Cindy Chau

💻 Live Coding Challenges vs. Take-Home Tests: Which is Better? 🤔 When it comes to technical interviews, both live coding challenges and take-home tests offer unique benefits: 🚀 Live Coding Challenges: - Real-time problem-solving: Shows your ability to think on your feet and adapt quickly. - Collaboration under pressure: Simulates teamwork, demonstrating communication skills in high-pressure environments. - Immediate feedback: Speeds up the interview process with on-the-spot insights. 📝 Take-Home Tests: - More time to reflect: You can plan and structure your solution without the time constraints of a live interview. - Real-world work simulation: Provides the opportunity to showcase how you’d solve problems in a real-world setting, using all available resources. - In-depth solutions: Allows for more thoughtful, polished code that can demonstrate your best practices and attention to detail. Both approaches have their place — live coding highlights a candidate's problem-solving under pressure, while take-home tests allow you to showcase your skillset thoroughly without the added pressure of extra eyeballs. What’s your preference? Let me know!👇 #TechInterviews #LiveCoding #TakeHomeTests #CareerDevelopment #Hiring #TechCareers #JobSearch

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Are colleges/universities failing Computer Science grads in 2024? The vast majority of CS grads end up working as software engineers. But many CS grads are unable to answer basic programming questions during an interview. (We talked about OOP last week). Why should CS grads have to invest in a bootcamp or additional hands-on training to land a job after a pricy college degree? We provide these hands-on skills at no cost at HTD Talent, but we can only help so many. Has this been your experience? What do you think is behind it? Let me know in the comments.

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Aspiring developers may not want to hear this but... Most of you need to change your job search strategy in two ways: 1. You should be willing to work for free to gain professional experience. It should be part-time, and it has to line up with your schedule, allowing you to still work another job and pay the bills. There's absolutely no excuse not to IF you realize that you need to trade the time that you would have invested into building out your portfolio for professional experience. So if you're arguing that you don't have time to work for free, that means you don't have time to work on your portfolio. In that case, you're probably not going to have enough time to grow your skills and land that first developer job. 2. Don't limit yourself to only remote positions. Before the pandemic, it was extremely rare to land a remote position as an entry-level developer. The pandemic gave developers a false sense of confidence that remote jobs would always be widely available to entry-level developers. That was temporary. The sooner you accept that the sooner you can base your job search strategy on the reality of the current job market.

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5 Lessons for Junior Engineers Navigating a Career in Tech 🚀 1. Everything is LEARNABLE Instead of saying, “I don’t know,” ask yourself, “How can I learn this?” No one knows every concept in software—it’s okay to be unfamiliar. What matters is a growth mindset and the drive to learn. 2. Overcome Imposter Syndrome Feeling like an imposter is normal—especially if senior engineers critique your work. Remember, everyone has a learning curve. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, even if they seem basic. A supportive team culture encourages questions and values learning over judgment. 3. Stay Open-Minded Your initial impressions often reflect limited exposure. Avoid forming rigid opinions too quickly; be open to different perspectives within a domain before deciding if it’s right for you. Every area can be fascinating with the right environment. 4. Time is Your Best Teacher Building strong fundamentals takes time; there are no shortcuts. Avoid rushing through concepts—invest time in mastering the basics. This will set you up for long-term success and make you a stronger engineer. 5. Document Your Journey Keep a record of what you’re learning. Not only does it help you reflect on your progress, but it also serves as a personal knowledge base you can refer back to. Plus, sharing your journey might help other junior engineers too! Take it slow, explore, and trust the process.

