I've spent the last five years in engineering management after being a senior software engineer, and now I'm looking to return to full-time coding. I really miss it and thought my background would help me find a senior software engineer position. However, I've been struggling in technical interviews and my coding fundamentals feel pretty rusty. I've done around 20 interviews over the last three months but have only passed a few, which is really discouraging. Has anyone else successfully made this switch? What worked for you, and how long did it take to feel comfortable coding again?
3 Answers
You're definitely not alone in this situation! It's pretty common for those who move into management to lose touch with the technical side, and interviews often reflect that. The interview process can seem way tougher for senior roles—they might expect you to know things that haven't crossed your mind in years. My advice? Try practicing your coding daily and maybe look into mock interviews. They can help you get back into the groove.
It's frustrating, I get it. Interviews often focus on specific algorithm skills that don't really match up with actual engineering work. You can be great at leading a team and shipping products, yet still get filtered out over one tricky coding question. It's just how the system works now.
Yes! Focus on companies that value practical skills over strict algorithm tests. Lean into your strengths like system design; you're actually well prepared for those!
It can take a while to adjust back to technical interviews. From what I've seen, around 3 to 6 months of consistent practice usually helps people feel like themselves again. It's like riding a bike; the knowledge is still there, just needs some dusting off!
True! I've been there too, and it took me a bit to get comfortable again. Using tools like HuddleMate during prep helped me a ton when I got stuck during interviews.
Absolutely! Daily coding practice is key. It took me about four months to shake off the rust, but I just kept at it with a daily challenge and working on small side projects.