Junior Engineer Career Development Videos, Forum, and Q&A

Hey folks, need some advice on a good side project idea, not sure if this has been answered before!

I’ve been trying to figure out a good side project to do, one that has impact and can get users as well as allow me to showcase my skills. I want to do one that involves the use of real time streaming technologies like messenger queues/kafka which are commonly sought after in the backend SWEs roles that I’m seeing. Also hope that this could me with some system design prep (eg event driven architecture etc).

I have some basic experience of real time technologies in my day job, but i feel this is insufficient as much of the heavy lifting is done by the data engineers in my team (so I basically don’t get sufficient opportunity to work on it).

I primarily develop web apps, so have no experience in mobile development.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

In three months, I'm graduating, and I need to resolve my dilemma now: can I realistically land a job, or am I living in an illusion that I can do anything without understanding the challenges of the real world?

Here's my current daily schedule:

• Sleep: 8 hours (I tried 6 hours, but after a week, my performance dropped significantly, and I became forgetful.)

• Workout: 1.5 hours

• Meal prep & other daily activities: 2 hours

• Miscellaneous tasks: 1.5 hours

This leaves me with about 3 hours per day for study or self-improvement.

I'm at an intermediate level in Python that's all i know for now. I can write logical solutions, though it often takes a few attempts like run it first then fixto get things right. I also find that I need to go deep into a topic to fully grasp it. For instance, when learning SQL, it's not enough for me to know the query “SELECT * FROM TABLE_NAME”—I need to understand what's happening behind the scenes, like how each record is being retrieved.

I'm at a crossroads regarding my career. With my OPT starting in February 2025, I don't have much time to waste, and I'm trying to decide the best path forward:

• Option 1: Spend the next 6-8 months preparing intensely in DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms) and working on projects.

• Option 2: for now focus on building practical projects, aiming to join a smaller company first. This way, I could gain real-world experience and eventually advance to a better opportunity.

I'm struggling to decide which of these two paths would be better for my future.

Thanks a lot for the great content, Alex and Rahul! Your courses to understand the expectations of various levels is really helpful.

AI is continuously increasing the productivity of software developers. AI can now write test cases, automatically fill the code given just high-level description, automatically write a summary in the PRs, add comments to the code, etc. This increases the code quality as well.

So, will the current L4 role be the expectation out of an entry-level programmer in the upcoming years? Also, due to AI, do you think the demand for non-AI software developers will keep decreasing over the years, and the job market might move towards other fields such as space engineering, robotics, nanotechnology, dna editing, etc.?

As the supply of engineers is increasing with fresh grads coming out every year, and the demand is decreasing due to increasing layoffs, do you expect the trend of reduction in software salaries continuing over the long-term? Or are you expecting a recovery in demand and salaries for software developers?

I kind of unexpectedly got a new grad swe interview at Meta. I know there are already discussions on Taro about Meta interview, but I wanted to seek advice on my specific situation.

I am sort of new to Leetcode. I mostly interned at startups before so LC wasn't the focus (ik I still should have done LC - my bad). So here are few questions I have:

1. How much can I delay the interview? I am thinking doing it with 4 week breaks - the first round after 4 weeks from today, next round after another 4 weeks, and so on. Is that ok?

2. How many hours should i dedicate per day to leetcode, to get good at it FAST? Asking because I am also a full-time student so I am willing to sacrifice my grades if it requires putting more time into leetcode.

3. What are the HIGHEST bang for buck activities I can do? Time is extremely limited so I want to make sure I am spending it right.

FYI - I do have access to algomonster () - I am thinking of doing my LC prep there cause it's pattern based + has AI coach.

I would really appreciate some advice here. Have never interviewed for a FAANG so this opportunity means a lot. Thanks!!

(Also if you know of good resources, suggest them too! I am willing to invest in resources/mentors.)

I am a new grad SWE at meta. It has been around 6 months with the team and I am still struggling to be confident. How do I ship code faster? How do I trace through react components or hack files efficiently? I have received feedback around learning to independently scope out timelines and to be more effective at communicating about work. How do I make sure I become a trusted team member? And does the feedback indicate negative performance? How do I turn it around?

Hi all. I am in a 6 month contract role at Meta. I have been there about a month. I am definitely not relying on converting to FTE or even my contract getting extended, but it's worth a shot to try. I am WFH right now, but I am planning to move to MPK for a few months. I amdoing that to increase chances to convert and also to change environment.

I am confused about how and when I should reach out to HMs inside Meta.

Any other advice is appreciated :).

