I’m 38 years old and have been doing software development for 15 years now. I feel like my skills are lacking in several areas. First there’s the technical. I can code well enough but I’m terrible at algorithmic type questions. Forget leetcode, I just can’t figure them out. So far I’ve done ok but I’m dreading the day I get assigned something that I just can’t figure out and can’t do. I’ve already accepted that I’ll never make it to architect level. Soft skills, I have none. No leadership ability to speak of, introverted, social anxiety. I have basically zero business skills/awareness. I try to read books to get better in these areas but I just never seem to get it. I have a wife and a son and I’m starting to worry about our financial security in the future. After all these years of experience I’m still stuck at SMTS (senior software engineer). I know many engineers around my age that are one, two, even more, levels above me. So what happens when I interview in a few years after getting laid off or something, and they wonder why I am still at such a low level, and don’t want to hire me? That’s assuming I didn’t already bomb the programming portion of the interview. I love coding but I feel like I’m on a path to unemployability. What can I do?
If you code well enough to work on the product side at SF, I think you can be reasonably assured of steady employment in an IT shop or in the public sector.
Well, I lucked out. In my Salesforce interview they didn’t have me do any whiteboard coding. That’s probably the only reason I got the job. I feel so useless.
I think, like others have pointed out, you need to go HAM on developing some soft skills. See a therapist, join Toastmasters, etc. Go HAM.
Push yourself at work. Increase your ownership on projects. Think of it not as you working for Salesforce but as a chance to improve your skills
That’s what I’m trying to do, but I just don’t ever seem to get a chance to take ownership on something. It doesn’t help that I’m very timid and anxious all the time. The responsibility of ownership terrifies me to be honest.
Ownership scares you??? Wow....
Have you thought about saving certain amount of your income and invest? That, says 10 years, could save you from stress and have FI.
Ok, sounds like you can learn some leadership skills and you’ll be fine. Everything in life must be learned. Some people just pick up certain things more quickly than others but that’s fine. 1) Read books on management — High Output Management, Radical Candor, to name a few. 2) Join Toastmasters or a public speaking class. It’ll boost your confidence and communication skills. 3) Find a mentor in management (probably Director level or higher) who can coach you. You’re perfect and not behind at all — most people move into management around their mid 30s, if they decide to go that route.
You don’t have to keep climbing the ladder. The reality is that most people don’t make it to the top level. Just find a good role where you do your best job writing code if that is your thing. Staying in the same job for a long time would probably be a mistake and you are right to be concerned about getting laid off eventually. Unfortunately, changing jobs means excelling at solving algorithm problems so I would focus on that. Leetcoding is a skill that can be trained. It is not rocket science. If I can do it, anyone can do it. I am 45 and worked at Oracle for a long time working on stale legacy code. My social skills are non-existent and the imposter syndrome is killing me every day. Hope this makes you feel better.
Join Government org's IT division in Washington State. Good pension.
You can try management path! You can learn as a new manager! Many are advising you to make LMTS or hang around as SMTS. But that’s too risky not to make progress and if your weakness is exposed someone might just try to get rid of you! Govt job is good option! BTW, SMTS is not Sr. Software Engineer equivalent at Amazon or other FAANGs. It’s more like Amazon SDE2.
Problem is, I have zero interest in management. I have shit soft skills so I would suck at it, but the thought of it also bores me. I like the technical track much better.
Amazon SDE2 is anywhere from a new grad with 1 year of experience, to 10+ years at times. Assuming OP interviewed well, he could certainly make L6.
Have you considered taking a software engineering, algorithms, or data structure class? It's an extra work and cost but might build your skills and confidence, while also forcing you into a social situation without risking your job. I do mean old school, college class. A teaching college or a community college would do great.
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Does your wife work?
No, she is a stay at home mom. Before we had kids she was making very little money anyway.
If you get one promotion you will be at the terminal level at your company, correct? Are you on a path to get it? Does your current project/team provide you the scope for that?