Cracked Google L4, Facebook E4, Microsoft (62), and Netflix (Senior SDE) easily and got decent offers. I failed in initial screening rounds in all start-up companies (~10) including Asana, Robinhood, Wish, Roblox, Snap and etc even though I believe I perform decently. Are they really that hard now? What's the passing bar? TC: 252 YOE: 4 ------------ EDIT As requested for TC numbers in offer letters, I will provide generalized numbers. Can't provide TC breaks as it's too long and makes the post so boring to read. Facebook E4 - 295k, Menlo Park, CA Google L4 - 255k, MTV, CA Netflix (Senior SDE), 410k, Los Gatos, CA - mostly salary. Microsoft 62 - 260k, Redmond, WA. #google #facebook #microsoft #netflix #roblox #asana #wish #snap #offer #interview
Offer TC details por favor OR GTFO
Netflix seems to be the outlier here, it’s better than L4 at Google/FB.
I was told by one of engineers at Netflix we studied together. Total comp is better but work life balance is not thay good and they have cut throat culture.
It’s unfortunate that your best offer is from a company with a culture you don’t like. I think Netflix senior is comparable to 5 or 6 at FB or Google. I’d probably take the Netflix offer. If you don’t like it, you can spend more time on leetcode and get a better job somewhere else next time. I have a friend at Netflix who loves it, because he feels his coworkers all do good work so everything runs more smoothly and he doesn’t have to clean up other’s messes. Just giving a different perspective. If you really don’t want Netflix - Google job would probably be easier, but you might get stuck at L4 for a long time. With E4 at FB you would be expected/required to grow to E5 in a year or two. It’s not a bad place to be, but would be setting your career back a few years compared to Netflix offer. Depending on team, FB might have expectations just as high as Netflix, especially after you get to E5.
Many startups are bad at interviewing whereas big companies have solid processes in place from all their hiring experience. I’ve failed plenty of startup interviews where they only thought in terms of solving the problem and not the process (coding) or putting together off the shelf components rather than focusing on the problems your addressing with a system (system design). Solid advice: if your interviewer is more interested in a fixed solution rather than the process, run.
TC or GTFO. Also, welcome to blind.
Okay, thanks for welcoming. I will try to generalize the numbers in offers.
Sounds like you can solve hard leetcode but fail in easy one. Your call where you want to work.
Have you negotiated any of them yet?
Another thing could be supply vs demand. While the number of openings in these smaller companies are limited, a lot of engineers want to work in them due to either high comp or IPO windfall expectations. Also based on my recent interview expias well, Google, Facebook etc had pretty easy interviews while Snap/Airbnb/Flexport/Stripe etc were hard. There was a lot of focus on business aspects of things along with system designs and good leetcodes. Google/Fb on the other hand had pretty straight forward LC questions and system designs right outta Educative with minor follow ups. Also most startups seemed to have real coding rounds as well, meaning debug sessions/api codes/async call patterns etc. So smaller companies have interview rounds beyond LC and have a lot more talent pool to select from. Just my 2c!
260K for MSFT is high
Negotiate with FB and ask for 100k sign-on.
Startups typically look for people with specific experience not just general leetcode grinder. I think they want someone that can hit the ground running
I did leetcode a couple of times as friend of mine suggested. 10 hard problems and 4 medium. Problems in interviews were easy as I have Ph.D in Mathematics and I have decent experience in scalable system development with cloud solutions.
Most candidates who are getting into these companies have done far more leetcode than that.