Adam Shih

You're eager to get promoted as a junior SWE–I’ve been there. To rise through the ranks, you'll need to lead projects that unlock meaningful value for your customers. Luckily, I've walked this road many times over the past 3 years at Wayfair. These 6 steps comprise my battle-tested formula for success: 1. Establish credibility as a competent engineer. Your manager will be taking a risk by investing the team's resources to complete your project. Their reputation is at stake as much as yours, so give them every reason to believe your leadership abilities are worth taking a risk on. 2. Find a problem worth solving, then sell it. Look for high-impact issues your team can feasibly address. Choose one, ideate a few potential solutions, then write a data-driven document that enumerates these options and emphasizes WHY the problem is worth solving. You’ll need everyone’s buy-in, so craft a compelling narrative that drives conversations and facilitates alignment. 3. Eliminate ambiguity as early as you can. The more unknowns there are, the higher the risk of failure. Clarify that ambiguity early and often using these 3 strategies: a. Consult with subject matter experts on your team about the problem and its potential solutions. b. Build small proofs-of-concept to demonstrate feasibility of higher risk components. c. Proactively communicate roadblocks, so others can help you push past them. 4. Document your chosen solution. To ensure your team is building toward the same north star vision, author artifacts like technical specifications and scrum tickets that clearly define: a. The thing you're trying to build, and b. The steps required to build it. Add visual elements like recorded demos, UX mocks, or system diagrams to help others quickly grasp the desired end-state. Crystalize your understanding of the solution and spread that knowledge throughout the team. 5. Drive execution and lead by example. Parallelize tickets when possible and sequence blockers accordingly. Ruthlessly deprioritize features that aren’t essential to the initial release. Put instruments in place to measure the success of the project and quantify business impact. Set a high standard for code quality by leading the implementation efforts yourself. Review code written by other engineers to ensure it satisfies the requirements. 6. Identify key learnings for next time. Congratulations on delivering your project! Take advantage of this valuable learning opportunity to reflect on what worked and what didn't. Organize a time for your team to go through this process together, and extract action items for individuals to follow up on. Remember, failure is in the eye of the beholder. Either you win or you learn. P.S. I'm still perfecting the art of project leadership too, you're not alone. Which steps of this formula do you need to focus on this week? Comment below so we can all learn from each other!👇 #softwareengineering #leadership

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Sharing resources for those interested in SDE roles @ Amazon Web Services (AWS) and certs/hackathons @ Microsoft! 𝗔 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵: I’ve been a fellow in the Propel2Excel Cohort this year and the support has been immeasurable. Our weekly calls (shoutout my mentors Bruce and Matab) have kept me on track with applying, interviewing, and landing offers. BUT The non-profit organization is expanding and has incredible resources I would love to share. With funding, sponsorships, and support from companies like Microsoft and Amazon. For Amazon Web Services (AWS), Propel2Excel is looking to recruit talent with an interest in backend development roles Requirements - Fantastic at LeetCode - Graduate date is Sept. 2022 - Sept. 2024 - Degree in Computer Science or similar - Currently working as a backend or full stack developer - Proficient in Java, Python, C++, Golang, or similar - Open to working from Seattle, DC, NY, Boston, Bay Area, or Austin Please send an email with your name & resume to Propel2excelea5@gmail.com For Microsoft, the non profit would like to get students azure certified, take courses like DP100, AI102, and AZ204, and participate in exclusive hackathons with $27k in prizes, and more. If interested and QUALIFIED, please comment “Interested” below. Someone from the P2E team (not me) will reach out to you! (Please do NOT DM me, always look at profiles to see if someone actually is a hiring manager or not. I am not, dont waste your inmails on me!) Just a fellow student trying to help :)

