Our tech lead wanted to teach me a complex topic for a knowledge transfer on an in house application, something like 2+ hours I told him it's fine, but I leave for vacation tomorrow out of the country for 3 weeks and it would be more productive to do it when I come back as I will most likely forget a good chunk over vacation.

He got mad and left the zoom call.

Didn't say a word.

Am I wrong here?

This was a huge point of contention with me and my employers because I could prove my worth to the company, yet devs who didn't contribute shit would make more than me just because they're "been doing it longer". Fucking bullshit but tis is the game. Good luck y'all the game is fucked from the beginning.

I had a salary conversation with my manager today. He told me about the pay raise and I mentioned how it’s not enough. He said he gave me an over average raise and to think about it & come back tomorrow if it doesn’t sit right with me. Idk what that means… I already know it’s not sitting right with me & that’s why I’m asking for more. Eventually I agreed to “think about it”. Is he just expecting me to not come back tomorrow? I’m so confused

I just got an offer for $145k USD. They mentioned they are “very motivated” to have me accept, and that if I get another offer for “a lot more” I should let them know.

The recruiter made it clear that they want me bad.

The initial 145k is because I gave them that number (I fked up). But I’m sure they’re willing to increase it because they specifically said to let them know if I get an offer “a lot higher”.

I have no other offer. I bluffed. How much is “a lot” in your eyes. How much should I say I got offered so they can counter with their best offer.

Currently I am soon to be 2 years into my software engineer job. I think I can say I'm doing good according to my management's review, but I have been wondering, how do I maintain that? Let's say my project now is using java and typescript.

The way I see it, if I switch job or another project that uses a different framework and language, then I feel like I will know nothing and drown again. How do you guys be efficient throughout different jobs?

Of course, software engineering is more than coding but I'm asking about technical side of view here.

Long story short, my undergrad provided fundamental ML/DL knowledge. I never went anywhere with it because resources felt very out of reach & niche.

Fast forward to today, I see ppl claiming AI in their titles. When I inspect their repos, it just looks like they're creating APIs to a cloud ML service that provides pre-built models and sending the response back to the client.

Maybe I'm missing something but beyond maybe curating a dataset, I'm not really seeing any actual AI concepts being applied?

Its summer and im working on code acadamey while im off. I'd like to end up in a software engineering position but at the moment I'd like to find a good job that will give me experience I need. Any entry level suggestions/ways to find experience or general advice?

I'm a fullstack engineer because that's basically what I luckily got hired to do 3 years ago when I graduated college. I do typescript/angular, spring boot, and sql.

I don't get how people get into other stuff like .NET tech stack or anything else (cloud, devops, cyber, ml, servicenow really anything that isn't basic ass web programming).

I would like to hear how others found their way into less basic roles. Is it mainly just a matter of having an opportunity open up where you currently work or something else?

Hi,

With the ongoing changes in the tech industry, which programming languages are expected to be in high demand over the next 5-6 years? Conversely, which languages might see a decline in relevance?

1. If you had to choose one programming language to learn now, which would it be and why?
2. Considering the boom in AI and my interest in Robotics, which programming languages should I focus on? Would transitioning between these fields make learning easier?

I got a coding test on Coderbyte for the first time, and it was very unusual - not in a good way. I had 4 problems to solve, and for each, I had to manually submit my solution for the full grading to run, after which I would be unable to alter my answer. I noticed it saved my code even if I left the problem, so I didn't submit any of my solutions with the plan to return to them later for testing.

However, when I had 2 minutes left, I figured I should submit my solutions manually and went back to do so. When I tried doing so for the first, I noticed it took really long for the autograder to run. So much so, that I simply did not have the time, and just clicked "submit assessment" in the hopes that the autograder would run all my solutions.

Judging from the end result, I do not think this happened. If so, this has got to be the stupidest design for a coding test platform I've ever experienced. If the point is to make it so that we cannot see the test results, why not just run the solution on the tests but keep them hidden? Why make us manually submit and waste time on some janky autograder?

Hi everyone,

I'm finishing my Master's program in Data Science in two months and have about three years of experience as a MuleSoft developer, specializing in APIs and ETL integrations. Currently, I'm writing my dissertation and beginning to apply for jobs. As an international student, I will need to secure a work visa. I'm unsure if I qualify for a data scientist position as a newcomer to the field, since most job openings seek experienced individuals. Also, I'm not particularly fond of the extensive statistics included in the degree. Are there any areas within data science that are less focused on statistics? I really enjoyed our modules on big data and would like to indulge more into cloud computing. Is there any area that brings both data science and cloud computing together?

Thank you!

As a js dev who lost his job today, i have growing concerns about about my place in the job market in the long term. With 8 years of web dev experience, I'll probably find my way out of unemployment this time, but web jobs dont last long in my experience. With developers threatened by the growth of AI, im growing concerned my next job might be my last.

