The churn rate of current software development practice is quite rapid. When you took several years off, you "fell out of the job market". In effect, you need to reboot your skill & tool set to make current.
In addition, you must reboot your interviewing skills. I've been a professional software interviewer (600+ interviews) and have seen most very experienced software developers do quite poorly during interviews. The interview skills required for FAANG-like companies and startups alike are very different from the skills required to work as a typical software engineer.
The interview is the gateway to getting the job. As such, good or great interview skills (i.e. algorithms, data structures, time & space complexity) are a pre-requisite to getting a job.
I hope that the above advice is useful and helpful.
In addition, you must reboot your interviewing skills. I've been a professional software interviewer (600+ interviews) and have seen most very experienced software developers do quite poorly during interviews. The interview skills required for FAANG-like companies and startups alike are very different from the skills required to work as a typical software engineer.
The interview is the gateway to getting the job. As such, good or great interview skills (i.e. algorithms, data structures, time & space complexity) are a pre-requisite to getting a job.
I hope that the above advice is useful and helpful.