Recap Job search 2021 - an average SWE

"Don't lose hope, you will get it sooner or later." - anon

December 2020 - I was Happy at my current job with no intent to switch anytime soon.
wth Faang exp: 1.2 years and Overall, Yoe 2.

Jan 2021 - Then Random recruiter reached out on LinkedIn and I decided to give a shot not intended to switch. I had 2 coding OA - didn't pass

Jan-march: started Leet code because feeling down after failing OA's. Also applied to 25 companies got no response, received general reject automated email. Very broken, remind me of new graduate times (reference added at the end)

April - 6 phone screens, 2 onsite -> Got offer from Company C1

May - finish other onsite - failed and accepted offer from C1

June - joined C1 but didn't like the vibe from manager, and team's work. Ik it's too early to judge but couldn't help it. So continued Leetcoding and applying to open roles.

Continue to apply for job posting every month since June.

It turns out the market was hot and suddenly every submitted application started converting to technical phone screens.

July - did 10 phone screens -> 0 onsite conversion

August - did 14 PS -> 5 second PS -> 1 onsite -> withdrew from onsite
because wasn't interested in joining that company and was overwhelmed with PS of preferred teams.

September - did 10 PS -> 2 second PS -> 0 onsite

October - did 5 PS, 1 onsite -> Offer (faangmula - I rejected due to lowball)

November - did 4 PS, 3 onsite -> 1 offer (faangmula - Company C2 and withdraw from another onsite (similar reason as above)

December - got another offer from the last Nov onsite - faangmula Company C3

Accepted C3 and used C2 to negotiate with C3 and then rejected C2. Sorry!

I'm on h1b so my preferred companies' option was limited in my head and not going to lie, I interviewed at some startups to gain interview experience and practice live SD and coding questions.
I never interviewed so much before and was so overwhelmed and humble to even receive phone screens even. Because I was a postgraduate, I couldn't find a job and had to work at a small company as SWE for 50k/yr. on a student visa, crazy times.

My overall interview experience was mixed, there were times when recruiter ghosted me after asked for availability for scheduling interviews and half of the time, recruiter won't tell you that you are rejected and you find out post 2-3 weeks, oh shit, they haven't replied yet, so I am rejected which is bad practice in general. It is just stressful when you are in that zone yourself. But anyways all good now.

Few Companies I interviewed at:
APPLE - 18 TEAMS (SWE+ML) - OFFER
META/ FACEBOOK - 2 ENG. ROLES - OFFER
ROBINHOOD
DROPBOX
UBER
MICROSOFT - 5 TEAMS - OFFER
GOOGLE - OFFER
STRIPE - 2 TEAMS
ORACLE
LINKEDIN
VERILY LIFE SCIENCES
TIKTOK
TWITTER - 2 TEAMS
SNAP

old tc: 150k - Seattle
new tc: 215k remote Texas (down-level - Ik but I'm fine right now)
Yoe ~3

#tech