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My Salary & Expenses as a Software Engineer Living in New York City I don't know if you would believe me..... What does it really cost to chase that big city dream? Buckle up, I'm spilling the tea on my NYC software engineer life. Here's my monthly money breakdown: $3,059 on rent (hello, 23rd floor view!) $754 on food (Doordash is my weakness) $522 on travel (Puerto Rico weekend, anyone?) $246 on fun stuff (pickleball addiction is real) Grand total? A whopping $4,582 every month! 💸 Now, the plot twist: I bring home $7,000 after taxes. Sounds sweet, right? But I'm only saving $2,417. Yikes! 😅 My fancy software job alone? It's not cutting it. Enter my secret weapon: My side hustles! Why I need that extra cash flow: Rent eats half my paycheck City life ain't cheap, folks! NYC taxes are brutal A big salary doesn't mean big savings. It's all about the hustle. NYC is teaching me: Every dollar counts Side hustles aren't optional, they're essential Tech skills = money skills (use 'em or lose 'em) But you know what? I wouldn't trade it. - The grind, the excitement, the opportunities - it's all part of the NYC package. What about you? Got a side hustle keeping your dreams alive? Drop your story below! Whether you're coding bots, walking dogs, or selling crafts. Remember: In this crazy expensive world, your skills are your superpower. Use 'em wisely! __________________________________________________________ Do you want me to give you a fully personalized roadmap,1:1 mentorship, and help you become An expert Bot Developer In 1.5 Months? I'll teach you how to build 6 figure bot projects and work with real clients even if you have no previous experience. Check out my featured or comment section to know more about it.

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Sometimes people won’t understand you… 👉 They may not understand why you chose not to go abroad. 👉 They may not understand why you left your high-paying job. 👉 They may not understand why you chose a profession where there isn’t a lot of “scope”. 👉 They may not understand why you stopped hanging out with certain people. 👉 They may not understand why you keep doing something every day, even though there are no immediate results. All of these are instances where you decided to choose your happiness and peace, instead of choosing what people want for you. Most often, choosing the path of individuality is a very lonely journey; it’s scary. Doubts start creeping in, questioning whether what others say is right. But it is through that lonely path that you find what is truly right for you. The only reason you get this feeling is that we live in a society that cannot digest something that does not fit into its templates. It is not because you are wrong or not enough. Listen to your heart. Don’t give up; keep moving. What’s meant for you will come your way. 👑 🍀 #PersonalDevelopment #MentalHealth #SelfCare #Persistence

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NEW Software Developers and NEW Software Engineer Job Seekers!! Varied JOBS---> JOBS---> JOBS---> JOBS---> Come take a look at ALL of these Open Jobs to Apply too ASAP before gone!! **Who wants to work at Notion? Coinbase? Datadog? or Oracle?** ✏ 💙 ✏ 💙 ✏ 💙 ✏ 💙 ✏ ✏ Ben and I are not the recruiters for these openings------> just part of a group of trying to get MANY people back to work and passing leads out in various places for viewing and applying!! ✏ Please do not send Ben or I your resume as we are not going to be reviewing them and so it will be more of value for you to just apply directly to the positions below. 👇 ✏ If there is a match to any of the jobs you have applied too according to the company, then the recruiter who owns the req will reach out to you to get you setup for the beginnings of interviews. 👉 Please make sure to connect with me here Tamara Swearingen on LinkedIn and then --->follow me by hitting the notification bell 🔔 to make sure you do not miss any of my postings that are either educational or motivational content and then of course besides posting Talent jobs like these in this posting, I will be posting jobs that fall under Sales, Engineering, Finance, Customer Success etc. 👈 ❤️ 💙 Remember, if you see a job or two that could fit someone you know who is out of work right now, then show some KINDNESS and tag their name below in the comment section and they will get alerted and can apply to the job(s) 💙 ❤️ ✏ 💙 ✏ 💙 ✏ 💙 ✏ 💙 ✏

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How you think to solve problems is not useful for interviews A customer doesn't care how we think to build a product or how we build it. They care about the outcome. I don't care how you think–I'm not a psychologist. I only care that you can think through a problem. The "explain out loud" part of a DSA interview is, for me, the most stressful part. For a new problem, my brain does not think in linear steps. So, to stop thinking just to organize my thought process into sentences slows me down considerably. It interrupts my actual thought process. I'd say the non-linear thinking is an advantage that allows me to jump in and solve problems that have blocked others for days. Having to step through something linearly undermines that ability. Doing so doesn't indicate how I actually solve problems. If I can sit down with a problem and take my time to solve it, I can truly understand it. Then, I can explain it to others in a way that makes sense to them. Solving problems, then explaining how, in simpler terms, is a large part of my job, mentoring others, and posting on LinkedIn. Solving problems while simultaneously explaining how is not part of my job.