Thanks

I don't want my company here because I'm pretty sure my employer will be able to track me down, but I'm on the identity and access management team at a large e-commerce firm. I keep getting this sinking feeling with all the new job titles that are coming up as a result of AI, that I'm in a dead-end area. It's not really security engineering work, it's the bridge between the backend and security where we implement oauth, oidc, saml, passkeys, and few of the other MFA specs. I joined the team a few months ago after getting pretty bored with product engineering work (making some Graphql APIs).

Ultimately, I'm a software engineer, but not good enough or knowledgeable enough to be in security engineering. What bothers me though is that enough of a niche to switch to other companies?

A lot of postings require knowledge of k8s, CUDA because of the AI boom. I'm very early in my career and quite lost right now looking at the jobs out there. Can anyone chime in?

I'm an L3 software engineer that been working for a bit over 1 year. During this time, I've had three managers and am about to get a fourth that will be hired externally.

I did not have great experiences with my past two managers. The team was also a bit of mess during that time (we would have oncall rotations that would average ~100-200 pages/week, 60+ page hours). I have a strong working relationship with my current manager and the team situation is better.

We had discussed putting me up for promotion this past July, but that didn't materialize due to concerns about time at level and shipped impact. I was a bit disappointed but understood. However, I did receive Exceeds ratings and was been told that I am performing above my level.

The current plan is to put up my promotion packet in the next cycle. I was operating under the expectation that, barring unforeseen circumstances, this should go through.

Additionally, the company has been planning to hire an external manager that would report to my current manager for the past ~3-4 months. I expect that this position will be filled by end of year. I expressed concern about context loss for the January promotion packet, but my manager assured me that he would ensure the packet put up was strong and all context would be written by him personally.

However, recently my manager has been hinting concerns that the packet may not go through in the next cycle and we may want to think about creating a strong packet in the cycle following.

I am concerned about my promotion not going through in January and having to rely on an external manager (who I don't know and who doesn't know company processes) to put up a packet in the next cycle. I believe I've demonstrated my ability to execute and perform at L4 level for many months at this point already, shipped some meaningful and high impact projects, and feel that I should be promoted in the next cycle.

I trust and really like my current manager, but I want to communicate these concerns in a professional way. How should I do this?

Additionally, should I also start to look externally? I'm quite confident in my Leetcode/interview skills, have a Tier-1 school on my resume, and work at a FAANG tier company currently, but I understand the market is bad. Would it be possible to get an L4 level role externally now or in the next six months?

I was going through Alex's DSA course however I don't quite understand a few of the concepts he mentions. For example, Alex mentions that the difference between a yes and a strong yes is that a candidate asks more clarifying questions and edge cases. Aren't these pretty much the same thing? Shouldn't we clarify all of the edge cases in the beginning? Also, shouldn't we discuss alternative solutions before we start coding? Also, time/space complexity as well?

I don't think this is the case however because Alex says not to do the happy flow + edge cases all at once but first to code the happy flow -> account for edge cases (after).

I think what Alex is trying to mention from this course is when given a DSA problem we should do basic edge case clarification and verbalization of our solution to very quickly get a solution out and then try to come up with more edge cases/solutions to see if we missed anything (as this is how software is built in real life. I wanted to confirm this point. Sorry if this is a ramble.

When doing personal coding challenges like maybe creating your data structures and algorithms and or just working on your personal projects. Is it bad to set a condition for yourself like you can't ask for help or no ai tools. Really only relying on Google searching or videos/documentation

Hi everyone,

I just recently accepted an offer at Google as an L3. The thing is I have 4.5 years of experience full time and have done a number of internships (that I'm not counting in the 4.5). I didn't do super great in the coding rounds and couldn't get cleared for L4 but managed to get approved at L3. The coding rounds (specifically, algorithm optimization) was the specific reason they gave for the down level.

I firmly do believe I'm of L3 level, my manager did as well. I'm not great at leetcode so that part was off but my performance was very good at my previous company and I hope to get promoted to L4 as quickly as possible.

Anyone have advice specific to someone that was down leveled? I see a lot of discussion on a promotion from L3 to L4 in general which I've been reading a lot on. But I was curious about the down leveled case specifically

Also another thing to note - I'm about halfway through the L3 to L4 course and I'd say my skills line up virtually entirely with what Alex is describing as L4 (I used to do a lot of the L3 stuff but have improved). Is this just a matter of coming in and making sure I perform as highly as I can to speed up the process?

I’ve recently been applying to various jobs, just in case of an unexpected layoff (golden parachute). Lately, I’ve been motivated to upskill as a developer. I’ve now reached the two-year mark at my company. After the reorg, I have a new manager, team, and director, and I really like this team. My performance over the past six months has been better than it was with my old team. Recently, Google reached out to me for an interview, but I haven’t really studied data structures and algorithms (DSA) due to work. My performance hasn’t been great, and now I also have a phone interview with Meta.

