qodeninja

I wrote this almost subconsciously with my mind vomitting words. I'm glad it makes sense to you, but take another look I added stuffs.

Algorithms is a big part of it because it alone forms the major basis of why you write code a certain way. Is this code more performant, optimized, simple?

Get up to speed on engineering principles (Abstraction, Modularity, Simplicity, Scalability, etc) and object oriented programming (or if youre a JS lover like me the prototype chain) too!

I always used to tell people I'm an artist impersonating an engineer. I've never really felt like an engineer - let alone a good engineer. But I will never call myself a developer -- more on that in a minute.

Over the years, I must have had some daemon process running in my head that somehow managed to piece together the seemingly unrelated bits of engineering knowledge together without me really paying attention, because lowe and behold, one day I started to "get it". I am an engineer, first from what I know, and second from what I've learned and burned.

So let's talk about how to "get it" and get a job getting it.

Usually the first gate of high salaried engineering positions is good old fashion algorithm analysis. Get the basic data structures/types and complexities memorized to impress the desk jockies. Next pick a language, laser focus on the APIs, and try to implement the algorithm structures without using libraries.

I've interviewed dozens and dozens of engineers, and we always like to see that you know CS.

Next up -- we expect you to have some battle scars that only being in the trenches of engineering can give you. Learning the lessons on why and how you do things a certain way --- the common problems engineers face -- and the conclusions and solutions that have arisen out of them.

Also, have a narrative -- a story about your engineering background.

And stop calling yourself a developer! -- in some ways this simple word exposes your mentality -- let me explain why:

Developer in engineering land is another word for "hacker" -- e.g. someone who doesnt understand the nuances of programming, the finesse of refactoring, and the triumph of code that scales.

Dont be a hacker -- someone who brunt forces their way through a problem without the knowledge, wisdom and experience of doing things "more better".

The flipside is that most engineers start their careers as hackers... that is until we are not.

Once you begin to understand how chemistry, physics, math, number theory, language, and algorithms all tie in together to make this fantastical yet painful world of computing, you will know that you have gone down the right path.

Next??

Do you know what happens in memory when you execute a compiled program vs a high-level script? Do you know how code compiles, do you know what compilation is, do you know what an assembler is? Do you know what language theory is, regular expressions, turing machine, Alan Turing, finite state machine? Do you know what computation is, or how to manipulate bits and bytes to encode anything under the sun? Do you know the tenets of a solid API contract? What REST is? What HTTP is, TCP? DO YOU KNOW WHAT A POINTER IS?? Do you know what garbage collection is, do you know, do you know, the difference between ISAM and InnoDB?

There is a huge chasm between developer and engineer and you have to show that you've bridged the gap. It's like the difference between a jock and an athlete. One is faking it, the other one is making it.

All of this fundamental knowledge says nothing about the soft skills you'll need for success -- collaborative development, sharing code, translating business objects into engineering tasks, communicating effectively, etc. etc.

There is so much to KNOW and EXPERIENCE, but it's not impossible.

Learn all the things. Get your hands grubby, have some battles, tell a story. Above all else show that you can code, that you play nicely with others, and you make good engineering decisions.

This is all from the hearth of my engineering home. Others may have a different perspective, but this is mine, and if you sit in front of me and I interview you, this is all in my head and I'm 10 steps ahead of you when you need to be one step ahead of me. What does Potassium have to do with any of this? You tell me.

Finally, don't be a hacker (longer than you have to)

All else fails, fake it til you break it.

Bye, and Good Luck.

Nice in theory.

Nexus

I agree completely.

It's hard to generalize though, you can find engineers for just about any stack with the right price points.

Engineering, depending on the discipline, is on the scale of 140-200k right now, which translates to $80-$100/hr

Also don't try to force traditional business rules like 9a-5pm hours, most engineers tend to have flexible hours, be more focused on outcomes than hours.

Stack and tools dont attract strong developers. Salary and work-life balance does.

Pay them a Silicon Valley salary, or you can hire someone from SF that loves LA, like me.

I wish there were better paying tech jobs in LA. I'd go in a heartbeat.

The biggest problem with wanna-be LA tech companies is that they havent figured out that the engineers are the rock stars and try to undercut them on salaries and perks. Good luck with that.

Maybe I'm generalizing.

Anyway, as a startup your challenge is immensely larger, not to say its impossible, but consider that all the talent is concentrated in the Bay for a reason -- then refactor your expectations.

I would suggest you develop your own prototype, pitch to investors and then move your office to San Jose, it'll at least be cheaper and youll have better access to engineers.

Excellent well-established engineers cost money, inexperienced and undiscovered ones can be lured if you are in the right location.

Location: San Francisco, CA

Remote: Nope

Willing to relocate: Los Angeles, CA

Level : Architect / Senior

Technologies: Javascript (NodeJS/Angular/jQuery), HTML5/CSS3/SVG, Android/Java, PHP, Perl, MySQL, Mongo, Python, Shell (lots of stuff actually -- too many to list)

Resume: by request (Full Stack/Lead Engineer - 12 years experience)

Email: [username][at]outlook.com

Amen to this. I love my work-life balance, more than I like start-ups. I also hate stock options. I can't pay my rent with stock options.

In my experience some of these things are self-reinforcing; alcoholism can lead to ADHD and Depression, which can lead to social anxiety.

The problem with alcoholism is the havoc it unleashes on your body's natural chemistry and metabolism and in turn your overall energy levels, mood, and perception.

Fixing your body chemistry may resolve all the other issues over time.

Suggestion: Take a multivitamin, drink more water, sleep more, get outside more. Oh, and always say YES to any social invitation.

One of my favorite thoughts for this year:

"EVERYONE is faking it"

I've read this thought a few times throughout the year and it really stuck with me.

I frequently think to myself: "why is all this stuff (work, life, bills, relationships) so hard for me but not everyone else? I must be some kind of an idiot"

Perception really IS everything.

The truth is they don't know what they're doing any more or less than I do.

We all put on fake smiles and tell big stories all just to try to give the appearance of credibility and importance.

You are not an idiot. We are all in this experiment of life together.

America really is a bonkers place to live, but what can you do?

My friends frequently joke that everyone in blue states should move to red states and take them over!

I recycle, walk to work, and don't leave the lights on!