I've been in the software development field for over a decade, mostly working on migrating legacy systems to full-stack technologies. I've handled architecture and infrastructure decisions and tried to keep up with the latest in full-stack development. Despite all this, I can't shake the feeling that I'm just an average developer. I often wonder what it takes to reach the level of engineers landing high-paying jobs at big companies like Google. I'm not aiming for those companies specifically, but I do want to feel like a competent engineer. How can I get to that point? What steps do I need to take to be able to handle a Google-style interview?
3 Answers
You're probably more of an engineer than you realize. After ten years of experience, you're delivering technical solutions, which is what engineers do. If you feel you’re lacking in some areas, that’s normal—just keep pushing yourself to learn and grow!
To break into FAANG companies, you just need to study the interview patterns, like system design and coding questions from LeetCode. A lot of people working there are average engineers like the rest of us, so don’t let the pressure get to you. If you want to improve, that’s a solid goal—just put in the work!
But isn't the level of competition super high? I feel like I’d need to do something extraordinary to even get noticed.
Remember, even big companies like Google have their share of mishaps. Recently, a simple null pointer exception caused quite a ruckus. Don't set their standards as your only measure. Define what success means for you, instead!
That’s interesting, can you explain a bit about what a null pointer exception is? I’m just starting to learn programming.
I feel the same way; I’ve delivered projects but don’t feel confident calling myself an engineer. It’s reassuring to hear this.