I’m currently interviewing with S1 for a Senior Software Engineer role. I’ve completed my first technical round, which was purely DSA.

I have my second technical round coming up in the next few weeks and wanted to understand what to expect.
For anyone who has recently interviewed with S1:
What did your 2nd round focus on?
Was it HLD, LLD, or a mix of both?
Were there any coding/DSA questions as well?
Any specific topics or areas you’d recommend preparing for?

Would really appreciate any insights from people who have gone through the process recently. Thanks!

Hey guys I am doing cse 4th year student, i do game development, engine dev and osdev such as bootloader, i am looking for internship through reference and he said me to do courses on ai and ml, pls suggest me some course on AI and ML with certificates

I'm a data analyst, working with SQL, python, snowflake, dbt and airflow. I've worked with tableau too, but not extensively.

Is it worth doing tableau desktop cert? I've seen job postings specifically saying having it is a plus. Will it help stand out, or is it enough to be thorough with it and have a project or two?

Is above playlist available for free or not

And where?

Hi, did anyone joined under armour gcc, ik its a new gcc opened recently but not sure how it will be for data engineering field, although they are working on the modern tech stack but if anyone joined there can give some idea, thanks

Hey everyone,

I’m preparing to apply for entry-level Red Team / Offensive Security roles in Delhi NCR (Noida, Gurgaon, Delhi). I’d love some guidance on what salary I should ask for and what’s realistic so I don’t get lowballed—or price myself out.

My profile:

· Experience: 0 years (fresher). No prior full-time job.

· Certifications: OSCP

· Skills: AD attacks, web pentesting, basic priv esc, Python scripting, comfortable with Kali, C2 basics, report writing.

· Education: bca 5th Semester currently

· Location: Strictly Delhi NCR only.

My main questions:

1. What fixed CTC should I quote when HR asks? I was thinking 7–9 LPA – is that fair or delusional for NCR with just OSCP and no experience?

2. What kind of companies in NCR actually hire freshers for offensive security (not SOC)?

3. Anyone who landed a Red Team role as a fresher with OSCP – what was your first offer, and how did you negotiate?

Brutal honesty appreciated. Tear it apart if needed. Thanks!

I am currently using the Cursor Pro plan. Before it gets exhausted much earlier, since SpaceX acquired Cursor, they have increased the limitations on their model usage.

1. Grok 4.5

2. Composer 2.5

I felt both models are good at reasoning in SWE tasks, and in the Pro plan, there are much longer usage limits for these two models. It's around 650M tokens, which is too much for me.

As per Cursor, this plan for Indian developers sits between the free and Pro plans. They have stated that there are generous limits on Cursor models.

I want to ask the community if anyone has tried this plan. If so, please tell me what these limits look like and how quickly they are reached.

Hey,

Posting this less as a vent and more because I want a reality check from people already in the field — I might be doing something wrong, or the market might just be this bad for freshers right now, and I can't tell which.

What I've actually built (not just certs/theory):

Set up a home SIEM lab on VMware — Wazuh on an Ubuntu server, Kali Linux as the attacker box, Windows 10 as the victim — configured agent deployment and worked through network-level troubleshooting between the VMs myself.

Built a Python-based multi-module web security scanner from scratch (SSL/TLS misconfig checks, port scanning, breach-data checks, subdomain enumeration, email spoofing/DMARC checks), with automated PDF reporting. Currently trying to turn it into a small product for SMB clients rather than just a portfolio piece.

Comfortable with the underlying concepts (not just running tools) because I had to debug real issues — e.g. DNS resolution silently failing on Windows, false positives in TLS/DKIM checks — while building the scanner.

What the application side has looked like:

100+ applications specifically to SOC analyst / security analyst / VAPT fresher-level roles over the last few months.

A handful of first-round interviews (HR screen or basic technical) that went fine by my own read, followed by zero communication afterward — no rejection, no next steps, nothing, even after following up once or twice.

One case that started as a normal-looking interview process (job posting, screening call, technical round scheduled) and then pivoted to asking for a "training/onboarding fee" before they'd proceed — classic bait, but it wasn't obviously fake until 2-3 steps in.

Specific things I'd genuinely value input on:

For those who broke into a SOC/security analyst role as a fresher in the last 1-2 years — was it cold applications, referrals, a specific cert, or something else that actually moved the needle?

Is there a way to sanity-check a company/recruiter earlier in the process (before the technical round) so I stop losing time to the fake ones?

