A 3rd-Year Backend Developer's Job Change Prep, Summarized
I spent the past 4 months preparing for a job change and recently received one offer. I'm writing this up in case it helps others preparing for the first time, like me.
First, the conclusion: coding tests weren't as heavily weighted as I expected. Of course, you still have to pass them, but the later rounds made much more of a difference.
Here's the order of what mattered most during my prep:
- Resume: I focused not on what I did, but on what problems I solved and how.
- CS: Rather than digging deep, I practiced handling follow-up questions.
- System design: This was the hardest. I just read one book cover to cover.
- Questions to ask the interviewer: It makes a good impression if you come prepared with your criteria for choosing a company.
In particular, when an interviewer asks, "Why did you choose this technology?", explaining the alternatives as well made a big difference in their reaction.
I got about a 15% salary increase. It's not huge, but my work-life balance is much better, so I'm satisfied. Good luck to everyone.
4 answers
I really agree that coding tests are just a filter. Once you pass, everything after is all case-by-case lol.
I couldn't agree more that system design is the hardest part. I also read a whole book cover to cover before going in, but honestly, the content didn't come up exactly as written in the book. Instead, practicing how to talk through the decision-making process—like "why did we split this component?"—helped much more. Interviewers also look at your thought process more than the right answer. By the way, if you get into the habit of explaining while drawing on a whiteboard, you'll be less flustered when follow-up questions come.
Hmm, I’m not sure a 15% salary bump is enough of a reason to switch jobs. If the work-life balance is better and you’re satisfied, that’s fine, but with 3 years of experience, people usually ask for 20–30%—is the market really that bad? Or I’m curious whether you just got one offer and decided right away. If you just sum it up as 'satisfied' without any basis, it could give other job seekers the wrong idea.