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If commenting 'Interested' landed dream jobs, we'd have a 0% unemployment rate. 😂 (Wishful thinking, right?) It seems like every other post is a recruiter promising a job with just two words... but we all know it's not that simple. If you're falling for those "Interested = Instant Job" posts, it's time for a reality check. Don't get me wrong, I wish it were that easy, but sadly, the world of job searching isn't quite that magical. Here's how to spot those FAKE job postings on LinkedIn and save yourself from disappointment: 🚩 Missing Company Info: If they're legit, they'll be proud to show it. No company name, location, or website? Swipe left on that post. 🚩 Vague Job Descriptions: Grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and a description that's basically "Do all the things!"? Yeah, that's not a real job. 🚩 Demanding Money Upfront: Newsflash: companies PAY you, not the other way around. Don't fall for that nonsense. 🚩 No Interview, No Offer Letter: If they're offering you a job based on your LinkedIn profile and nothing else, RUN. 🏃‍♂️ Let's be smart job seekers and avoid these traps. Remember, a little bit of skepticism can go a long way in the wild world of LinkedIn job postings! 😉 But you can check my posts related to job openings and hiring alert 🚨 for the remote jobs …. Follow Ram Dey Write in the comment whats your thought on this fake job posting ? #fakejobalert

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Check out this treasure trove of resources By Arvind Telharkar! Perfect for leveling up skills.

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I am #hiring an AI Developer Advocate in SF, NY or Remote for a YC start-up. If you have an engineering background (data science, ML), are already active on AI virtual and in-person communities and love writing content that educates developers on LLM best practices, LET'S TALK! You’ll be working closely with their CEO and Growth Lead to write top-notch technical content on subjects like: “What should you do if you’re being rate limited by OpenAI?” “How to programmatically count tokens BEFORE making a request to LLM model provider?” Tech Stack: Lang chain, Llama Index, LLM applications PRODUCT: Helping companies improve their generative AI prompting  FUNDING: $5M (seed) Rebel Fund, Eastlink Capital, YC BORN: January 2023 REVENUE: increasing 30% each month OFFICE: SF (preferred) OR NY OR Remote BASE: $140k - $200k/year EQUITY: 0.1-0.4% #AI #LLM #hiring #startups paraformtalent@yahoo.com

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Hiring Software Engineers right now? I bet all you want is a curated shortlist of great people. Preferably somewhere between 5-10 candidates with the right skills and experience. Vetted, qualified, and aligned to your expectations and vision. But It’s probably taking you hours to get to that point. Trawling job ads, compromising on expectations and getting half way through the process before having to start again. It’s the same problem you faced 2 years ago. It’s a battle - supply vs demand. Getting to the right people, with the right alignment at the right time. That’s not an easy task. And if you’re not fortunate enough to have a dedicated talent team on standby to help, chances are it’s impacting all the other work you have to commit to. Want to talk about how you can get the result you need without the hefty price tag that’s become all too familiar with hiring?