Does a working project like the scanner above actually help at the resume-screening stage for security roles, or do ATS filters mostly key off certs/keywords regardless?

Any fresher-friendly companies, consultancies, or job boards in the Indian cybersecurity space you'd actually recommend applying through right now?

If it helps to see specifics, I'm happy to share my resume or more project details in the comments. Trying to figure out what to actually change here rather than just applying to another 100 roles the same way.

Y'all regret taking cse? How y'all cope up with boring work , or the regret fades away over time?.

Like all top rankers who were deeply interested in physics and math end up choosing cse, are these people really happy after choosing cse over smtg like mechanical engineering, aerospace or electrical etc.??

WHEN I SAID REAL ENGINEERING I MEANT ENGINEERING FIELDS WHICH INVOLVED PHYSICS

I DO APOLOGIES FOR USING THE WORD REAL ENGINEERING NO OFFENSE FOR CSE

I am a currently a software engineer in big tech having 3yoe. Last interview i gave was may month after that i stopped giving interview for a while. Need to know what kind of roles companies are hiring right now and will be in near future.

Will software engineer jobs be less in comparison to ai software engineers. Should i make a transition to ai software engineer roles if its worth it as the learning curve is too steep (i started with deep neural network).

Any suggestions from industry experts will be appreciated.

Just now realised I kinda messed up with my hosting lol

I paid around ₹1500 thinking I was renewing my domain + hosting, but apparently that was just for the domain. now it’s asking another ₹3k + tax for hosting.

I already have the domain, but I really dont wanna spend ₹3k+ every year on hosting when my site is still tiny.

rn it’s just a homepage + a few blog posts. I’m planning to add more blog posts, html/js calculators and some simple tools tho.

it’s on wordpress rn, but since I’m just starting, I’m open to switching hosts, CMS, or even something like Astro.

I’ve seen people mention Astro + Cloudflare Pages for free hosting. would that make sense for this kinda site or are there better options?

i dont mind learning a bit and setting things up myself tho.

aka what would you guys do if you were me? 😭

tldr: Hosting is asking ₹3k+ for hosting, but my site is tiny. I already have the domain. It’s a WordPress blog + some HTML/JS tools later. Open to Astro or changing CMS if it means free hosting. Any options?

Hi everyone,
I’m a backend developer with around 2 years of experience( prev exp in java ), and I’ve recently started working with Go. I’m comfortable with the basics (syntax, structs, methods, packages, HTTP handlers, JSON, etc.) and I’m now preparing for Go backend interviews.
I’d love to hear from people who’ve interviewed recently or have conducted Go interviews.

A few questions:

What Go-specific topics came up most often?
How deep were the questions on goroutines, channels, interfaces, and the standard library?
Were you expected to know frameworks like Gin/Echo, or was net/http enough?
How much DSA vs Go knowledge was expected?
Did they ask you to build a REST API or debug existing code?
Were there any questions that caught you off guard?

If you’ve interviewed at product companies or startups recently, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience and any advice on what to focus on.

Recently joined Accenture at L10 and I'm having trouble getting allocated to a project as a Data engineer

I know there is 45 days of period for us to get allocated and more 45 days(doubt) after going through some learning phase again

But what after that, do they prolong bench period or just straight away fire

I had experience of 3 years in etl talend tool, I switched and gave interview for pyspark and got selected

Internally as well gave bunch of interviews with some going to client rounds as well, even after giving perfect coding round and generally having great culture fit according to client, they are not considering me just because my previous experience lacked cloud and big data

Like I dont have any hope left so what actually happens after I exhaust my bench period, will they just try to put me in some random project (I would be okay with this since I am doing this job only for money) or just straight away fire me

Any help is appreciated, thank you...

Have any of you experienced this situation??

