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Comment by bradlys | Hacker News Reader

Every other year is probably more accurate these days. But is what it is.

Last search I had something like 6 in hand offers (a few more that would’ve transpired but they realized they were out of their depth). It takes quite a bit of time. You have to schedule significant time off or sick days to do it. It’s not something that happens in a couple weeks.

For me, I spent about a year studying(leetcode and system design), mock interviewing (30+), and interviewing. Spent about 3 months without an actual job and interviewing+studying. (Something like 25 interviews in a week at times - 3-4 onsites per week when not doing tech screens)

Got the offer I wanted in the end - isn’t exceptional offer but I don’t have exceptional names on my resume either. Make $400k/yr. It was either that or another high growth startup and I wasn’t finding any that were that appealing on comp+culture after interviewing.

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> For me, I spent about a year studying(leetcode and system design), mock interviewing (30+), and interviewing. Spent about 3 months without an actual job and interviewing+studying. (Something like 25 interviews in a week at times - 3-4 onsites per week when not doing tech screens)

Ok so there is something terribly wrong with our industry.

SV is very particular about the type of employee it wants. It’s not like they really like independent thinkers here. They want someone who they can mold and will do the work exactly as they say. Leetcode stands as a good test for that.

I’m more of a never attribute something to malice when stupidity provides a sufficient explanation type of person.

I tend to the think the whole thing is just a massive example of cargo culting. Like how 10 years ago everyone asked why manhole covers were round.

I upvoted this, although I am not sure if it is quite true as you have put it. Venture capitalists are very much aware of the risk of lower-ranking SWEs failing to recognise dangers out of insufficiently critical obedience.

> Venture capitalists are very much aware of the risk of lower-ranking SWEs failing to recognise dangers out of insufficiently critical obedience.

Are they? Please give me more context on this, because I haven't personally seen any evidence of that.

don't forget these parts

>Last search I had something like 6 in hand offers (a few more that would’ve transpired but they realized they were out of their depth).

>Make $400k/yr.

I would say this is just a case of someone taking on the process of getting a job as a full time job itself...which I think is appropriate. I've been in industry for 20+ years and have easily left well over a million dollars in lifetime comp on the table because I haven't really approached maximizing it as a primary objective.

I think it is completely appropriate for an individual to do this in their own self interest.

I think it’s wildly inappropriate that our industry rewards it though. Someone taking a year off to study the interview process itself shouldn’t be rewarded so much more highly than a year of real experience doing the actual job.

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