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60% onsite to offer ratio yesterday with 3 offers going out. At 4 offers so far for the month, we are only 8 days in,1 more interview today!!!! I’d like to end the week with 5 SWE offers! Every candidate I worked with this month I found in our applicant tracking system. They applied to a bunch of SWE roles, were never moved forward, gave up, and I hit them up randomly. If there was an audit done, no one could find commonalities between my submissions EXCEPT: 1) they have all previously applied to other SWE roles 2) they all reside in WA and are interested in working hybrid/ want to be on our main campus / require no relocation Aside from that, they all come from different backgrounds, different sized companies, various schools, some have masters degrees / others don’t. I don’t believe there’s one type of person who can be successful at Microsoft. I also am a firm believer that you increase your chances of being contacted by simply applying. You may not get reached out to for the role you applied for, but you’re maximizing the chances that someone like me will find you. I don’t mind digging through the applications across the entire company because they’re easy wins. Less convincing, less chasing, less back and forth, higher attendance rates, and so far 100% offer acceptance. (I recognize this stat won’t last forever, but I’ll ride it til it changes🙃)

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Since I have moved back to supporting Software Engineer hiring, I’ve only had 1 candidate reject an offer. She ended up joining Microsoft anyway on another team that aligned better to her interests. I’m able to keep my acceptance rate high because I’m extremely up front. My process is simple: - what are you unhapppy with at your current employer? what’s got you exploring other options? - I tailor Microsoft’s benefits to each individual. My pitch to someone with kids is very different from someone early career. My pitch to someone who is burnt out is different than someone who is adamant about a Sr title and a promo - I take bets on people who are significantly undervalued in the current market. I know companies that don’t come close and I move forward with people who don’t come from solely top companies - I have no problem hunting for more candidates and openly saying I don’t think I can compete with what you want - I openly tell people we will never revoke an offer if you try to negotiate. Ride out your decision window and TRY! Worst case you can’t and you know you have the best offer Also I think it helps that I’ve been 100% sourcing internally - I focus my reach outs on people who have applied in the last year. I move forward with candidates other recruiters pass up on. I leave 30% of my top of funnel for risky submissions. These are people that I will probably get questioned about in the debrief, but can support why I opted to move forward. They meet the basic qualifications, but will need mentorship. I also target Google, Meta, Amazon etc, but ONLY if they’re actively applying first. This removes the idea that I can’t possibly compete. I know you’re unhappy, curious, looking and that makes the conversations easier. I don’t uproot or relocate people. Relocation comes with a higher chance of a decline. It’s a little more work on the front-end, but it’s pretty pointless to go through the entire interview process and not actually hire a person. I want to hire people that WANT to be at Microsoft, reduce my hrs sourcing, and tell a compelling story while I do it. I think there are different ways to recruit depending on the role and level. For now this is working out well so I’m running with it. KEEP APPLYING seriously you’re helping me out!!!

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If you think that the Trump assassination attempt somehow only affects Republicans, know that for some reason Bernie Sanders also cancelled his rally in Portland, ME for this Friday. The problem isn't that there aren't other candidates with better ideas--there are. The problem isn't that people are dumb and don't want a better future for the planet--I think they do. The best candidates are seldom the ones on the ballot. The higher you go in politics this is true: it is often the richest and oldest that are eligible for Presidency, and those with archaic ideas and that support the status quo, and those that serve for self gain. So once again, I'll be voting for the US Presidential candidate, whichever one is on the ballot whose ideas are more progressive. I will vote for the candidate not trying to topple government as we know it, or shake the hands of the Dictators whose hands snuff out the life of dissent. It was a Historic Meeting when Donald Trump shook the hands of Kim Jong Un, because he shook the hand of a despot that murders his own people for consuming the culture of other people, like the 30 teens North Korea recently executed for watching South Korean shows. Similarly, we must express our outrage at China's treatment of the Uyghur population. The Chinese government has detained hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of Uyghurs in what they call "re-education camps." These camps are nothing short of modern-day concentration camps, where people are held without trial, subjected to political indoctrination, forced labor, and even torture. The world cannot stand idly by as an entire ethnic group is systematically oppressed and their culture erased. I get that some folks think we should just respect their Vote, but look, even Hitler and Putin were elected and that's just shit to think someone would vote for that, yet alone enough to normalize it. So this November, Let's Vote! Let's vote not to become America the Scared and Punished; lets not vote for camps; Lets not roll back the clocks of social progress when the hands of the Science clock will not be turned back by such rhetoric. No, we must work together to accomplish the impossible, if we want a future for our Grandchildren and their children on this planet.

