Hi, I have 10+ years of experience but don’t seem to apply to the right level of jobs. As a result I am getting lowballed and then I see crazy comps on here but most are market rate. I am not good at coding interviews and am practicing . In my day job I am leading projects but because I joined at a low level , my tc is not great. I wanted to know which levels/companies should I apply for to maximize TC and what is reasonable to expect. I have had a long career gap, so I am not at peak confidence wise. Also, not sure if age/gender plays a factor but I am in my early forties and female. Appreciate any tips to help me make what I should be making. Right now my TC is 180K Thanks
What is your level at Apple and location?
I am at Oracle now, IC3 , Bay Area
Similar to salary negotiation, level negotiation also depends on leverage which is a combination of interview performance, multiple offers, not being desperate and willingness to walk away.
Nothing like 4 competing offers to kick up your compensation at your desired employer.
I agree with all your points. With my current job I feel less desperate for sure.
LeetCode. Seriously, pay for the site and search here for strategies on getting the most out of it. Which is generally: don't spend more than 20-30 minutes on a problem before looking at the solution or discussion section, to learn the approach for that problem. Buy Grokking the System Design Interview. It's an online resource that's a little cheesy but sets you up much better for system design questions. If you have the time, read Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppmann. Or at least skim parts of it. It should give a little extra confidence if you need more detail on components within a system design. Then get good at articulating your tech lead skills and experience. You need this for the behavioral/leadership interview modules. Often, this may require a lot more reflection on your past experiences than you normally need. DM if you want more specific advice.
Thanks for your detailed answer. I did not know about the Martin Kleppmann book, will definitely check it out. I also need to get better at highlighting my experience. I am selling myself short and that’s why I am frustrated with myself. Thanks for your advice.
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Yeah I definitely need more practice.