YOE: 15 in Java, includes 8 in Android. TC: << Peanuts >> Coming from a non FAANG, non CS, South-Asian Immigrant Male on H1-B without a GC in 12 years as yet, Software Peasant with slightly better than decent Programming skills kinda background, how do I become a 10X Programmer, because clearly it is the rarest commodity. 1. Stakeholders are looking to switch from Akamai Identity Services to Adobe Primetime for the Popular TV Channel "Go Android App". Oh well, too late, here it is. Did you plan 4 months?? Jeez, it's a 4 second job!!! 2. Engineering Manager says, We are using a primitive MVC Architecture with a Pub-Sub model for async data-exchange, that was modeled and built like 6 months ago, and code-base is ginormous, and maintenance is a concern, and we are not up-to-date with latest JetPack Components, and Kotlin... That's right, 1 month effort to refactor, re-engineer, re-architect the entire Project Code-base, Production Ready!! Jeez, what were you afraid of? Tech Debt?? What's that?? 3. Recruiter says they are looking to hire the best of the best skilled Programmer, and that I'd have to complete a sample project challenge in like 4 hours. Say, Game of Thrones Fans Android App, UI design is up to you, and here's all you need to get all the info - https://anapioficeandfire.com/ Well, before even they give me the challenge, here's the fully "Production-Ready", "state-of-the-art", "latest", "trending", "code-architecture" in 4 milli-seconds. Even weird UI functionality and behavior, like Expandable-Collapsible RecyclerViews, that's never been designed, no third-party libraries, no direct support in the Android SDK, no problemo, just a breeze!!! TLDR :- How to match unreasonable expectations, as a decent Software Peasant, before becoming an old, obsolete commodity?
Wish they'd just pin a faq. 1. How do I get paid more? Master the interview for top companies in your field. 2. How do I do that for CS? Leetcode 3. How does that equate to real skill? It doesn't
@Roku. With my 8 years in Android under the belt, my boss forced me to stop working on Android, and has assigned me as a sole-IC on one Roku App that spits out two flavors though (https://github.com/willowtreeapps/ukor). I need better compilation, debugging, STL and/or API, the full-length Dev Support that is similar to Android. Can you guys do that? On the most popular Streaming Device, Dev Support is not even remotely good with whatever that BrighScript is supposed to be.
seems you are too stressed
Of course, I'm finding it hard to set or meet expectations. Tired of soul-sucking Individual Contributor, Hands-on Programming roles. I have known, met, worked with people that let their armor/guard down for better WLB and have become obsolete. I have myself let my guard down briefly for a few years, and ever since I feel under-privileged.
first, relax, stress doesn’t help. then reevaluate your skill sets, what are you good at, what do you like to do, what are the easiest things for you to improve. don’t expect to be good at everything, just focus on one or two things, like Android development, be really good at it, study anything related to Android in depths, Java language, JVM, Android OS, design principles. have a realistic plan, and follow your plan
Tldr
Already given.
Damn Im sorry very rude of me. Thanks.
Do you mind sharing which company asked you to build the above specs app in 4hrs. It's ridiculously and everyone can avoid interviewing there 😤 And did you give a try at management with 15yoe you would have got an opportunity rather being a IC.
ya, sounds like an unreasonable jerk
iHeartRadio, Stash, Target, a lot of them actually. That was like a take-home challenge, and they expect you to deliver within 24 hours, at most, but almost always it's the 2 hour Online Coding Challenge, and not the anticipated LC. Priceline, LinkedIn, Uber, Wayfair all of them gave me specs / functionality for an entire screen, mostly some complex challenge thrown in like an Expandable-Collapsible RecyclerView, or a complicated Fragment etc, mostly with no access to the internet or stackoverflow, preferably no third-party library usage either, and I had to parse a Json asset file on-the-fly, and this was part of a 1 hour In-Person Interview where 15 mins go away in introductions and behavioral questions, for Senior and Staff roles. Bonus points for Unit and UI testing code too. If I can hustle some cheap shit together in such a short time, how and why am I eligible for a Senior role? How do people expect quality software takes 0 time?
P90X
It’s a cruel world. Some interviewer with 10% your experience is gonna throw you a gotcha from leetcode and level you based on a 30 min live coding session.
Well, it's reasonable for them to expect that your basics are strong at least.
leetcode
That is only Interview Prep Syllabus. Leetcode is not even close to daily day-to-day job skills.
But you want to get high TC right? Leetcode is the (unfortunate) single way to quickly boost your TC to the moon.