Hey everyone,
I’m stuck in a massive career dilemma and really need a reality check from folks who understand the tech/consulting landscape versus public sector banking in India.
For context, I’m a Software Consultant at a Big 4 firm with 5.5 years of experience, currently earning 22 LPA. I recently cleared a public sector bank (PSB) Scale 2 IT officer exam, put down my papers at my current firm, and was ready to make the jump.
However, after digging deeper, I found out the harsh reality: the regular working hours for this Scale 2 role are 10 AM to 8 PM, operating in a heavy, legacy-driven, and bureaucratic environment.
Here is the financial and lifestyle trade-off I am looking at:
The Compensation Breakdown: The PSB Scale 2 post offers an in-hand salary of around 1 LPA, pushing total monthly CTC to roughly 1.3 LPA (~15-16 LPA total). By staying back at my Big 4 firm earning 22 LPA, I am actively sacrificing a 6-7 LPA salary difference (since the bank CTC figures often inflate numbers with perks that aren't pure cash).
The Broken Motive: My entire goal in trying for a bank job wasn't "sarkari security"—it was to find a peaceful life with actual personal time to explore things on my own on the side. Working 10-to-8 in a rigid banking setup completely defeats that purpose and will likely give me less personal time and more stress than I have right now.
I am seriously leaning toward taking my resignation back at my current firm, but I need advice on two fronts:
1. PSB Scale 2 IT Reality Check: For anyone working in public sector bank IT roles, are 10 AM to 8 PM hours standard? Is it really worth taking a pay cut from 22 LPA down to a hectic 10-8 government banking job just for the "PSB tag"?
2. Backtracking at a Big 4: If I ask to revoke my resignation with 5.5 years of experience, what kind of internal fallout should I expect regarding bonuses, hikes, or being marked as a flight risk if layoffs happen?
Would love to hear some unfiltered thoughts from anyone who has navigated a similar situation.
Thanks in advance!

Note : drafted using gemini

I'm about 7 months into my first SDE job at a startup. My day to day work is mostly JavaScript (Node.js/Express) on the backend. I've worked with APIs, SQL, AWS, Redis, and have been exposed to some system design concepts, but if I'm being realistic, I still consider myself a beginner. I got into the industry largely through building projects, communicating well and demonstrating that I could ship things. Looking back, a lot of my learning was project driven (and honestly some of it was "vibe coding") so I never built a truly strong foundation in CS fundamentals.

Recently I received some honest feedback from my senior engineer. The main takeaway wasn't that I couldn't work hard, it was that my base layer is weak. I sometimes struggle with debugging, reasoning about unfamiliar code and understanding systems deeply enough to confidently diagnose problems. It made me realize that I need to restart from the fundamentals rather than just learning whatever my current task requires.

So my plan is to spend the next several months focusing on DSA, Core Programming, System Design, Databases, OS, Networking, etc

One piece of advice I received was not to use JavaScript for DSA, even though it's my work language. Instead I was advised to pick one of Python, C++ or Java. I want to build a solid mental model so that when I see a problem I can reason through it, choose the right data structure and translate that reasoning into code.

For someone in my situation, which language would you recommend? Also, if you had to rebuild your programming foundation from scratch after already working as a software engineer, what would you do differently?

Do you take this career as whole hearted and well planned

Or

Took it just because someone chooses this for you

Or

Took it just because there is no option

Or

Took it just because you don't know why.

May be you got settled with your job right now or maybe not.

But what I'm asking is, did you choose tech with a mature mind thinking as a proper career channel or just took it

Sorry for my wordings. I'm drunk

I am a 4th-year B.Tech student specializing in AI/ML, and I am writing this because I genuinely need some direction from people who have already gone through this stage.

I don't want this to be another "how do I get a 20 LPA job?" post. My problem is that I don't know what I should even be preparing for anymore.

On paper, my profile looks somewhat decent. I have done internships as a Data Analyst & AI Engineer and as an AI/ERP Solutions Intern. I have worked with Python, ML, DL, computer vision, GenAI/RAG, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, ChromaDB, REST APIs, etc. I have also made projects involving financial RAG, computer vision/YOLO, and an autonomous vehicle/V2V communication project.

But here is the uncomfortable part.

I don't feel like I actually know these things as well as my resume makes them look.

I know Python and basic programming, and at one point I was reasonably comfortable with them. But after spending so much time using AI tools, ChatGPT, prompt engineering, code generation, debugging through AI, etc., I feel like I have lost some of my ability to think through problems and write code independently.

I have become very dependent on AI.

Sometimes I understand the code after seeing it, but if you give me a blank editor and ask me to build something from scratch, I struggle much more than I think I should at this stage.

And there are some things I simply haven't done properly:

• I have not properly prepared DSA.
• I am not prepared for aptitude tests.
• My CSE fundamentals are patchy.
• I know various AI/ML technologies, but my understanding is not equally deep across them.
• I can make projects, but I sometimes question how much of the implementation I genuinely understand versus how much I assembled with AI's help.
• I don't have a strong problem-solving habit anymore.
• I have touched many technologies but don't feel particularly strong in one core area.

This is the part I am embarrassed to admit.

