181–190 of 249 posts
This sounds like a total non sequitur but a simple solution (I've found) is to get some form of hardcore physical exercise! Try lifting some iron, or running on local natural trails. Physical exercise increases mental clarity because it increases neuroplasticity, and releases hormones you can't get from a largely sedentary lifestyle (programming, engineering, brainy-work) like adrenaline, testosterone, epinephrine, e…
What if you tried exercise and it didn't really... do much?
Hey, OP. Impostor syndrome sucks. Everyone has it. This industry is a bunch of nerds (and this part is not pejorative, I am one) who spent most of their lives being identified by how smart they were and they are culturally incentivized (and this one is pejorative, because tech culture is trash, but it's not your fault unless you perpetuate it, so don't!) to be desperate to win the approval of their peers by how bulgi…
This is excellent advice, I'd like to emphasize one point that gets missed a lot, change the game. The basis for the negativity here is a "score" which you, the OP, have scored in a way that makes you feel like a loser. Try not to get suckered into that. It is really hard to do but write down all of the things you aspire to. It can be trivia knowledge it can be computer languages known, it can be chemical constants m…
What they will answer though is likely not going to be what they respond to - the answer might be 'diligent and focused' (which is already completely hollow and ambiguous to begin with) while the truth is 'similarity to myself'.
But please get professional help first. You can look into your company's Employee Assistance plan, or outside, but what you are going through could be a chemical imbalance in your brain that you just can't control. I've lost folks close to me to this, and there isn't a rational plan to solve this other than to talk to a mental health professional. There is no stigma to this.
Go See A Doctor.
Not next week, not tomorrow, call and get yourself in today.
Go See A Doctor.
OP - A lot of people can say that you'll figure this out. And you will. If you can get into a "Big 4" tech company doing engineering work, there are a lot of other places that will hire you. But please get professional help first. You can look into your company's Employee Assistance plan, or outside, but what you are going through could be a chemical imbalance in your brain that you just can't control. I've lost folk…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> It's -stupidly- rare for people to 'figure out' the question in an interview ...really? I've heard of people failing interviews at the Big4 because they solved the problem, but did it sub optimally.
Beware of attempting to extract patterns from self-reported in-person interview failures. Most people who fail at the BigCo interviews I'm familiar with are getting bad reviews for: poor communication, not making sure they understand the problem, not testing their solution, not being willing or able to explain their thought process, being unable to answer "I don't know" when pressed. Occasionally there's someone who…
And I'm not bitter honest! I just resent having to communicate with idiots.
On a side note how long are we developers as a collective willing to put up with this hiring fad? We seriously need to start shutting these stupid practices down, the OP is only one of many developers that are feeling the same way.
Enough is enough time to say a big FUCK YOU to the "big 4" and everyone else who wants to be like them.
Many great comments here which hopefully help, and I'm not going to address the anxiety/depressive side of the coin - others have done that better. One piece of advice I got from a manager around interviewing was to be trying to interview somewhere every 3 to 6 months. He's incredibly happy in his role but he interviews to a) find out about new opportunities/products/technologies but b) so that when he finds that one…
I'll echo this. Before I went into consulting I would interview bimonthly or so. Not because I was unhappy (though sometimes I was), but because it was good to keep sharp and because sometimes you'll surprise yourself by finding a gig that really clicks. I was a lousy interview at my first job out of college. I've been a very good one since, and it's helped me get jobs I liked. It's also helped me seriously expand my…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Generally people are looking for a preferred solution, solving the problem, but not in the preferred way is usually not enough. This isn't good or anything (though, sometimes there's the really obvious super slow way, and its appropriate to ask for something better), its just the way it is. This is especially pronounced with junior interviewers, I've gotten dinged for missing capitalization on one variable in an othe…
> so when you take insecure nerds, and puff their egos up, this is what you get. Gold right there.