I am a Software Engineer without a CS degree with around 6 years of work experience. I quit my job last year to work on my CS fundamentals and i have worked quite well on that. Now i am in a position where i am able to get jobs which i would caste aside as Not top-tier. I want to get through these top tier jobs but i am facing a lot of difficulties in getting through. How can i achieve that?
How are you defining top-tier job, and what exactly do you mean by "facing a lot of difficulties in getting through"? The stair-step approach to progress is usually far more successful than hoping for immediate success, so in general you should take the best option available to you.
This also depends on your background. If you're running low on finances and getting frustrated with the job search, then take the best opportunity available to you and then re-evaluate your options in a year.
Careers are long: there are many, many examples of people who have grinded through "bad" companies or jobs on their way to something amazing.
If there are particular companies you want to get into, my classic advice is to use your unfair advantage: figure out your unique skill, network, or passion that will give you easier access to companies. Then, use that to get strong referrals.
Alex talks about how to get out of the job search struggle here: Struggling? Send More Applications
Thanks for the input Rahul. That removes some of my confusion. By top-tier jobs means, I am talking about FAANG or FAANG adjacent jobs.
It depends on what step you are facing difficulty with.
It is getting interview calls OR clearing interviews
In tech interviews, luck plays a significant role and you can increase the surface area of your luck by applying more aggressively
If it is about clearing interviews, I think it is important to reflect on why you failed and move forward