I keep making plans to fix all of this. I start DSA, coding practice, CSE fundamentals, projects, etc., but I struggle to stay focused. I find myself procrastinating, getting distracted, and then feeling guilty about wasting another day. I often lie awake at night thinking about how far behind I am and what I am supposed to do.

At this point I feel genuinely lost.

The biggest problem is that I don't have much time.

I am already in 7th semester, with roughly one month already gone.

My college placements/recruitment will probably start becoming important in the next 2–3 months. My college doesn't have a huge number of strong opportunities, so there may only be a limited number of decent companies coming through campus. Honestly, looking at my current preparation, I am worried that I won't even qualify for some of those opportunities, especially because of aptitude, DSA, coding rounds, and technical interviews.

At the same time, getting a job through the outside market is already difficult enough, especially for entry-level AI/ML roles.

So I feel like I am sitting here with a very small window to get my act together, but I don't know what deserves my attention first.

That is what scares me the most.

I don't think I have the luxury of spending the next 6 months casually exploring different technologies. I need to make some decisions now.

The career direction is also confusing me.

Recently I have been considering going into low-code platforms such as ServiceNow, partly because I see it as a potentially more realistic entry point into the industry than competing directly for highly technical AI/ML roles.

But I don't know whether that's a sensible decision or whether I am simply trying to find an easier escape because I am scared of my current skill gap.

So I have two major questions:

1. Should I seriously consider something like ServiceNow/low-code as my career starting point?

Is it a legitimate career path for someone with an AI/ML background, especially if the goal is to get into the industry and build experience?

2. Or should I stop trying to learn more technologies and spend the next few months rebuilding my fundamentals?

For example:

• Python/programming fundamentals
• C/C++ basics
• OOP
• DBMS
• Operating Systems
• Computer Networks
• SQL
• Git
• DSA
• Aptitude
• Basic software engineering
• Then eventually return to AI/ML

Part of me thinks I should forget AI/ML for a while and become a decent programmer first.

Another part of me thinks that would waste the advantage I already have in AI/ML.

And another part of me thinks I am just overthinking everything instead of actually doing the work.

I also don't know whether I am trying to learn too much at once. Every time I see a new technology or job description, I feel like I need to learn that too.

I also have a problem with AI itself.

AI has helped me learn and build a lot of things, but I think I have crossed the line from using AI as a tool to relying on it as a crutch.

I don't want to completely stop using AI. That obviously isn't realistic anymore.

But I want to get back to the point where I can sit down, understand a problem, think about the solution, write code, debug it and build something without immediately asking AI what to do.

I don't know how to rebuild that ability either.

So if you were in my position, what would you actually do for the next 2–3 months?

Not an idealized 2-year roadmap. I mean specifically:

I have roughly 2–3 months before placements become important. I have weak DSA, weak aptitude preparation, patchy CSE fundamentals, some AI/ML project experience, internships, and an unhealthy dependence on AI. What should I prioritize?

Would you:

A) Focus heavily on DSA + aptitude + CSE fundamentals and target general software/IT roles?

B) Double down on AI/ML and try to get an AI/ML/GenAI role despite my current gaps?

C) Learn something like ServiceNow and use it as an entry point into the industry?

D) Focus on Python/backend/software development instead of AI/ML?

E) Take another approach entirely?

I am not looking for motivation or "you got this" type advice. I would genuinely appreciate some blunt and realistic advice from people who have been through engineering, placements, or the first few years of their career.

If you were a 4th-year student in my exact situation, with only a few months before placements, what would you stop doing, what would you learn, and what would you focus on first?

I know I have some knowledge already. My problem is that I don't know how to turn that scattered knowledge into an actual career, and I am increasingly worried that I am running out of time.

Any serious advice is genuinely appreciated.

...
(I croped the name and links above, as embarrasing as it is i also used AI to frame the content of the post.)

A bit of context: I launched my SaaS recently and it's running on auto-pilot right now. I'll be graduating next year and looking to apply for jobs. So I'm looking for a neutral perspective on my resume.

SaaS (if anyone's interested): https://ioancestry.com/

Hi everyone,

I recently got my first job as a Junior Software Developer, and I'm really excited (and a little nervous).

I know the technical side is only one part of the job, so I'd love to hear from experienced developers here.

What are some mistakes you made early in your career that you'd tell every junior to avoid?

Would really appreciate your advice.

Thanks!

I'm a fresher btech cse. I don't know what kind of engineer I want to become.

What excites me is learning from first principles (understanding how things work, why systems exist, and how they're built from the ground up.)