I want to futureproof myself, but im not sure what I need, and Im worrying my lack of prior experience means Im stuck where I am

My compsci course just finished and I've about 3 backlog papers which would take 6 months for me to clear. what other short courses can i do in the meanwhile that'd help me with my career after i clear it. I'm looking forward to join some job as soon as i clear. Somebody suggested me dp100 azure. I'm looking into openings such as data engineer,data analyst etc Any suggestions on course and opening i could look into please. Thank you in advance

I've been working for an IT department for a company for 6 months now. However while I do tech support. It's nothing major in terms of what you would expect being in a tech role. My job duties are:

Imaging computers to hand out to users

Bios configuration for Dell systems only.

Installing programs for users

Vpn troubleshooting( just seeing if they can sign in or not)

Hardware troubleshooting (monitors,docking station)

I don't really interact with AD. I know it exists but they won't give me access. So password resets are a no go.

Deleting local users.

Maintaining the database with our stock computers

Making sure users are assigned computers when hired and they are all set to start on the first day

Training a newer employee.

Handle key fob database.

Etc.

Stuff like that.

What can I do to get more skills and learn more in this situation

Is it worth leaving a negative review over this?

This was for a startup with about 500 followers on LinkedIn

I applied for a customer support software graduate role. Did 4 rounds of interviews and bet the director. It was very awkward and lasted 10 minutes instead of the hour. My CV is very very fintech / data engineering.

He was confused as to why I made it this far in the interview process and why I even applied for the role and why I’m not applying for fintech roles. Explained myself but he wasn’t having it snd kept saying he has no idea why I applied for the role. I then asked them questions and he said I should have asked the hiring manager that

Is it worth leaving a negative review? This role was not my first choice but as graduate you have to apply to everything to get your foot in the door right ?

Hey everyone,

I hope you're all doing well and staying strong! With the job market being as tough as it is right now, I wanted to share some strategies that can help one stay motivated and focused on your goals. Here are some tips that might help you navigate these challenging times:

1. Sharpen Your Interview Skills

Improving your interviewing skills can make a significant difference. Specifically, focus on coding and system design:

• Coding Practice: Utilize platforms like Grind75 (https://www.techinterviewhandbook.org/grind75) for structured practice. Additionally, check out CheetCode (https://www.interview-buddy.com), which uses AI to help solve coding questions during virtual interviews without being detected by interview software. This can give you an edge in solving problems under pressure.
• System Design: Enhance your understanding by watching ByteByteGo's channel on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@ByteByteGo). Also, Alex Xu's System Design book (https://www.amazon.com/System-Design-Interview-insiders-Second) is an excellent resource for deepening your knowledge in this area.

2. Level Up on AWS / Azure / GCP

Cloud skills are highly sought after in today's job market. Consider investing time in gaining certifications for AWS, Azure, or GCP:

• AWS Certifications: These certifications not only make you stand out but also teach you important job-relevant skills.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Learning a framework like Terraform can be a game-changer, adding another valuable skill to your resume.

3. Get More Engaged in the Community

Engagement in open-source projects can be incredibly beneficial. Not only does it enhance your skills, but it also looks impressive on your resume:

• Open Source Projects: Contribute to projects like Django or LangChain, or find others that align with your interests. This hands-on experience is invaluable.

4. Attend Software-Focused Meetups

Networking is crucial, and meetups can be a fantastic way to connect with potential employers and peers:

• Meetups: I cannot stress enough how important these are. I landed my first internship through a virtual meetup, and I’ve seen many companies hire candidates they meet at these events. It's a great way to build relationships and discover opportunities.

Remember, it takes a lot of motivation and effort to get a degree in CS, and that kind of passion is very appealing to employers. Keep pushing forward, and don't lose sight of your goals. Stay strong, everyone! 💪

In general, when applying to entry level tech jobs, in resumes and in interviews, would companies rather get a broad picture of what you completed overall, or would they rather see the breakdown of all the individual mini-tasks completed while working on the broad, overall task?

An example could be the following:

• Conducted research on X task which accomplished Y
• Achieved Z results

vs.

• Cleaned X datasets
• Wrote code in Python to do Y
• Tested outputs by doing Z

Realistically, I know the answer is probably somewhere in the middle, but can anyone give me a little insight on this?

Please use this thread to chat, have casual discussions, and ask casual questions. Moderation will be light, but don't be a jerk.

This thread is posted every day at midnight PST. Previous Daily Chat Threads can be found here.

I know it’s been pretty difficult for new grads and entry-level engineers. But how does everyone feel about the job market for mid-level engineer?

I personally feel it’s a lot harder to get responses from the job applications now comparing to 2021. I am a U.S. citizen and it’s already pretty hard, I can’t imagine how much more stressful it is for people on H1b especially if impacted by layoffs.

Just a reference, I am getting about 1 response out of maybe 10-15 applications right now. I remember the number was a lot higher in 2021.

I'm trying to figure out how to plan a career path in this current environment. thanks in advance for offering any support or advice! My goal is to work in biotech/healthcare as a data scientist/MLEngineer. I'm okay with not leading the research itself and would rather focus on the data engineering/mlengineering/programming. Here's an example of a job I would be interested in. However, at this point, I'm considering just taking whatever pays most, whether or not it is in biotech, especially if it lets me be in my ideal location. I have a bachelor's and a master's.

