[flashgordon]

Please please dont be hard on yourself. I actually "wasted" my 20s (and most of my 30s) in startups and "learning". But employers really dont care for this (I am in a FAANG hiring committee) and are no different than recruiters who care more for nothing more than the latest buzz words ("scaling distributed systems"). What is worse is even startups who are meant to value diversity/breadth of skills are doing the same.

But would I trade my breadth of knowledge and learning. Nope. Would I try to become a one-trick-pony? Not at all. Do I still code - Yep totally but on things I care about and enjoy rather than on a yet-another-engagement-driver while also building up on other hobbies.

Also where are you based? DM me if you are looking at roles in the bay-area. (Unfortunately as much as Id hate to see it die, leetcode is unavoidable at a FAANG interview :) ).