[JabavuAdams]

There are many ways to retire early. Entrepreneurship, investing, hitting the jackpot at a startup. This FAANG focus may actually be detracting from your goal.

EDIT N> I see I might have misunderstood your post. You've been working on leetcode while at school and at your first job? Therefore the gap between the end of your first job and now is not five years? Okay, that's great! So ignore this part...

<<< Think of the opportunity cost of not making (I assume) decent money as a programmer at the start of your career. With five years of programming experience on the job, you might have been able to land a team lead or high-level individual contributor role, with all the compensation and marketable skills that come with. Extra disposable income invested in low-risk equities like index funds over the last five years would have had a huge return. >>>

Or, for that matter with a few years experience on real projects at real shops, you would have the skills that might actually get you into FAANG now.

This is actually making me a bit angry at Leetcode for possibly misrepresenting the utility or importance of their product.

Given all that you've said, I would suggest getting out there and getting any programming job that isn't losing you money to build up your finances, resume, and network. You had one bad experience -- don't let it define you. People get fired because their manager had a fight with their partner the night before. There's a huge amount of random noise, and FAANG, leetcode scores, even performance reviews are not a particularly strong reflection on you or good estimators of your future prospects.

This school -> leetcode -> FAANG pipeline simply isn't how the real world works. Sorry!

EDIT> Social skills are learnable to at least a competent level, and the number one way to get contacts is to work more jobs. I used to be too shy to hand out my business card -- now it's super easy. A friend of mine is neuro-atypical and has massive social anxiety, but has worked as a bartender in the past -- all just scripts and social "macros".

EDIT2> Good Luck! Don't give up on programming, but take care of yourself, and maybe take a break. Maybe work on a coding project that you find interesting but that has no goal or ulterior motive.

EDIT N+1> It was typical when I graduated to do anything and everything to get 2 years of professional experience, and then to go for your desired job. The experience outweighed any other concern w.r.t hiring. So I definitely wouldn't give up after one bad experience. Also, I suggest you recalibrate your expectations to work up to FAANG by getting jobs at other companies first. It's almost certain that real on-the-job experience will count for much more than scores on some programming site.

[QuitProgramming]

I'm extremely interested in the neuro-atypical friend and him learning scripts and social macros. Could you expand on that?

[JabavuAdams]

Friend told me that they had serious social anxiety. Also they're on the spectrum. One on one they seemed quiet when we first met, but not pathologically so. However, when we're out and about they tend to not speak to anybody, whereas I'll say 'hi' to my neighbours. In small groups, they tend to be super-quiet and to self-medicate with alcohol.

So, I was really surprised to find out that they had worked as a bartender. I can't give specific recipes, but there are forms to a lot of small-talk. That's what I mean by "macros". Of course, misfiring can lead to the hilarious/awkward interactions like "Happy Birthday! Thanks, you too! Doh!"

Things like looking at areas of the face that aren't eyes sporadically can help with making at least intermittent eye contact, if that's uncomfortable for you.

This seems to get better with age, although not to go away. You just develop more habits and skills. As I said, I used to be too shy to hand out my business card at first, but it just becomes a habit. You can practice it.

On the one hand, viewing social skills as skills to be learned can help, but it can also lead to IMO anti-social behaviour like PUA. If other people see you as trying too hard or being formulaic, that's a turnoff. With PUA, there's a nasty undercurrent.

Sorry, I don't have anything more concrete. Maybe this -- take small steps to get out of your comfort zone, almost like desensitization training. Don't do it all at once so you don't freak out, and don't beat yourself up too hard if you get embarassed about how you think others are reacting to you. If people are actually shitty to you, then hang out with better people.

After COVID, I think I'm going to try to do some standup comedy. The thought of bombing in front of an audience is terrifying, but also kind of delicious. I love those incredibly awkward scenes in TV shows or movies where you're dying inside for the characters. Maybe you can just go meta on awkward/embarassing situations and pivot from awkward to hilarious.

EDIT> What about framing the problem as writing scripts / playbooks for a chatbot, except that chatbot is you. Do little teeny tests, bit by bit, expanding your comfort zone / social envelope.

[tubularhells]

You took away the wrong lesson from his post. But if you are autistic (I get a feeling you are, as so am I) , you should look for institutions who help autistic adults learn social skills. These are dependant on your location, and up for you to find, I'm afraid.

[QuitProgramming]

I don't think it's for you or anyone else to determine what the appropriate take away from something is unless I made a purely a logical error. The person mentioned a variety of points and the most unique and helpful one was the one on social skills. Many other people have suggested all the other points the author has mentioned already and I have considered them.

I am interested in your story as well though. I am not autistic, but I think I have the similar defects that could be resolved with similar solutions. Could you give me an example of such an institution?

[tubularhells]

Trust me, you sound quite autistic. Seek help, therapy assists in seeing yourself from different angles, and realise life and yourself in ways you haven'tbefore. It helped me become a whole pperson, and move in a better direction.