Computer Science FAILURE to $500k SWE

He failed his first computer science classes, was told to drop out, and had a 2.2 GPA... yet by 28, Jay was earning $500,000 as a staff engineer, working at companies like Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft. In this interview, he breaks down how he went from nearly quitting to out-earning most of the tech world, revealing the overlooked strategies, mindset shifts, and tactical moves that changed everything.

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00:00 Struggling Comp Sci Student to $500k Success
00:41 When Your Professor Tells You to Drop Out...
01:32 He Wanted to Quit Comp Sci... Until He Did This
02:58 Focus on These Things if You're Behind
03:58 How Did You Network Early On?
04:47 Having No Experience, What Did You Put on Your Resume to Get Into Big Tech?
06:12 The Secret Weapon: Leverage
07:01 Breaking Into AWS
08:15 How Much Did AWS Pay You?
08:40 Did You Return to Amazon?
09:24 Senior Offers and Microsoft
10:06 How Much Did Meta Pay You?
11:30 From $300 to $500k Offers at Startups
12:09 Why Startups Sometimes Pay More
13:30 Traits To Stand Out in Inte