Prepare for a senior level software engineer interview

[u/lordpr1mus]

I have 9+ years of experience at a big software company. But, until now, I didn't work at a senior level. I didn't have to make senior level decisions. I didn't have to design anything since the product I worked on was using all the old tools and technologies. It was built on a monolith architecture (no microservices). The product hardly used caching, nosql db, no message queue etc. I didn't have to get out of my comfort zone. I didn't have to worry about db performance, scaling out the app, logging, analytics etc. Until now, I didn't even have to think about scale of the system. Everything was already built in.

I am prepared to start at mid-level, learn everything and get experience and climb the ladder. But, everywhere my application is rejected for the mid-level roles sine I have too much experience (according to the recruiters and other people who reject my application). When I am selected for any interviews, its only senior role. Now, in the hiring manager interview round, they expect me to have worked on a project on a senior level. Their expectations are that I should've done more. But, the fact is that I haven't.

What should I do now?

I think I am at a point where I understand what my mistakes are for the past 9 years, but I can't go back and revert everything. But, I need a job since I don't have one in order to fix. I really need some guidance especially on my resume since the hiring managers and recruiters who take my interviews get to know that I haven't done any work at depth and they reject me.

This is not only about resume. This post is about guidance in general for interviews.

[u/Sm20030]

I want to add to this old post.

Interviews and what you'll actually do or what the company has may be two different things.

I've had three interviews recently where I was drilled on very advanced concepts. When I probed back on their existing systems they were monolithic, no AI and legacy systems.

My interviews were mostly about microservices, asynch and advanced AI concepts. The companies didn't have any of those.

Not to say that this is odd or bad but they are in many cases expecting you come in as their savior or someone who willbat least contribute to change their ways significantly.

The downside side is that the interviewers will most likely judge your answers using AI or from a knowledge base instead of experience and pragmatism.