Finally, a post that isn't all hunky dory. I'm at the bottom quartile at the moment, so I'm happy to take any reasonable advice that doesn't sound like: study algorithms and get into Google.
Ok, I studied algorithms, got rejected at the paper round. Now what? The tough part isn't passing the interview, it's getting a chance in the first place.
This advice is better. Some points that really stood out to me and that I'll take to heart:
> But if you have an amazing manager at a shit company you’ll still have a shit time.
> “Take any role, at any pay, on a rocketship and everything will work out” is only sort of true.
With that said, a lot of the advice is quite US-centric. Not many Dutch startups would offer stock options as far as I know, for example.
my 2 cents:
there is rarely a shortcut available and is hardly a 6 months course work designed to get into google or the alike unless you have a friend or family member who guides you through the whole process and points you to the right direction, not least giving hope and motivation.
you have to develop a sustainable long term learning habit to hone your skills without being getting burned out and without hoping a dramatic success in the short term.
To get noticed or get an interview you have to identify people there and somehow get them forward your CV and/or build some proof of your skills in form of personal projects which many others like you dont have. Chances you are, you will get atleast an interview somewhere at big tech, if not at google.
> Ok, I studied algorithms, got rejected at the paper round. Now what? The tough part isn't passing the interview, it's getting a chance in the first place.
This resonates. I'm a senior engineer with CS master from top university, 10yoe with leadership skills that prepared the past 4 months and solved over 200 coding challenges. I contacted 18 companies (starting 3 months ago), some of them referrals, some of them from company recruiters reaching out to me (Facebook, Google).
I passed the Google onsite and made it to the FB onsite. I passed all the stages for another company with a "did fantastic" rating but then got denied onsite for unknown reasons.
That means I got through one single paper round from 18 outreachs and it's very frustrating since the ratio is much worse than when I applied 4 years ago with much less experience and requiring a H1B sponsorship.
I have so much fire in me to work on consumer products (which my current job doesn't allow) it makes me explode.
> Ok, I studied algorithms, got rejected at the paper round. Now what?
If you actually studied then play the odds? I.e apply to the dozens of other large tech companies that pay handsomely. Unless there's only Google in the Netherlands (assuming that's where you are based on the Dutch reference) or you already applied to dozens and got rejected at the paper round by all of them
Other than HFT firms, tech companies here don't pay handsomely, so you need to look for other European countries. I've tried Google and Facebook for years (not in NL they aren't that big here and want specialized people, not graduates).
You're right, I only tried Optiver 18 months ago. I should try all the others. I'm not too interested in HFT but the technical challenge sounds fun.
IMO, forget the big companies and startups. There's plenty of opportunities at smaller, established companies, which are, in my opinion, often better places to work anyway.
How would I be able to reach a similar conclusion if I don't have any experience of working at a big company? I'm open to learning more about this idea.
Ok, I studied algorithms, got rejected at the paper round. Now what? The tough part isn't passing the interview, it's getting a chance in the first place.
This advice is better. Some points that really stood out to me and that I'll take to heart:
> But if you have an amazing manager at a shit company you’ll still have a shit time.
> “Take any role, at any pay, on a rocketship and everything will work out” is only sort of true.
With that said, a lot of the advice is quite US-centric. Not many Dutch startups would offer stock options as far as I know, for example.