from Gergely Orosz | by Gergely Orosz

"Which book did you find game-changing for your career?" Cracking the Coding Interview. Deciding that I *will* do what it takes to get into the "big leagues" and master these arbitrary algo coding hoops was easily the best professional and financial decision I made.

Yes, data structure/algo interview critics are spot on and it’s a form of gatekeeping. It’s also a well-documented form of gate that can be prepared for: takes time and practice. Doing so increased my salary *by* €100-160K/year (+$110-$180K), more than doubling what I made.

And it wasn’t just the money. By working at a SV-headquartered company from an EU office, a new world opened that would have been out of my reach without joining a place like Uber. Everything was transparent/open from the inside. A firehouse of learning I would have paid for.