I used to work for a defense contractor.
There was a 3 month period where I had nothing to do.
I was supposed write firmware for a piece of hardware, but the hardware was broken and wouldn’t even turn on. I was told to wait for the electrical engineers to fix it.
I sat in the lab all day, for 8 hours a day, with no internet access (it was forbidden), pretending to write firmware that I couldn’t test, with no direction on what I should be doing. There was no simulator, no tests, no guidance.
In that time, I would practice my own Leetcode problems in preparation for other jobs. All day long.
About two weeks before I left the company, I received my security clearance. That’s when I realized… they were just killing time until I had my clearance.
All of a sudden, the flood gates were opened, and I learned about a really interesting project. Not interesting enough to keep me though ;)
Six years later, I’ve 3x’d my compensation. And I love my job now (web development).
There was a 3 month period where I had nothing to do.
I was supposed write firmware for a piece of hardware, but the hardware was broken and wouldn’t even turn on. I was told to wait for the electrical engineers to fix it.
I sat in the lab all day, for 8 hours a day, with no internet access (it was forbidden), pretending to write firmware that I couldn’t test, with no direction on what I should be doing. There was no simulator, no tests, no guidance.
In that time, I would practice my own Leetcode problems in preparation for other jobs. All day long.
About two weeks before I left the company, I received my security clearance. That’s when I realized… they were just killing time until I had my clearance.
All of a sudden, the flood gates were opened, and I learned about a really interesting project. Not interesting enough to keep me though ;)
Six years later, I’ve 3x’d my compensation. And I love my job now (web development).