On the plus side, my company's stock has surged, and we’ve received bonuses, raises, and promotions. In my last 1-on-1 meeting with my manager, he told me I should be more independent and that my performance is great (hinting at a promotion)—fingers crossed. My family and friends are encouraging me to interview with both Meta and Google, but I don’t really want to leave my current company.

In a recent behavioral mock interview, I was asked the question "Tell me about a time you worked on a team."

From my understanding, the question's focus appears to be on teamwork and collaboration (i.e. do you work well in a team setting?).

A story I had was when I was working on a call history feature. The call was managed by the call center team, and I needed to integrate their API into our backend code to pull this data in real time. When I was trying to test the integration, I noticed the data that was being returned was incomplete, leading to difficulties with integration process.

• I first analyzed the structure of the data returned as the API response. This analysis revealed that the API was lacking key fields such as agent name and call duration necessary for our dashboard.
• I recognized solving this issue would require action from the call center team, so I scheduled a meeting with the lead engineer from the call center team and worked together with him to extend the API design to return the missing fields in real time.
• After the meeting, I maintained close communication with the call center engineer to make sure the changes worked as expected. I also scheduled joint testing sessions where we verified over zoom calls that the changes worked seamlessly and did not disrupt existing systems.
• In the end, I successfully integrated the API, enabling the call history feature to function smoothly in real time. My collaboration also improved the call center API, making it more robust and easier to implement for other developers on our team in future projects. The project taught me the importance of proactive communication when it comes to working across teams.

Do you think this answer is on the right track? I would gladly appreciate any thoughts or feedback on this answer.

Big thanks for reading through all of this - I know it is a very long post and I really appreciate your time!

Hi, I'm a frontend developer with 2 years experience at a startup company. I came from Seoul, South Korea and recently moved to the US (Washington State) and I'm trying to find a job.

I'm applying for a frontend job but personally it feels more difficult because I don't have a lot of connections. I wish there are people who can mentor and review my resume etc. The problem is "How can I even approach them in the first place?" I don't know how to start a conversation or how they will react. I am worried that I might take their personal time.

if you have any advice, feel free to give me.
Thanks for taking your time to read this.

I graduated University of Toronto computer science () with a decent GPA around a year ago. Following graduation, I applied to hundreds of jobs, networked aggressively, and skilled up as much as possible for around three months straight, every day, for the entire day. I landed a ridiculously small number of interviews, and I ended up landing a low-paying dev job with a stack I did not want in a tiny company with no employee benefits. Not exactly the tech bro dream 🥲.

Comparing with many of my peers who have similar backgrounds to me and who landed great jobs straight out of college, it's hard for me to know whether I'm falling victim to LinkedIn survivorship bias (i.e. I'm only seeing those who succeed) or if I am missing something here. Perhaps it's that I didn't do any internships during college, or that the market is bad right now, or that one simply needs referrals to get interviews. I am hoping to gain clarity on this.

My formal questions:

1. I am a graduate of one of the top computer science programs in North America, have a decent GPA, and have a portfolio of college projects. It's hard for me to assume my resume is that suboptimal that it undoes those facts. Why are companies not interested in interviewing me?
2. I have two years of experience total at two different companies, both of which are very small consultancies owned by friends of friends, which I suspect may be hurting my application. Is it better to apply for recent grad jobs or internships (which I'm applying for anyway) with no professional experience listed on my resume?
3. Something that I've seen emphasized on Taro is that it is much more attractive to specialize. For example, in the resume course, Alex recommends applying with a small number of technologies you are proficient in / have experience with. As a recent grad not getting interviews, I am (a) nervous I'll get thrown into a tech stack I don't care for, but thereafter only have a real chance at success interviewing for jobs with that stack, and (b) not actually proficient with any tech stack, so not sure I can craft a "specialized" resume. What are your thoughts on this, and what does a strong recent grad resume look like?

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer and for Taro's support in the job search!

Episode 3

I reneged the 6 month contract role at Amazon for the 12 month contract role at Meta before I started at Amazon. Then I wrote a big and honest apology to the person at Amazon that helped me get the role.

• Plot twist ... after I started at Meta ... hold on to your seats ... the staffing agency said that they made a mistake and the role at Meta is actually 6 months. They told me and some others to deal with it.

I have a chance to return to Amazon for a 6 month contract role. The same person that helped me get the contract before is offering to help me again. Hope to have him as a manager one day :).

I mainly want to take it because:

1. Amazon is onsite in a different city and that could help with some mental health problems I am dealing with. Meta is WFH. I was willing to deal with it because of the contract length.
2. I have a better chance to find a team at Amazon to hire me since I already have 2 YOE there and while working in office I can make a lot of connections to teams that could hire me.
3. Probably a better chance to extend the contract at Amazon. It's a much more important project and people have already had their contracts extended. This doesn't seem to be the case for this Meta team.
4. Amazon is actually paying me more if you take into account taxes, but that's not a concern anymore. Just saying because Meta usually pays more.