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I’m convinced that SF 🇺🇸 is the place to be right now. Innovation is constantly happening. The talent density is incredible, with ambitious people surrounding the city, all driven by a shared sense of pushing humanity forward. People work extremely hard—pulling 100-hour work weeks —for the problems, they’re passionate about solving and catching a rocket? Sure, that inspires me a lot. In India, there are a lot of really ambitious people, but the ecosystem doesn’t have the same relentless drive. Working 70-hour weeks is seen excessive, and there’s a “crab mentality” at its core. It’s more about “not working” or not being “all in.” This is especially true in startups, where the only advantage is sheer speed, and where things need to be shipped quickly to get ahead. But in india, people too lazy—they want fixed hours, coming in and leaving at certain times (and this applies even to those under 25). There’s little talk of changing the world or pushing the human race forward. The urgency to build and innovate simply isn’t there. They are not builders, they are consumers. As Sam Altman said that - human potential is getting lost solely because they are in a bad company, or in a bad country that doesn't support their dreams. Right now, SF has it all: talent, innovation, hustle, AI—everything in one place. This is the time to be there.

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The conversation we should be having about the H1-B visa program: it has been weaponized by corporations and billionaires in order to leverage foreign-born workers against workers born in the US. A more equitable situation would have H1-B visa holders able to switch jobs as easily as a citizen, able to seek better work conditions and better compensation. The restrictions that exist now only serve one purpose: wage suppression.

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🚀 Excited to share my latest project built with Next.js! 🚀 I’ve been working on a full-featured web app leveraging Next.js for better performance and scalability. With Next.js, I’ve been able to: Implement server-side rendering (SSR) for improved SEO and faster page loads. Take advantage of static site generation (SSG) for faster performance and pre-rendering pages. Set up dynamic routing for smoother user navigation. Optimize the app using API routes for efficient data handling. One of the coolest features has been the seamless integration of server-side rendering for faster load times and better search engine rankings! 💡 Tech Stack: Next.js, React, Node.js, MongoDB 💬 I’m excited about how Next.js simplifies and enhances the development process. If you’re building scalable, SEO-friendly web applications, I highly recommend checking it out! https://www.pjtechhub.com #NextJS #ReactJS #WebDevelopment #FullStack #JavaScript #WebApp #TechInnovation

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Great engineers do not leave jobs because of $$$... I just had a call with a highly skilled junior blockchain developer (there are not many of this caliber). When I asked him why he left his job, he told me: "Honestly, I did not feel appreciated." That hit me. It's not the first time I heard this, probably not the last time. One thing employers forget at times, is that we all want to be appreciated. We all measure our efforts and results in the appreciation we get from other human beings. Great talents don't stay for the $$$, they stay for appreciation and impact. Be kind to your employees, show them how much they are worth, not only via $$$. Looking to hire blockchain engineers? Shoot me a dm and make sure to follow Jobited 👨‍💻

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13 years ago I showed up in Sunnyvale and Google didn't know I was coming to Noogler training (a slip up by the recruiter) but made me a badge and found me a laptop. I spent 2 weeks learning all about Google's tech stack and datacenters (since I was joining a team writing software for datacenter operations). Google's internals, are, well, different because everything was written from the point of view that anything could fail, but the system needed to keep serving. It was quite a mind shift to move from writing single server software to writing high availability distributed systems. And now, 13 years later, I am still working on software for datacenter operations. I don't write so much code as I used to, living far more in design docs, emails, meetings, and code reviews. It has been amazing watching the growth of Google's DC fleet and the increasing complexity of specialized hardware now that we just can't deploy faster CPUs. And Google as a company has changed significantly (and not always for the better) from ~30k employees to now ~180k employees. Over these 13 years I have reported to 13 different managers, though I have always worked on software related to deploying, maintaining, and decommissioning hardware in the DC.

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Agreed 💯. I personally feel some of the data engineering interviews we give have one or a combination of these problems: - Outdated boring questions, focus on legacy tools which have been replaced by great open source much faster tech. One of my personal favourites is “please write bubble sort algo using c sharp” 😮 - Underestimating soft skills, willingness and adaptibility. This is key to an ever evolving technological landscape. What is new now will be old in a few months. Will you hire for that or spend time and cost in training? - Being too tool specific. Fundamentals never change. Almost everything can be found on Google or done through GenAI. Lets learn to utilise it and benefit from it.

