Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#71

Post by alexgartrell » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:57 PM UTC

o_____________o wrote: post #44

braythwayt wrote: post #21

Anybody in their 40s or older has valuable experience above and beyond ephemeral value of “Hitting the ground running with Cabbage and Sprouts containerized with Cuper9s using ES2020 and JSxyz.” One way to deliver that experience is in delivery management, that is, being responsible for teams that ship stuff. Another way to deliver that experience is in people management. Not all companies equate this with the previo…

> it’s best to think of yourself as a manger without authority, rather than thinking of yourself as an engineer with authority That's great, and resonates

It's also been my experience as an engineering manager that it's best to think of yourself as a manager without authority.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#72

Post by twblalock » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC

southphillyman wrote: post #30

yodsanklai wrote: post #20

Same age, I recently interviewed at two FAANG companies. Mostly algorithms and system design interviews. I thought I did pretty well (something like 3 very good interviews, 1 good, and 1 ok). In both cases, the conclusion was that my results were good enough for an L4 position, but they wouldn't hire me for less than L5. (Why not, I'd be happy as an L4...). Also, I found the interview process pretty random and arbitr…

>In both cases, the conclusion was that my results were good enough for an L4 position, but they wouldn't hire me for less than L5. (Why not, I'd be happy as an L4...). Can you elaborate on this? Were you interviewing specifically for L5 roles? I wonder if years of experience or even achievements can be used against a candidate by raising the bar so to speak. Maybe one is a L5 at their current company but only a L4 e…

> I wonder if years of experience or even achievements can be used against a candidate by raising the bar so to speak.

It can be, and I've seen it. In general there is an assumption that people who come in at too low a level relative to their experience won't be happy and won't stay, so it's not a good idea to hire them.

Obviously some people are exceptions, but hiring managers will err on the side of caution.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#73

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:13 PM UTC

decebalus1 wrote: post #68

cmsonger wrote: post #66

I joined Google at the age of 50. Just send a resume. They are not trying to surprise you and want you to do your best. Consequently, not only do they tell you what to expect from the interview process, the recruiter will send you a PDF that talks through what to expect along with a reading list you can use to prepare. (For example: cracking the coding interview and CLRS are on it.) That said, I just went in cold. If…

You advice is sound but incomplete. > if you still understand your undergraduate level algorithms course and the corresponding vocabulary, then you know what you need to know speaking from experience, this would not get you nowhere near the level you have to be for passing the Google interview (or any other FAANG interview for that matter). You need to study long and hard in addition to solving OJ problems and famili…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#74

Post by 4ydx » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:16 PM UTC

I've interviewed and failed often enough (with google) to know it is never going to happen.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#75

Post by czbond » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:23 PM UTC

I cold applied for an L7 position at "A" recently. Going in, I had fear that I was under qualified. My background is CompSci, Management consulting and leading teams at global 5 companies, startup founder, and other lead positions. I left the L7 interview wholly underwhelmed as I felt I was interviewed by engineers with experience an inch wide, one mile deep. Whereas I like to be a mile wide, 0.8 miles deep. My thoughts "maybe L8" is better didn't set well though...

edit: I'm in Denver, and here senior leader positions are not too common.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#76

Post by matt-attack » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:23 PM UTC

decebalus1 wrote: post #68

cmsonger wrote: post #66

I joined Google at the age of 50. Just send a resume. They are not trying to surprise you and want you to do your best. Consequently, not only do they tell you what to expect from the interview process, the recruiter will send you a PDF that talks through what to expect along with a reading list you can use to prepare. (For example: cracking the coding interview and CLRS are on it.) That said, I just went in cold. If…

You advice is sound but incomplete. > if you still understand your undergraduate level algorithms course and the corresponding vocabulary, then you know what you need to know speaking from experience, this would not get you nowhere near the level you have to be for passing the Google interview (or any other FAANG interview for that matter). You need to study long and hard in addition to solving OJ problems and famili…

> You must make sure your result is the smallest in lexicographical order among all possible results.

Can someone explain this? I can't even parse that sentence.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#77

Post by syndacks » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:38 PM UTC

powowow wrote: post #35

I'm a Sr Manager at a FAANG company (and I started here in my 40s). My direct reports include other SDMs, senior product managers, and staff/principal engineers. You mention "trying" for management. If you haven't previously managed people, then you probably won't be able to get a good SDM role directly. Instead, your best path would be to be hired as an SDE, demonstrate strong managerial bones (mentorship, communica…

What's the bar for being hired as a FAANG engineering manager? Prev FAANG management experience? Prev FAANG IC role? Cursory LinkedIn searches show many FAANG engineering managers were promoted from within or came from a similar position at a similar company.

FWIW I've been both an IC before and have steadily moved to CTO at my current startup. I come from a non traditional background (non CS) but had several leadership roles there.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#78

Post by syndacks » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:42 PM UTC

sulam wrote: post #25

I would not recommend trying to interview as a manager for any large tech company without having first been a manager in another role. I would also not recommend doing this for small startups, but some may be willing to hire you into such a role without you being able to point to concrete experience in the role (the filters aren't as strong). I say this because that is personally a cardinal rule of mine, and I've nev…

What's the bar for being hired as a FAANG engineering manager? Prev FAANG management experience? Prev FAANG IC role? Cursory LinkedIn searches show many FAANG engineering managers were promoted from within or came from a similar position at a similar company. FWIW I've been both an IC before and have steadily moved to CTO at my current startup. I come from a non traditional background (non CS) but had several leadership roles there.

Thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#79

Post by syndacks » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:44 PM UTC

fatnoah wrote: post #49

ryandrake wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You mention "trying" for management. If you haven't previously managed people, then you probably won't be able to get a good SDM role directly. This is very true. No company I’ve interviewed with so far was willing to hire a manager who hasn’t previously managed people. > Instead, your best path would be to be hired as an SDE, demonstrate strong managerial bones I’ve tried this strategy a number of times and I wish…

>I’ve tried this strategy a number of times and I wish it was that straightforward. I'm currently at a FAANG and it is that straightforward. You don't just say, "hey, I should have people under me" but you do say that you're interested in managing folks some day. The company even offers a specific development track and training for people that want to do that. That's also how I got into management at a non-FAANG comp…

I'm curious if you can answer the question I posed on this thread a few sibblings up. Thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Joining Big Tech in One’s 40s

#80

Post by kayoone » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:45 PM UTC

matt-attack wrote: post #76

decebalus1 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You advice is sound but incomplete. > if you still understand your undergraduate level algorithms course and the corresponding vocabulary, then you know what you need to know speaking from experience, this would not get you nowhere near the level you have to be for passing the Google interview (or any other FAANG interview for that matter). You need to study long and hard in addition to solving OJ problems and famili…

> You must make sure your result is the smallest in lexicographical order among all possible results. Can someone explain this? I can't even parse that sentence.

in other words, the shortest string in alphabetical order