I am considering staying at Meta because it's only 6 months and instead of hopping around for contract roles, I should look for a full time role. My mental health has gotten really bad though, and I am not motivated to apply or work anymore. The environment change could help a lot.

I used to think Amazon treats employees poorly. Amazon is heaven compared to this :(. It's unreal how badly these companies are treating me.

My manager is letting me choose between a couple options which project I want to work. What kinds of things should I look for to choose which project would be better for me in terms of becoming a better engineer and resume impact?

Basically what the title says. Market seems really bad right now for entry level and junior engineers. Any tips on how to become a better applicant and stand out?

Hi Taro community,

I currently have 1 YOE as a SWE at a large bank and I am on STEM OPT. I want to be more intentional with my career.

In short - I want to know how to get domain expertise. My tech stack is mostly python, SQL, and some Angular. In short, I don't feel like an 'engineer' at all and since it's a bank things don't move that fast and I feel like I will get complacent or obsolete with how fast the tech landscape is evolving with artificial intelligence.

My issue is I don't think I am gaining the 'depth' of knowledge that I would hope to acquire. I am just working on stories as they come and the knowledge I am getting is mostly proprietary to the org I belong to. I can't see how transferable the knowledge will be.

I am trying to figure out what my next move should be. So far I have tried:

• Applying to other jobs. The bad thing is that the tech job market is awful and while I don't mind leetcode, it becomes a parasitic activity that leeches on my free time.
• Switching to another team - roadblock here too. We have a hiring freeze.
• I've had some luck interviewing with startups but unfortunately a lot of them don't sponsor. I actually think that had my visa situation not been a problem, a startup would be a great way to supercharge in improving my skills.
• Build projects - I've seen this advice on here before and it seems like the only wiggle room I have until something better comes up. But, as far as projects, past a certain point they are just toys I feel - they lack the complexity, and business context that makes a good engineer. I mean after all, engineering is a team sport. Also, I am not sure how it gives me the 'depth' that I want.
• Courses/Technical papers? This is another option I am thinking of: maybe start or join a reading group for technical papers and try to re-implement and discuss the concepts discussed? Maybe brushing up on computer science fundamentals/system design will help?

I am a little worried because it seems like I will be at this job for a while - which is not a bad thing because I'm very lucky to have one to start with, but at the same time, I don't want to be left behind.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to reading your comments!

In a recent behavioral mock interview, I was asked the question "Tell me about a time you motivated a colleague in your team."

From my understanding, the question's focus appears to be on teamwork and collaboration.

A story I had was when a colleague in my team was struggling to meet deadlines for a group project and complete his work due to him having multiple upcoming exams in a short timespan.

• I proactively approached the colleague for a 1:1 conversation to listen to their concerns and empathized with his struggles, understanding how tough it was for him to balance multiple priorities.
• I then suggested to collaborate on the project and offered to help him with some of his tasks so he could focus on the ones most important for the project.
•  After communicating with the team, I assigned him the task of identifying and fixing a tricky bug in our system, as debugging was one of his key strengths, and this allowed him to focus on what he did best. 
• My colleague became more motivated to contribute to the project by working on a task tailored to their strengths. This approach not only helped the project stay on schedule, but also reduced their stress and boosted overall morale and team productivity.

Do you think this answer is on the right track? I would gladly appreciate any thoughts or feedback on this answer.

Big thanks for reading through all of this - I know it is a very long post and I really appreciate your time!

I've been working at a very bureaucratic F500 for 3 months in an SRE position. I don't really code a lot in this role and I want to switch to a dev position but I'll be honest I'm a complete noob at navigating this because this is my first job

The place I'm working at is super slow -- it took me 1 whole week just to get access to the code in my own team and it took 2-3 weeks to get access to all the other tools.

I've heard advice of "just go and ask an engineer on the team and code" but the issue is to even get access to the codebase + tools in my own team its such a long drawn out complicated process, let alone a completely different team. I'm also a bit worried about doing things behind my managers back as I'm worried it'll look really bad.

The other thing is idk how to just "contribute" because to understand the tickets + context and actually code you need the tribal knowledge from your team

Would love advice, I'm pretty lost and I'm not sure how to navigate this -- especially the big don'ts because I don't wanna shoot myself in the foot and do something that's gonna hurt my reputation if done badly

I am currently an entry level engineer at a big tech company and started 3 months ago. I am looking to move to a company with more fast paced work and a better engineering culture after a year. Right now, the market seems tough for junior level engineers. What advice would you give towards landing new opportunities in this position?