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The job market is horrible for entry level engineers. Candidates tend to be held back by not knowledgeable interviewers or bad coding platforms. Here is an example of that. This a story about the worst interview I had which was over 2 years ago when I was fairly new to the industry. After sending in my resume, I was invited to a technical call. I joined the Zoom link and am met by 2 technical interviewers, I chat about my experience in programming, I am fairly nervous and I could tell they are doubting my experience and weren't convinced of it. I get asked to write code to concatenate a list of string. I have never heard the term "concatenate" before and I get confused (as I normally called it adding strings together) I could tell by then they're annoyed but they explained they just wanted to add a list of strings together. I get a bit confused after hearing this, I think to my self "I have my projects linked on my Github which I linked in the resume, why would you ask something like this from me, is there an underlying motive here?". Moving past that I say sure and ask if they'd like me to share screen my IDE as I write. They ask me to write it in the zoom chat. Now I am panicking even harder cause whats the purpose of this? My first thought was to use the "+" operator to concatenate the strings but I thought "That's what most people would use, is the trick here that they might not want me to use it and call Concat directly?" I start typing in the code in the zoom chat 🙃 struggling a bit with the new lines and such but anyways I manage to write it. This is where things backfired. The code I wrote was something along the lines of List<string> fruits = new List<string>{"Apples", "Oranges"}; string concatenated = "" foreach (string item in items) { concatenated = string.Concat(concatenated, item); } This code is horrible for a few reasons but I'll explain as a reply to the post why, though these arent the things that were highlighted by the interviewer. Now here are the questions I get asked by the interviewer: Interviewer: "What is Concat, is that a real method?" 🙃 Me: "Yes and I could link the documentation if needed or sharescreen it." Interviewer: "Why didnt you use "+" operator?" Me: "I dont know, not sure what what the difference is." Anyways interview ends there and I could tell they're just very unhappy with me and I'm also a bit upset cause I feel like this whole interview was just trying to make me trip on silly things instead of actually test me. But now it's something to look back and laugh at. Will rewrite in reply how the previous code can be improved though for those wondering and explain the difference between Concat and "+" operator with strings.

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Hey Recruiters, Hiring Managers, and Fellow Bootcamp Grads! I think we can all agree that the tech landscape has changed, but there still has to be opportunities to introduce junior and associate level software engineers for the future of our profession. I have the extreme privilege to mentor Kwan (James) Ko, at a time that is more reliant on the power of networking than ever. What are some tips and job hunting ideas you have to help future industry professionals land their first opportunity? If you also don't mind sharing this with your network and passing on some goodwill! Also linking James post and profile here for some more impressions.

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Here’s Why the Job Market Feels So Broken⁣ ⁣ A person interned at Microsoft, did great, but didn’t get a return offer — which is fair. They were told Microsoft would hire full-time grads for Fall 2024, so they moved on.⁣ ⁣ Fast forward to Fall 2023: Microsoft opened 30 full-time positions across the U.S. for new grads. Within less than 24 hours, they received 𝟭𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Yes, 100,000.⁣ ⁣ My first thought? "Okay, surely they’ll find some amazing talent in that pool." Nope. Microsoft didn’t even look at the applications. Instead, they hired back their previous interns because screening 100,000 CVs 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴.⁣ ⁣ This is the reality we’re facing:⁣ ⁣ For job seekers: Most applications never get looked at. The competition is overwhelming, and the process is frustrating. ⁣ ⁣ Focus on 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, building connections, and finding ways to make sure your CV gets seen. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.⁣ ⁣ For companies: Sorting through massive numbers of applications is unsustainable and doesn’t help you hire fast.⁣ ⁣ Streamline your hiring process. Use tools that help you filter qualified candidates without wasting resources. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱.⁣ ⁣ The system isn’t perfect, but we can all do better

