Recruiter visibility and career advice
I've been applying to the top SWE companies for years, but it just seems unattainable. The jobs I seem to get are always R&D based on a projects no one in the company cares about. (But can't kill due to politics) I almost always end up being the most productive developer on the team, with the majority of responsibilities falling on me. I had two on-sites with Microsoft and Google, a few years apart. I spent months solving Leetcode and Hackerrank problems to prepare. Both times the recruiters were compelled to share with me what they consider unusual results - half my interviewers gave very strong Hire signals, and the others against. They tell me they want to keep in touch, but they never do. They probably tell everyone that to soften the blow. This doesn't matter, but I have a Masters from a top school. I'm just not sure what more I can do... I'm constantly applying with no response, and when I get something I blow it on the onsite. I'm at least consistently passing the phone screens, so there's that.
It's probably because you work for Huawei, and companies are tired of your employer stealing their IP
Try to do a couple of mock interviews with Google / FB engineers. (interviewing.io is one option.) Get detailed feedback and work on those for three months. Phone screens have lower bar than on-site, but my feeling is that your failure is not due to lack of technical chops.
Thank you. I appreciate the time you've taken to respond and I'll try your suggestion.
The recruiters will find you. Applying doesn't do much.
seems to be for cultural reasons - technically strong, but describes self as a Huawei 996 workaholic ("most productive developer", "months solving Leetcode", getting staffed on low impact projects and unable to understand interviewer's personality/behavioral expectations)
Fair enough. Although I don't say any of that in interviews, and I'm going to remain publicly respectful to those who pay my bills, but perhaps I'm arrogant and it shows in small ways. I'm only a workaholic when I'm forced to be... I generally don't believe it's actually productive in terms of longevity, and that is the very reason I want out.