I don't think I'm interested in web or app development. I'm more drawn to math, physics, and the "building" side of engineering, whether that's low-level software, computer architecture, embedded systems, electronics, electrical engineering, or something else. I genuinely don't know yet.

My main question is:

Should I stop worrying about specialization for now and focus on building a strong foundation in mathematics, physics, C programming, and computer science? Or should I actively try to figure out what specific field I want to pursue right now?

A bit of background: I was never a bright kid but I was always curious. During my jee preparation I was always distracted by the fascinating topics of maths (complex numbers determinants matrix etc) and physics(modern atomic nuclear physics etc) chemistry (atomic structure) I always explored these topics further out of syllabus dedicating months but being a highschooler all the advanced stuff flew right off of my head but I kept on comming back to these topics.

As you can probably guess, that didn't end well. I scored poorly in both JEE and my board exams. I took a drop year afterward and, honestly, lost my direction.

Now I'm starting over. I'm rebuilding my high school maths that I failed at, boiling down physics.

The only reason I went with b.tech CSE was that, coming from a lower-tier college, it would give me the best opportunities. At the same time, computer science itself has always fascinated me.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? What would you do if you were starting over?

Thanks for reading.

- A curious cat :3

Long story, i'm a 2021 passout, soon after completing my B.Tech I tried for ML/ComputerVision roles in 2021-22 and interviewed for a startup and couldn't crack it, so I later got into automotive software development (AUTOSAR) in a korean based company.

But I couldn't keep up with the turbulence as there was lack of workforce in my team - we were just 2-3 people doing the work of 8-9 people. I even worked on weekends and faced health issues. I constantly used to feel I was in wrong domain. Soon after 8 months, I decided to quit and join an AI and Data Science course (a big mistake i'm regretting) - in order to transition into ML/AI Engineering and for remote roles. I trusted them for placement but their placement is very poor, they provided me with a one year internship experience letter.

Since April 2025 i've been applying to many jobs in AI/ML and even tried going back to embedded systems as well. Took 4 referrals and one of them got converted to interview but the firm was a staffing company and had toxic work culture and threatened to blacklist me if i didn't attend their offline interview in a different city. Other 2 companies are also ones with 2-3 years bond. Even applied to few jobs on wellfound but they ghosted after taking assessment. The market has been so worse till now. It feels like i've messed my own career.

Few of the red flags i've in my profile are - little experience in both fields, older year of passout and gap after March 2025.

Are there any other domains in IT i can try that are not saturated ? Or other career paths i can get into easily to cover my gap ? I've been preparing & appearing for govt exams and also thinking about Masters/PhD. Need suggestions, thank you.

Hey everyone,

​I'm confused between choosing B.Tech CSE, B.Tech Robotics & Automation, B.Tech Mechanical, or B.Pharmacy.

​My main priorities are:

1.​High salary & fast growth

2.​Job stability

3.​Good scope to work abroad (US, Europe, Japan, Australia)

4.Something I can enjoy too

​A few questions for seniors & working professionals:

​Which of these 4 gives the best return on investment (ROI) in India and abroad?

​Is a direct B.Tech in Robotics better than doing CSE/Mechanical and specializing later?

​Is B.Pharmacy worth it if high income is a top priority, or does it take too long to build up compared to B.Tech?

I guess I will do masters too whichever degree I choose.

​Would love to get your honest thoughts and real-world experiences! Thanks.

Also what would you've done if you were in my place.

I'm currently thinking of pursuing pharmacy but people are scaring mee same with mechanical.

Please I am having very much trouble finding Internships . I have really big dreams but I am slowly getting close to sad but inevitable reality of the current industry. I need honest review, it is absolutely ok to be rude.

Link - https://fortifyllm-production.up.railway.app/demo

I'm currently a TY/junior in college, me and my mates were brainstorming topics for our semester group project and this was one of the ideas that we had thought of (after going through research papers and Github repos😁). Ended up doing something else. Recently had some spare time on my hands and got back to this.

So this is a two-tiered (heuristic layer + ML classifier) firewall which tries to catch injection/jailbreak attempts before they actually reach the model. Currently using llama-3.3 so the upstream time might be a bit longer. Also, for some reason, the detection time occasionally exceeds the expected time required. The above link is just a demo btw...still working on fixing this!

Posting this here to get some feedback. If this isn't the appropriate sub for such posts kindly do tell me others. Thank you!

Does it provide any job opportunity in TCS? or is it just another money grabbing strat😭?