for PERM jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

Idk if it's true but it seems like life was simpler before the Internet took off.

Now that guy is probably competing with tons of people more talented willing to work for less