Job 1: Knowing a very niche domain (that I happened to work on as a serious hobby for a couple of years) and lucking into a startup that works in that very domain (not really replicable).
Job 2: Applying to a startup which interviewed solely based on algorithmic puzzles, and apparently acing all of them.
Job 3: Knowing a fairly uncommon technology (Scala) and getting into a startup which had a super-hard time hiring Scala devs in Bay Area.
None of which is directly replicable, but I guess the more you develop your skills, the more likely you're to get in one way or another. I didn't even have a github account back then FWIW.
I work in a niche that is so niche that I couldn't find a full time job. So I work on a per project basis of automation, data analytics (pandas) and general purpose programming & API development (Python). So, trying to pivot to a more full service role of Data Analytics or SQL/Python Developer.
I have been doing freelancing for 5 years now. Not sure how can I develop my skills any further, unless I just study statistics for data modeling and build various projects which I am already doing right now.
Project building has its limitations. My hobby projects wouldn't scale up to a position where I have to learn and apply anything that is intermediate-ish. I can look into learning cloud services but I will never get good at it as I don't have a product based on that.
Edit: I might sound I am making up problems and I am a defeatist person but I am working on web applications as I have nothing else to do. But those projects have very little chances to be a showcase of my skillset as they are not scaled to use cloud services effectively and complicated SQL db.
> So, trying to pivot to a more full service role of Data Analytics or SQL/Python Developer.
I'm not sure if any of those fields are in enough demand for US companies to look for people overseas. Perhaps one exception (that I know of) is Data Engineers - there's a huge move in Data Engineering to use Python. Perhaps you could try specializing in that area.
Holy cow, that makes so much sense now. This is exactly what happened. I posted on whowantstoget hired in YC. I got 4 emails are 2 of them are wanting get data engineers.
Can you give me some pointers though? My response emails was pretty bad. I assumed -
1. Data engineering roles are mid level roles
2. Those roles require extensive hands on experience
3. There isn't junior data engineering role
4. They don't often any hire remotely
5. You can't reasonbly self teach yourself
6. It is one of the those roles where you NEED atleast CS bachelors.
I saw in DE subreddit those who are struggling to hire DEs should hire a python/sql dev than teach them DE on the job. But I am not sure how it would work out.
Job 1: Knowing a very niche domain (that I happened to work on as a serious hobby for a couple of years) and lucking into a startup that works in that very domain (not really replicable).
Job 2: Applying to a startup which interviewed solely based on algorithmic puzzles, and apparently acing all of them.
Job 3: Knowing a fairly uncommon technology (Scala) and getting into a startup which had a super-hard time hiring Scala devs in Bay Area.
None of which is directly replicable, but I guess the more you develop your skills, the more likely you're to get in one way or another. I didn't even have a github account back then FWIW.