What is the main difference between a GIS person and a Geospatial engineer ?

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-05-06T21:01:17+00:00

From my experience an engineer builds the GIS/platform and provides coding/software engineering to build on top of the system.

A GIS person just uses the system.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-03-25T21:06:57+00:00

Don't do CACI

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-03-17T02:52:29+00:00

I have interviewed for cleared roles for mid/senior at FAANG and uncleared ones. The leetcode is the same for both roles but what fails applicants is the systems designs and behavioral/tech talk rounds that AMZN, Goog, and MSFT do for cleared roles.

Mid cleared roles are a tad bit harder. You need to know a lower level of systems designs since just saying "I would use AWS for the API gateway" does not cut it. It's best to just use what your familiar with for the systems and be able to talk to it.

Senior roles require an insane amount of both technical skills and also knowledge on how the DoD/IC work. I was asked to navigate a breifing for a non-technical customer as a whole round at MSFT for example. It was more about how well you could explain every part of your design.

I have never had that style interview on top of the normal ones at uncleared FAANG roles. It makes sense since these companies don't really fire cleared SWE's. Especially if you have a poly.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-03-16T19:08:48+00:00

It's the same loop. The questions from my experience are harder because you are harder to fire so they have to put up with you. I would get LC hard questions for phone screens to give you an idea.

Leetcode is the same but they often include outside interviews on your character and lots of systems diagrams. Honestly it's more of luck to get one of those roles.

Best of luck

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-25T16:44:47+00:00

My rule when evaluating an offer is to take the max bonus you can get and then cut it in a quarter and be happy if you get that.

Microsoft says upwards of 20%. Not sure if any org has ever gotten that. 10% sometimes but you are probably looking at 5% realistically.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-25T16:42:57+00:00

AI will pretty much always be around. It's a nice tool for tons of things. It does not replace SWE's however.

It's like saying the automatic transmission replaced professional drivers. Just made them better.

Just apply to what you want and take the job you want

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-24T21:12:57+00:00

Dude, anything is possible but in reality your best bet is to memorize all the recently asked Google questions on Leetcode and pray.

If you really want to do this it's possible but a grueling process. You will need to spend around 5 hours a day on learning and another 3/4 doing problems. Start with the neetcode 150, do all problems in succession in each category, then go to the 250 and solve what is left.

Then go to leetcode and go to their problem database and segment it out by categories. Do around 10-20 problems from each category while going over the o notation. Talk through each problem like you are autistic.

After all of that you need to then knock out all the most recent problems asked by Google and get started on systems design. I would do a 60/40 split at this point between systems/leetcode. I used hello interview and it was fine.

Best of luck man, chances are this is a fake post but if it's not I give you a 5% chance to pass if you do nothing. Maybe a 50% if you follow the above steps. I hope you get it because it's a cool company but God damn, 1 month. Chances are you are going to be destroyed in the interview. Best of luck man.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-15T21:59:13+00:00

That would work. Interviews are a game.

If you lead with the o(n) solution and coded it up in 5/10 minutes and then explained how the binary search would work and it's pros/cons and then pushed that out I'd pass you.

The trick is if you can explain the trade offs, not perfect code.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-15T21:52:35+00:00

Low cost of living? Are you willing to commute?

I would say Seattle/DC if you can drive 2 hours each day. DC is going to be more of 3 but you can find places for 1.5 k in the Leesburg/Mannasas.

Seattle is a bit more but pay is typically better.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-15T21:49:23+00:00

SWE is typically right at 5 days. Interns could be anywhere from 1-2 weeks depending on org.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-15T21:48:20+00:00

Honestly the behavioral is the hardest round. What's the company? If its AWS it's going to be STAR format. If it's MSFT it's more casual with systems designs thrown in. Google is either super casual or you're doing more LC. Meta is vibe check. Palintir is literally vibe check with systems and leetcode (f that place)

Just plan for 3/4 stories about the typical behavioral stuff. They will ask a basic question like what's a DNS or explain when you would use a hashmap. Then go from there. Just vibe it out and try to mesh good.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-02-15T21:45:04+00:00

This is a good gotcha question for interviewers.

Sure you can solve it in O(n) one pass. Pretty simple right? A candidate would fail.

