Leetcode is the Equalizer that makes having a degree less relevant in the field. Without a degree it is exactly the lever you're looking for for getting jobs. I

Leetcode is the Equalizer that makes having a degree less relevant in the field. Without a degree it is exactly the lever you're looking for for getting jobs. It might be a lot of effort, but it is a reasonable expectation for getting a job in SE. The other two things that can really make a difference are either having good personal projects uploaded on GitHub, or contributing to relevant open source projects. As a disclaimer, I'm not senior/experienced enough myself to be much involved in hiring.