[jerDev]

I am too authentic to work at FAANG. My salary as staff eng. is roughly equivalent but I can argue, throw a fit, change direciton, say my opinion etc etc every day. I push through friction, I ignore managers, I do things my way. I ask for forgiveness not permission because I have a bias for action not confirmation.

Software engineering interviews do not value authenticity, typically. They want you to say what they want to hear. I purposely go in the opposite direction. I am always myself, say how I feel, and challenge the interviewer.

My girlfriend ( soon to be wife ) has no issues getting any job she wants in software engineering. She will recite exactly the words they want to hear, and they love her. I will say exactly what I want to say in an interview and they will love or hate me. I have no intention of changing.

My best advice? Leave for a smaller company that lets you do whatever you want to do and perform at an exceptional level. You get the same satisfaction, same pay, and you may only be 1 step down from VP. You can grab VP's, C's for a comment, you can do whatever you want ( as long as you perform ).

That's the way. For me at least.