Every Job Change is a Major Life Change

Joining Ant Financial, realized my “small dream” when I was in a second-tier city.

Background

In June 2016, an Alibaba friend said there were internal referral spots, and required each person to refer 3 people. At that time, with the mindset of “testing my iOS level”, submitted resume. But by coincidence, because this friend’s supervisor was always traveling, instead had another Alibaba friend refer, so had to choose position from Alibaba social recruitment.

So submitted resume 3 times, Xianyu iOS, DingTalk Mac, Taobao Mobile iOS.

Xianyu’s phone interview quickly passed, then video interview. Video interview first round was one HR and two technical colleagues (supervisor and one P7), but this supervisor was always on phone, didn’t even finish my self-introduction, didn’t ask many questions. P7 technical colleague asked many questions (phone interview was also him) Since phone already discussed a lot about iOS reverse engineering topics, this video interview was more application-focused. Third round was another HR and Xianyu’s head Chuduan, let me talk about my experience and technical learning journey, didn’t ask technical questions. But long time not doing non-technical interviews, although very confident, exposed various “non-technical” issues in communication, didn’t pass interview. (This time too confident)

DingTalk Mac development, when submitting both friend and I thought I was suitable. Complete tech stack, 5 years Windows client development experience and 1 year iOS experience, and requirements matched, but things didn’t go as expected, directly resume not suitable.

Taobao Mobile also quickly passed phone interview, video interview second round also went smoothly, but there was a problem: other party didn’t look at my blog at all, and knew little about reverse engineering and didn’t show interest. This lacked some common ground. Third round was also basically non-technical interview, HR also asked: Do you know why Xianyu didn’t pass? I explained the reasons I thought one by one. Later asked some common questions, like biggest difficulty you’ve experienced these “haha” questions. These small non-technical questions, I have my own answers, but may not match interviewer’s answers, details won’t say, finally didn’t pass. Simple summary: This time too wanted to know why last interview failed, so acted unnatural, too much looking at other party’s expression to answer, no character. (This time too unconfident)

There’s also an important issue, I once stayed at a small company for less than two months, this experience wasn’t written in work experience at the time, but mentioned in growth experience. This is a minus, adds bad impression factor, may also be main cause of failure.

Of course, there are also issues, once read “Rework” this book, stayed in traditional company too long, wanted to get out, pursue so-called freedom. 2015 happened “stayed at small company less than two months”, “full-time stay-at-home dad”, “freelancing”, “tried entrepreneurship (didn’t really start)”, “moved whole family to Beijing as drifters when already bought house in Jinan”. These events, believe “those only seeking stable work” classmates find hard to understand, even easier to misunderstand.

Later friend also submitted to Hangzhou’s “Mogujie”, phone interview also good, but other party needed more experienced iOS. Later learned phone interviewer was “Yinshi”, added WeChat.

Four resume submissions, three phone or video interviews. Let me, who never interviewed at “big companies”, “had a taste”. Interviews discovered many of my shortcomings, also had deeper understanding of myself. Time also passed 2 months.

Just like this, work peacefully.

About first interview failure, also wrote an experience summary at the time.

However

I saw an Ant Financial colleague’s WeChat on a social platform, added WeChat, originally wanted to interview at year end, but year end had no spots. So fifth time submitted resume (this time resume made those free months in 2015 clearer).

This time didn’t have any hope (because already August, at that time didn’t want to interview anymore, wanted to wait until after New Year), only thinking of making another friend, if could help solve some problems normally would be better.

But this time Ant Financial valued my previous C++ experience more, valued reverse engineering skills more. This time chat with HR was also more natural, HR colleague was also younger and smiled more.

After 1 month of work handover and vacation, started at Ant Financial on September 20.

Perhaps this is fate, those without fate naturally won’t meet. Things always develop toward what suits you best. Perhaps joining Xianyu or Taobao, perhaps more doing a bunch of pure business UI things, wouldn’t suit me. After joining Ant Financial, mainly focus on Alipay’s performance and stability, relatively far from business, this is perhaps where I’m good at.

Yes, just like this.

