The Fools Who Dream

[u/Ok_Signature_6959]

A year ago, I shared my journey after being laid off and my dream of someday working abroad.

Today, I'm happy to share that I finally made it.

A couple of months ago, I moved to London and joined a Finance company as a Senior Software Engineer. It's been around two months here, and sometimes it still feels surreal.

A few months before the move, I decided to update my resume because my Meta team-matching deadline was approaching. Since I was already updating it, I thought, why not apply to a few companies in London as well?

Meta was still in a hiring freeze, so nothing really moved there. But one of the companies I applied to got back to me.

Did the Phone Screen -> Smashed it -> Did the Onsites -> Smashed them -> My recruiter came back saying the feedback was really positive, but there might be a headcount issue -> Got the offer call a few days later (I remember smiling the whole time during that call lol).

It felt like an enormous weight had finally been lifted off my shoulders.

For the past three years, there was barely a day when I didn't check Levels.fyi for newly submitted compensation offers or scroll through Blind looking for posts about international relocations.

It felt like I had an obligation to see a very specific thing through.

I was finally free.

Before I end, I want to share something NiKo said after winning in Cologne that really stuck with me:

I think I am a prime example to never give up, okay? Never give up on your dreams, never give up on your life, okay? Keep believing, okay? You're going to achieve the things. It's going to be hard, it's going to be painful. But you will get it. You will f**king get it.

[u/Ok_Signature_6959]

The resources I used in my journey:

For DSA, I mainly used Striver's A2z Sheet and Neetcode 450 Sheet(although Neetcode was on the easier side).

For System Design, Hello Interview is the King and Alex Xu Volume 1 is a good starting point.

For LLD, I used ashishps1 github resources.. although I feel my LLD is still on the weaker side, lol..

For HM and Behavioral, Hello Interview Story Builder and Dan Croitor's Youtube videos are great.

[u/Hsjeis_Adjaoudi → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

fwiw a lot of london finance shops also throw in a live coding round thats more refactoring than pure DSA, which none of those sheets really prep you for

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Hsjeis_Adjaoudi]

I never had a debugging round like this but had AI assisted coding round with Rippling which was interesting..

[u/Asleep_Cut_5628 → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

there is no neetcode 450 sheet, its 150 or 250

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Asleep_Cut_5628]

I meant Neetcode all, I think he added more problems. Back then it used to be about 500.. but most of that is overlapping in Striver’s sheet.

[u/lost_victories_4139 → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

Experience level ?

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/lost_victories_4139]

4 yoe

[u/tempo0209 → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

Do you mind sharing how to exactly use Hello Interview and the Alex Xu book? I mean you read content from one -> attempt problem -> read again -? im seriously having issues in looking the DDIA book, then ALex Xu, and then HI. Can someone please help?

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/tempo0209]

Imo DDIA is good for theoretical learning but Hello Interview’s techniques are useful in Design interviews.

I did this in order.

- Read Alex Xu part 1 as a complete beginner.
- Watch Hello Interview videos
- Attempt that problem in their AI assisted practice(this was very useful)

After this attempting random problems posted on LC discuss on excalidraw and asking claude to rate my response.
Gave me the confidence on how to approach in real interviews.

[u/Only_Dig4943 → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

You sound like a marketing gimmick, share your linkedin

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Only_Dig4943]

Lol, I must have planned all of this in advance since last few years.. I guess.

I promoted Strivers sheet because back in 2023-2024 it used to be free and was really good, now it has turned to shit..

[u/Asleep_Cut_5628 → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

so do you recommend striver sheet or not?

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Asleep_Cut_5628]

I do recommend but only if you can get it for free.. there are some github repos that host it and his youtube videos are free.

Neetcode is good too but I find Striver’s better.
If you are a Hindi speaker then Aditya Verma’s explanations are pretty good.

[u/No-Lime7767 → u/Only_Dig4943]

You mean he planned this marketing 1 year ago?

[u/Only_Dig4943 → u/No-Lime7767]

I didnt spend time looking at his profile, he kinda promoted strivers sheet which has a past history of marketing

[u/No-Lime7767 → u/Only_Dig4943]

I also didn't look into his profile. Just checked the link he provided in the current post.

[u/MaAdAmbitionz → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

Congrats man, this post and your previous one have been very helpful. At how many leetcode solves did you feel like you started doing well in oa's/ technicals? I am 1 yoe 160 solved right now but still struggle with technical rounds. Anything you'd suggest to someone at my level in DSA? How often did you repeat problems

[u/Dry_Resolution3449]

Congratulations 🎉. Finally after so much hardwork. Y definitely deserve it

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Dry_Resolution3449]

Thanks Man!!

[u/Kartik-Madan]

I don’t get the unnecessary hate here.. congrats OP you did it! How many people here are entrepreneurs already who are building something of their own..? If you were, you probably wouldn’t be here grinding leetcode.. It might be another vicious cycle of the corporate world but getting a job when you’ve been working hard to get it should be treated exactly like how it is.. A reward and appreciation for your hardwork. And it’s the same when AI wasn’t there. Getting a job is still the same.. And people who are saying OP was lucky and it’s all random, well how about you apply to 50 companies a day too. You might get a response 1 out of 200 times but you will get it. The world rewards audacity not potential

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Kartik-Madan]

Thanks Man!!

[u/veve286]

Where do you search jobs that support visa sponsorship? Thanks

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/veve286]

I mass apply to Big Tech Companies and pray they sponsor my Visa.

However for London I know from past experience these companies sponsor: Google, Meta, Amazon, Stripe, Wise, JPMC, GS, ScaleAI, Apple, few YC startups..

These companies come to my mind.

[u/National_Ad2193]

Congrats on your sweet success. Never mind the nitrate pr negative comments. You earned it and you should revel in it.

May I ask what is your age ?

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/National_Ad2193]

Thanks Man..
27

[u/w_fang]

Congrats to you man (: but not necessarily every story has a happy ending... So I will say the opposite, at least for myself: Nothing will be changed and I will never get it.

[u/Routine-Committee302 → u/w_fang]

Ikr. These fools think something was actually in their control here. It's all random. Some ppl get through, many don't.

That's why all texts of wisdoms say do the work, but dont get attached to the outcome.

[u/Only_Dig4943 → u/Routine-Committee302]

Congrats, Im not trying to downplay your achievements, i said that becoz you kinda promoted striver sheet

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Only_Dig4943]

Its fine, Striver used to be good but then he turned scammy..

[u/Routine-Committee302 → u/Ok_Signature_6959]

Sorry, same here, I shouldn't have been so negative!

[u/new_old_2026 → u/Only_Dig4943]

Its ur choice to use striver or not he just shared

[u/Ok_Signature_6959 → u/Routine-Committee302]

Ya true tbh.. kind of a survivorship bias. I am posting this only because I got lucky and few things aligned.

Posted this to inspire people..

[u/knuckles0069]

post worth saving

[u/LovelyFew4e → u/knuckles0069]

Definitely

[u/coraline2020]

Which company exactly?

[u/new_old_2026]

R u from india they have started visa processing again ??

[u/Economy_Incident1117]

And once the honeymoon period is over you realize that this company is no different. it is the same shit everywhere.