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LinkedIn: “No SWE jobs left.” You: create your own. The news: “AI will replace coders.” You: learn to code using AI. The market: “More layoffs ahead.” You: ignore Leetcode, and drive impact. You’re not like the others. You’re going to win. Software isn’t disappearing. It’s devouring the world. ---- P.S. in this market, job security is only achieved by operating at the next level. Callie Buruchara and I are launching a private community for Junior SWEs who want help getting there: https://firstpromo.dev/

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How to get over H1B layoff in 2024? A layoff as an H-1B holder brings a unique and intense wave of anxiety. It feels like your life is suddenly suspended in uncertainty, with your career, home, and future all hanging by a thread. There's a deep sense of pressure, knowing you have limited time to secure another job or face the possibility of leaving the country you've come to know as home, here are my personal tips to help you navigate the situation: 1. Stay calm, worrying won't solve any problems. 2. Reach out to your employer immediately to request they don't revoke your H1B, giving you more time to search for a new job. 3. Enable "Open to Work" on LinkedIn to attract recruiters and connect with your network for referrals, as this is the quickest way to land interviews. 4. Update your resume to closely match job descriptions, increasing your chances of getting interview calls. 5. Freshen up your knowledge to prepare for interviews. Commonly asked topics include: Practice Leetcode (NeetCode 150 is a good resource) - https://lnkd.in/eWvW6-bM Languages and frameworks like Java, Spring, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, and JPA/Hibernate Microservices:  - Microservices patterns - https://lnkd.in/eFe2PdRm  - Microservices Patterns: With examples in Java - https://lnkd.in/eQP-qFB5  - Spring Microservices in Action - https://lnkd.in/esERKywU If you prepare for fullstack positions, Angular and Reactjs are still dominant.  - Angular - https://lnkd.in/eZRct9NX  - Reactjs - https://react.dev/ Cloud platforms like AWS Google "interview questions" e.g Java Interview Questions While this list is particularly relevant for Java developers, others may find it useful too. Finally, remember that finding a job takes time and effort, and sometimes, luck plays a role. While you can't control luck, you can control your preparation. So, rather than hoping layoffs won’t happen, be prepared to respond effectively if they do. References: 1. H1b layoff survival - https://lnkd.in/eXvUCzKS 2. Options for Nonimmigrant Workers Following Termination of Employment - https://lnkd.in/eZ6EKVke

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I recently interviewed for the SDE 2 Backend role at 𝐁𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐢, the parent company of TikTok. Spoiler alert: it was one of the most exciting and challenging interview experiences I’ve had! In my latest video, I’ve shared: ✅ How I applied for a Dubai-based job (breaking geographical barriers!) ✅ What the ByteDance interview process looks like ✅ The types of questions they asked ? If you’re dreaming of 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 or wondering how tech giants like ByteDance evaluate candidates, this video is for you! 📽️ Watch my detailed experience and get inspired to take your career to the next level. Link: https://lnkd.in/gHXbv_uM Let me know your thoughts or questions in the comments—happy to share more insights! #ByteDance #DubaiJobs #BackendEngineering #GlobalOpportunities #CareerJourney #InterviewExperience

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Hi all! Long time LinkedIn lurker, first time poster. Thought I’d share my favorite job searching tips that helped me get roles at Oracle, and OpenAI. ⭐️ Be YOURSELF. The most important thing to do in an interview is be true to who you are. Recruiters are undeniably looking for talent but they’re looking for more than a regular employee. ❤️ Have PASSION. Be passionate about something other than work. Whether it was volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or Collegiate Debate, I put in 110% into my hobbies, which recruiters LOVE to see. 💵 Salary comes first. Don’t interview for roles that don’t meet your salary expectations. Before completing a pre-interview screening, ALWAYS ask for the salary range. 💎 EFFICIENCY is key. Sending out one good application is better than sending out ten average applications. Less is more when it comes to recruiting. 👥 Find a MENTOR. Finding a mentor is a cheat code to fast track your career growth. A good mentor can help you accelerate your success, or navigate a tricky situation. Happy to be a mentor to anyone in my network, reach out if you want. I hope this helps - recruiting can be a hard process but follow these tips for GUARANTEED success! 😊

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