However

After joining, life and work both changed dramatically compared to before:

Commute 1 minute became commute 50 minutes
Work 8 to 11 hours became work 9 to 12 hours

This way, daily time at home with family, reduced by 3 to 6 hours (commute 2 hours, extra work time 1 to 4 hours).

Terrifying. This is truly experiencing Beijing office worker life.

So, urgently need to find new balance of life, work, learning.

Work often like this at first:

24 hours = 2 hours commute + 12 hours work (10am-10pm) + 8 hours sleep + 2 hours (home washing)
24 hours = 2 hours commute + 13 hours work (11am-12am) + 8 hours sleep + 1 hour (home washing)

But I see many colleagues around like this:

24 hours = 2 hours commute + 10.5 hours work (10:30am-9pm) + 8 hours sleep + 3.5 hours (home)

Also many like this:

24 hours = 2 hours commute + 12 hours work (10:30am-10:30pm) + 8 hours sleep + 2 hours (home)

For me with family, finally balanced to this solution:

24 hours = 2 hours commute + 10 hours work (10am-8pm) + 8 hours sleep + 4 hours (accompanying)
Removing lunch, actual work time is 9 hours, still normal. But this time compared to colleagues around, already very luxurious. Can see everyone works very very hard.
Can only say normally leave at 8pm, if special circumstances, should work overtime can’t be vague.

About work hours, will mention a few words:

Merit and hard work: I firmly oppose “hard work”: things not done well, just not done well, no matter how hard you worked it’s useless.
Attitude and results: Similarly, no results, attitude to make up. This is useless!

Think about beautiful youth, coming here, I’m here to use technical ability, dig technical value, not for so-called hard work and attitude.

Three Months’ Gains

Three months, like a year passed.

Developing such large Apps:

Must consider disaster recovery solutions. Innovative technologies need gray release solutions.
Speak with data. When App user base is large, data becomes important.
Version releases aren’t that casual. Each version is many people’s collaboration.
Documentation must be read carefully, each API’s complete functionality, don’t miss anything.
Don’t completely trust Apple’s documentation. Don’t bet on Apple documentation’s accuracy, consider disaster recovery.
Don’t let emotions replace thinking.
Don’t casually question others’ code, need evidence.
Timely feedback. Leave no gaps for problems to occur. Don’t think of something but not verify.
Should express opposing opinions, express seriously, with reason and evidence.
When answering questions in IM, consider complete, say it all at once. Don’t say in segments. Problem, cause, scope, solution, time.

Live Streaming App Development

Before joining Ant Financial (before September 20), at previous company participated in developing “51VV” and “VV Live” two Apps. “VV Live” development was company’s new product, started from scratch in March, continuously worked overtime 5 months, finally first day after leaving (September 21), Apple review passed.

Never thought of leaving so early. Product developed with so much overtime is always hard to part with. Can’t have both fish and bear’s paw.

Plan Completion

2016 Plan

Done

Learned source code SDWebImage YYCache YYModel MJRefresh Aspects Masonry, etc.
Read books “iOS Application Security Attack and Defense”, “Objective C Programming Way”, “Hacker Attack and Defense Technology Treasure”, “OpenCV Programming Introduction”, “Mathematics for Programmers”
Admire Design Navigation https://admire.so : Developed Python backend.
LifeMail: 50% progress, not open source, not completed.
Code learning platform: Developed https://github.com/everettjf/XSourceNote but later found not very meaningful, or UX not good, gave up.
Tomato Read: https://github.com/everettjf/TomatoRead Later after Alibaba Cloud server expired, didn’t continue maintaining.
Blog basically one article per month. Year end wrote several articles, posted to internal network, also make up the count.

Not Done

Didn’t learn source code AsyncDisplayKit MachOView class-dump.
Security: Didn’t continue deeper.

2016 Summary

Did many things, but not focused enough. Good products, only need one.

Think about beautiful youth, do meaningful things.

2017 Plan

Wrote a mind map, posted to git, keep a record, but won’t make public, will make public at end of 2017.

Simple list:

Learn more source code
Write a book
Improve financial intelligence
Public blog one article per month

Detailed mind map:

Portal~~(closed)~~(open December 31, 2017)