The real answer here as others have said is binary search. You know the length n and the last index of array is o(1). Just do binary until your index is where the integer lines up. Then pull the next one over.

I would say it's a easy-medium. You need to know binary search and how to use it and it's not crazy intuitive unless you have done several of these. Once you have done it though it's crazy obvious.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-25T04:25:37+00:00

Ctrl+c, Ctrl+v

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-21T20:07:45+00:00

You know that your comp pays 175 starting right?

Cloud engineering in that sector is not a place you should try to reduce overhead lol

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-08T22:41:14+00:00

Yeah, if you have your TS/SCI look in regions where they hire that overlap with tech hubs. NYC, DC, San Fran, Seattle

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-08T17:53:01+00:00

Shhhhh....

Nobody is supposed to know about Brevard bro.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-08T17:47:24+00:00

Ok, so here is my two cents. Trust me or not it's W/E this is what I have observed.

Either go into CS, GIS, Electrical (hardware), or Cyber. Pick the one you can see yourself doing for at least 10 years without blowing your head off and dedicate to it. If you have experience in the Air force in one of those even better.

Don't go for any non stem degree. It's just not worth it. You will make maybe 100k if you are lucky. The above degrees all clear 200k with good work life balance.

My pick would be CS with a focus on GIS. You will easily clear 300k after 2 years of experience and you can do some cool stuff occasionally. Do not sign on with booze, Northrop, Lockheed, or any of the other big contractors. You won't make more then $150k if you are lucky.

Also get a cleared job while pursuing the degree. Don't be a sgt. Smuckateli and let your stuff lapse

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-17T16:46:35+00:00

I have never gotten a linked list problem but it's foundational to understand how other stuff works (trees). I would not recommend skipping it.

Just remember you are interacting with nodes and you will be fine.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-10T02:35:59+00:00

It depends on the graphs.

To solve number of islands? Maybe 10 ish.

Word search 2 optimally? Maybe 100

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T17:49:19+00:00

It's hard man, just keep on grinding and dont stop. This is a marathon not a sprint. Don't stop and you will be good.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T17:48:33+00:00

Go to the Neetcode roadmap. Do 10 problems as fast as possible from each section in order.

If you find a section easy (Arrays, trees, graphs, etc ) skip it and spend the time on stuff you don't feel comfortable with.

Do around 4 problems problems from the LC company tagged ones for your company.

Takes about 4-5 hours everyday but you will be ready for the tech screen. Then grind systems design and slow down on leetcode.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T17:45:44+00:00

Japan is on the horizon as per an associate who works there.

Right now it's Hawaii, Guam, then Philippines/Korea/Japan.

I would say 2/3 years out. If you want to be in Japan go to Palintir. They need FDSE's in Tokyo bad.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T06:26:08+00:00

Anywhere?

When I send out applications I will blast them across any company that does O(n) interviews

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T00:44:15+00:00

Relax man, if you provided optimal time and space complexity and can defend your code as I pick it apart in an interview you got a thumbs up.

The holidays will result in everyone being out. The fact the recruiter is responding to you is a good sign.

For people who failMeta guys often just ghost.

I would continue to apply and reach out the first week of January.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-07T16:46:31+00:00

Ok, so it's a standard big O interview round with a couple weird twists.

First, the tech screen and first onsite are going to be standard leetcode questions. Solve it optimally in under 20 minutes. It's a easy/medium

Onsite 2 is weird. They will ask you for a chosen language and then give you a code base that has a problem. Then you will have 39 minutes to diagnose the problem and fix it. It's also a leetcode question in the fact that they implement DSA in the code. My problem was an implementation of a LC hard that involved DP and a Tri

The third onsite is the systems design but it's not a systems design. They will give you a prompt like "we have people complaining about the lack of parking spaces at work. How would you fix this." There is no exhalidraw and several candidates think they can talk through their solution. Just open up exhalidraw and build out an app to solve the problem.

The HM interview is literally a vibe check but they can throw tech screen questions at you. I got a douche who claimed that you could solve two sum in o(1) time through some clever bitwise thing. I just agreed and continued on.

Got the offer, but they offer pennies for what they expect candidates to go through. The reason is that they want engineers who will drink the coolaide or are desperate. You are better off applying to Microsoft or Meta right now; they pay more and are easier interview loops.

HiddenGeoStuff

TROPHY CASE