How to transition from defense to tech

NASA
IlIIlIIllI

Go to company page NASA

IlIIlIIllI
Dec 2, 2021 8 Comments

Hi Blind,

I graduated in 2019 with a BS in comp sci and through a weird series of events ended up working at a defense contractor straight away. Earlier this year I went from 80k to 190k TC but I'm sick of defense.

I feel like I don't have much experience in tech stacks that tech companies look for. I'm good with linux stuff, Python, C/C++, Rust, Lisp, even did some JS/HTML/CSS stuff a year ago working through an online react course, but all of my professional experience is C++ and Python.

I'm currently at JPL NASA as a contractor.

Should I put JPL on my resume or my subcontractor company? Will they dig deep for relevant tech stack experience or is leetcode enough?

YOE: almost 3

#tech #defense #interview

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TOP 8 Comments
  • Netflix
    ltMV21

    Go to company page Netflix

    ltMV21
    As long as you are able to code decent in coding rounds you should be ok. You should be proud about working on defense projects. Leetcode should help you. Try bigger companies which don’t care for what all languages you know. Hope that helps. To be frank I have interviewed lot of candidates who prefer to code in python during interviews because it is faster to code in it.
    Dec 2, 2021 3
    • NASA
      IlIIlIIllI

      Go to company page NASA

      IlIIlIIllI
      OP
      Thanks that does help. I think the biggest hurdle will be actually getting interviews since I've heard that defense experience is looked at negatively at big tech because a lot of defense people struggle with whiteboard questions
      Dec 2, 2021
    • Amazon
      statsuck

      Go to company page Amazon

      statsuck
      Try Palantir OP
      Dec 2, 2021
  • Uber
    Random6768

    Go to company page Uber

    Random6768
    What tech stacks do you think tech companies look for? C++/Python is good enough. Keep Leeting.
    Dec 2, 2021 2
    • NASA
      IlIIlIIllI

      Go to company page NASA

      IlIIlIIllI
      OP
      I guess I think they look for web dev experience and experience in massive scale projects. All the work I've done has been for desktop apps, simulation work, scripts here and there for various things. Never done anything with a database or docker
      Dec 2, 2021
    • NASA
      IlIIlIIllI

      Go to company page NASA

      IlIIlIIllI
      OP
      I actually find it relieving to hear that at least FAANG mostly cares about the leetcode song and dance, idk about other tech companies though
      Dec 2, 2021
  • Write jpl via subcontract company. Or whatever sounds better, but be sure to somehow put/hide subcontractor in the resume so you arent lying when they do background check
    Dec 5, 2021 0