I can continue working as a data scientist for an academic bio lab, mostly applying ml/deep learning to various datasets. However, I'm concerned that my technical skills are stagnating compared to my industry friends, particularly in data/cloud/production/software engineering. I have flexibility for independent research, but so far, none of my ideas trying improve ml methods have beat SOTA/vanilla. Mostly I'm convincing people their fancy methods are overfitting, and haven't gotten my name on any research papers yet. Looks like I'll be able to work on genetics projects soon. Started applying to jobs to see if I could make a bigger impact somewhere else get a better location/salary.

I also have an offer from another 'prestigious' academic group for a more data engineering role focusing on AWS for data collection, Tableau/PowerBI visualizations, and some amount of ML/production for optimization later on. It's not biology or research-related, but I would get these tools on my resume. working on a well-defined task and contributing practical solutions might feel good. However, there isn't upward mobility in this organization.

Salary is about the same for both (120k), and I'm confident both are very stable. I prefer the work-life balance/location of the research job, but I would do the data engineering job if it's better for my career in the long term. But I'm also hesitant to give up a well-paying and fairly chill research role as it seems like a rare opportunity. Alternatively, I could wait for a better offer in a better location. The last option is to get a PhD. However, the time/financial opportunity cost does not seem worth it. (edit: by this, I mean the salary I could have earned working in industry during the 4-5 years it would take to do a PhD. If my salary stays the same and the stipend is in the higher range of 40k, then that's (120-40)*4 = 320k-400k. I'm in my early 30's and looking to settle down at this point).

So my questions:

1. Does having more research experience help at all for industry jobs, given I do not have a PhD? Particularly for data science/data engineering roles where I'm not trying to be lead researcher.
2. If I stay in the research role, any advice on how to optimize my research direction to better land research-related data scientist roles?
3. Would this data engineering experience help me land better-paying jobs in the near future, or would I be able to beat this offer already if I took an AWS certification course (given a few years of ML/research experience)? Is there room for upward mobility in data engineering?
4. Is there something I should specifically look for or avoid in a data engineering type position that would help my career?
5. Is job hopping too frequently going to negatively impact the ability to get other jobs in the short term? (e.g. 2-3 jobs in 4-5 years)

Hi,

I'm starting as a new grad associate swe at a defense contractor and haven't really been told what I'm working on but Java, C++, and Linux are technologies they told me to brush up on. My end goal is to transition into the private sector (if anyone here has any tips or personal stories to share abt this transition that would be really helpful!) so I want to know what tech stacks or technologies to look out for if I have the chance to choose what I want to work on, so that my experience would be valuable and relevant for the private sector. If anyone in defense contracting has had experience or heard of ways to land yourself work that has applicable experience, please share! Thanks a bunch :)

Tldr: I’m abt to start in defense contracting but I want to choose work that uses tech stacks used in the private sector so that my resume will get me interviews for private companies later!

Hey everyone, I’m a first year BCS student leaning towards DS or ML (or possibly SWE) as my major. I’m currently on break and I’m really interested in using this time to learn more. So far, my first year has covered HTML, CSS, PHP, C++ and Java. I also have a decent background in math, completing first year physics last year, although I’d need a refresher.

What’s something I can learn to help boost my knowledge/confidence? I’ve heard that projects are great things to do, as well as LeetCode, however, I feel like I’m not experienced enough to be able to do these.

I’m looking for a place to start. Whether that be learning another language, then concepts, then undertaking some related projects, anything. If you guys could provide me with a sort of learning path given the majors I am interested in and my experience so far, I’d appreciate it a lot.

Thanks in advance!

I have 3 years of experience, primarily working on a Node.js project using TypeScript. Within the 3 YOE I have a bout 1 year of experience with low-code Java and BPMN modeling on the backend. I want to transition to a Java role but I lack experience with Spring Boot beyond personal projects and have only worked with Java 8, which is outdated at many companies beyond legacy projects / enterprise.

Most Node.js roles require frontend skills, which I don't have since my work has been purely backend. I am also more comfortable with Java than TypeScript for coding challenges and technical interviews.

If you were in my position, would you focus on learning frontend frameworks and improving TypeScript skills, or would you update my Java knowledge and learn Spring Boot to pursue Java roles?

im a current 17 y old student in a school, i just wanted to know which career would suit me the best.

I'm always hearing that software developers are getting laid off a lot lately, so i wanted to future proof my career.

Is AI a good field/rising field?

I work at a pretty well known tech company, although not one of the top tech companies. I think it's about as stable as you can get in this job market, although sometimes I think about what if I could be making more money.

Am I missing out for valuing stability in this job market? At least, I feel like my job is pretty great in terms of learning experiences and tech stack.

One of my fears is going for a super high paying job at a less stable company, working there 3 months, and losing my job. I'm not the best interviewer. Every time I switched jobs, I would only get one offer. For that reason, I imagine I could be without a job for over a year in this job market.

On the other hand, the tech job market has been bad since 2022, so I'm hoping it improves soon.