Hey Blinders! Current Role: DE 2 YOE: 2.5-3 Years Location: Knoxville, TN TC: 90K + 10% Bonus Education: MS in Data Analytics It's been a while since I switched jobs and have been neglecting networking with recruiters all together. The more I grew into my current role, I started learning some AWS Devops and Infra as well. Now I feel I'm paid less than my coworkers but doing more than them. WLB is trashed but I work more to try new things and improve current pipelines. Now I want to get back into job search so I get into a SDE type DE role where I'm paid and expected to do what I do now hopefully in 8hrs workday. Status: 1. Resume prepped 2. Had a FB phone round for DE where I accomplished a leasurely 3 SQL and 2 Python in 50 mins. And got rejected. Gotta work on speed. Even though I practiced, I totally forgot to check glass door for some over used questions. Questions: 1. What's the best way to get calls? Applying everywhere gets me nowhere. I'm sure recruiters get spammed on LinkedIn all the time so reaching out to them may be a hit or a miss. Referrals are good, but how good? Is there a gold standard for getting calls (no kidnapping or extortion jokes haha) 2. Given my masters in Data Analytics, I want to work on some DS models either as a DS or MLE. Given I have experience in Python, SQL, Spark, AWS (EMR, CF, ECS, Batch, CW), Docker (Hortonwork software for the same stuff before, in the past). No professional experience in building DS models and my current project doesn't have DS models, mostly calcs and transformations. Studied ML in my MS roughly 2 years back. What should I target? DS or MLE? or DE? Honesty I feel business and DS take all the limelight and look at DEs as if they are just supporters/enablers. 3. I enjoy writing code, developing and owning end to end product and doing a heck of research to do it the best way rather than having to convert some SQL code plug someone's code in to end up with a dumb pipeline that chokes on large volumes. Any suggested list of companies? Large and mid sized. (Only mature Data Analytics teams) 4. Thanks for reading the long post. Would love to know what I can target at SFO or NY at my exp. Bored of being in a small town. Also this is an account from my old company. Don't work there anymore. Thanks! #data #dataanalytics #datascience #dataengineer #mle #datascientist