Hi Blind I’ve been in this app for about three years soaking in the sermon of Blind. I changed my major in college to computer science as a senior. So I have about two years of coding experience. I graduated with a B.A. in CS this August. Due to kind blinders I’ve had a few referrals that led to OAs (Capital One, Doordash) that I’ve completely bombed. I don’t want to waste folks time asking for referrals at solid companies just to flop. So I’m back to the drawing board. I’m starting from 0 and trying to re-learn DS & Algos. You could probably say I lack technical depth. But I’m willing to grind 996. Amazon is hiring like crazy but I can’t pass their interviews for some time. I have some pretty solid interest from TCS and think I could land a “lower tier” company like that as a first role. So my question is: Do I accept ANY software engineering role and work my way up trying to leet and leave after a year? Or should I declare all out war on Leetcode and try for big tech as my first role. My col is 2K/month and income is 4.5kish from driving for Doordash and Uber Eats while still having 8-10 hours to code a day. So I can hold out for as long as I need to ramp up. My response rate is about 20% with referrals. If I’m at 600 Leetcode 6 months from now will it be for nothing because I waited too long after graduation? Thanks for any advice!
Instead of TCS, join a startup(series A or B). Big tech can happen in a few years, but you will get the zeal and passion to build a company and a product from ground up. Though, you have to be watchful as there are plenty of shitty startups where you will do nothing but waste your time. I would suggest looking up a startup, their product reviews and culture reviews and then deciding to interview with them.
Leetcode is just algorithms (like SAT) to get you through the door, the real work is building products of value.
Experience trumps everything. TCS kinda sucks, I’m sure you could do much better. Defense sucks but not a bad place to apply if you really need a role for the time being.
Employment gap after graduation looks bad, take the first job you get. Leetcode and jump ship
Well there is your first mistake. Thinking morons on blind have anything to say worth sermonable. Here is a flash card summary of blind: high TC good, low TC bad. Sell your grandma if it helps with high TC.
The only time I ever struggled getting a job was my first one
Avoid TCS, you need to find companies which have some good development projects going on. Just spend year or two in these and then you will have industry experience which will help you a lot, not all companies ask leetcode heavy questions.
Thanks all. I’m applying to smaller startups that seem to have promising technical challenges and good engineering growth. Gonna also try and grind LC as hard as possible in the next 2 months and apply to other big tech just to see what interest I can garner. 🙂
Don't do 996, not worth it. Been there, done that. Good luck OP :)
Don't join a WITCH company
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350k tc is nothing in bay area
You'll gain some experience working any tech job and that will make you more hireable
First ones the hardest. After that, you will have plenty of experience to talk about in interviews and moving internally is way easier at most companies than going external. Good luck!