5 tips to land a high paying Software Engineering job during COVID-19
It is sad to see a lot of talented, former colleagues of mine get impacted as a part of the broad layoffs at companies like Lyft, Uber, and Airbnb. There will be at least dozens of thousands of highly skilled tech professionals out of work when it’s all said and done. And those who are fortunate to not be laid off, have already seen pay cuts (e.g. Lyft cutting 10% of base pay) or will see decreased future compensation (e.g. no yearly bonuses, suspension of promotions). On the bright side, there are still tech companies out there who are still hiring. As of the writing of this article, Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple are hiring. So if you’re looking for a job, you still have the opportunity to earn the big $$$. The following are 5 tips I would give to anyone looking for a software engineering job today.
Tip #1 -- Tap into all of your connections for an intro.
I would not be shy to do a public post with the hashtag #covid19 and #layoffs if you really need a job. More than ever, now is the best time to get help. I've seen these types of posts get boosted by people with a lot of influence. Many of them have hundreds, if not thousands of likes (the metric of our generation :)).
Tip #2 -- Cold-call recruiters of companies that are still hiring.
One of the best ways to quickly get an interview is to have an ally. Your recruiter is going to be your best friend and it's important to get noticed by them. They want to close as many qualified candidates as possible, and you want to get a job. The incentives are aligned. However, I’d make sure to reach out to them respectfully. I've seen many people cold-message me on LinkedIn with a plain "hi"... That's not going to work. In a brief 2-3 sentence intro, explain to them your experience and what you’re looking for. And don’t forget to provide them with a phone number and email for future follow-ups.
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Tip #3 -- Be ready to act quickly.
Once you have the attention of the referrer or the recruiter, make sure you're on top of your communication game. Respond promptly--weekends included. Most recruiters work through the weekend, so don’t feel like you’re bothering them by sending an email on a weekend. They will prioritize those who are the most prepared / engaged. Ideally, you should be able to interview within 48 hours, which is my next tip… be "interview-ready" at all times.
Tip #4 -- Get/Stay sharp for your interview loops.
This is the most important thing to do. It’s also the hardest of the 5 tips to do. If you’re applying to a FANG company, make sure you have some confidence that you’ll pass the interviews. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait a full year before trying again at the same company.
If you're new to interviewing, I'd recommend that you follow blogs or YouTube channels that step you through interview questions such as my friend’s (VNGuy) phone interview question series. If you're already experienced, I'd recommend blasting through as many of the easy-medium questions on leetcode. Depending on your level, the majority of the questions asked during a real interview will be easy-medium leetcode questions. Focus on the following topics: data structures, string manipulation, graph theory applications, and very rudimentary dynamic programming. You should also skip the whiteboard practice if that's what you're used to. Everything will be done over VC and screen share. Your ability to type fast, articulate without diagrams, and be organized through your code will determine how successful you are in the remote interview.
Tip #5 -- Keep in mind that you no longer have leverage (kinda…).
During these times the employers have the negotiating power over the candidate. Playing hard to get or pinning multiple offers against the company you want to work for in order to get a better offer might backfire. At any time, companies may stop hiring altogether. There's always a chance for that promotion or job switching once the economy picks up. However, one thing you *can* impact now is the sign-on bonus. If you are ready to quickly commit to the company, ask for a sign-on bonus that you'll be happy with. This is the easiest part of the package for recruiters to grant you, so take advantage of it.
Good luck! If anyone needs help with interviewing and wants more personalized tips, feel free to shoot me a message at vnguysoftware@gmail.com. I'm not an ACM or TopCoder champ, but I'm experienced enough to help someone who is struggling to get into FAANG. For many of us, making a FAANG salary is the beginning of our 15-year journey towards fat FIRE.
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