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How do Software Engineers get promoted? Technical ability + soft skills +strategic moves Here's how to stand out 🤝 Master your craft 🔊 Dive deep into your technical skills. Always be learning, whether it's new programming languages, frameworks, or tools. Your commitment to excellence sets you apart. Solve the right problems 🔊 Look for opportunities to solve problems that align with your team's goals and your company's mission. It's not just about fixing bugs; it's about identifying and solving high-impact problems. Communicate with impact 🔊 Whether it's through code comments, documentation, or presentations, your ability to clearly communicate complex ideas is crucial. Remember, your code isn't just for machines; it's for people too. Take initiative 🔊 Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. Propose new projects, improvements, or innovations that can drive value for your team and company. Show that you're thinking ahead. Seek feedback 🔊 Regular feedback is your growth catalyst. Embrace constructive criticism and use it to refine your skills and approach. Remember, feedback is a gift that helps you grow. Network internally 🔊 Build relationships outside your immediate team. Understand the broader business context and how your work fits into it. These connections can provide valuable insights and opportunities. Demonstrate leadership 🔊 Leadership isn't just for managers. Mentor juniors, lead by example, and contribute to a positive, inclusive team culture. Show that you're someone others can look up to. Align your goals with your manager's 🔊 Understand your manager's priorities and how you can contribute. Regular check-ins to align your goals can pave a clear path to your promotion. We are djr 🔵 ⚪

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Software Engineers are hired for ONE reason only: to build software that will make a company MONEY. Yes, you do that through code, yet - the outcome is not a feature - it's a new customer. Software Engineers are one of the most valuable parts of the business because they can make so much MONEY for the business they directly build the software that's being sold. That's also why they are paid so well. Know your worth.

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Are you're a software engineer looking for higher engagement on your LinkedIn posts? Based on my observations here, these topics are consistently the highest performing posts for SWEs ( not including rants and complaints about the job market, recruiters, or the economy. ) 1. React vs Vanilla JS 2. Tailwind vs CSS 3. Node vs Go 4. In-office vs Remote 5. Agile vs Scrum 6. Any mentions of open Junior SWE positions

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TO BE OR NOT TO BE: PURSUING A MASTERS AS A SOFTWARE ENGINEER, PART 1 Given the current job market, I've seen a significant shift in the number of job seekers considering pursuing a master's as they patiently wait for the market to stabilize (will it ever?). If you happen to be thinking along the same lines, here's what I would recommend: The 'Why' Why are you deciding to pursue a master's? Whatever the answer, go in with a clear vision and realistic expectations. For software engineering roles in the industry, relevant industry experience will always be highly valued, in contrast to academia-focused roles. Be clear about that distinction. The 'When' and 'Where' Timing matters. Like most South Asian parents, my parents were also pretty insistent that I should aim to do a master's soon after my undergrad, and honestly, they were spot on. The longer you're out of school, the more daunting the thought of returning becomes. When I was considering doing my master's, many of my co-workers wistfully told me how they'd considered doing the same year after year, but something would always come up. In this case, my south asian background came in handy since my parents can be pretty good enforcers when it comes to accomplishing educational milestones 😉 Luckily, my plan worked out well, and I was able to start my masters exactly a year after graduating. If you're applying for a master's, work backward. I'd say you roughly need to start planning a year in advance. Here's what my timeline looked like (in reverse): - Started my masters in September 2020 - Applied to grad schools between Nov 2019-Jan 2020 - Gathered relevant documents, letters of recommendation, etc, around August 2019 - Wrote the GRE in Jan 2019 (I wrote it a bit early in case I wasn't happy with my scores and wanted to redo it) - Started prepping for the GRE in August 2018 - Figure out what schools I wanted to apply to, admission criteria, etc, in the summer of 2018. The 'How' It would help if you decided whether you want to do it alongside your job or dedicate yourself entirely to the program. There's no right or wrong answer here, and it essentially boils down to where you see yourself: industry or academia. In my case, I've always wanted to work in the industry, so one of my non-negotiables was putting my career on a break. Additionally, look into whether your employer 1. Is ok with you doing a masters 2. Offers any benefits 💰 Some employers, like my previous one, may reimburse you for your degree, but read the fine print. There might be conditions on the minimum GPA you need to maintain and whether you'd need to continue working for them for a minimum of x years after completing the degree. I didn't want to be tied down to one company, so I decided not to avail this benefit, but it is definitely worth looking into. I have a lot of other content planned for this series, but if you have any specific asks, let me know in the comments below! #softwareengineering #careers

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