Fake it til you make it. The game is all about perception/value. If you have a higher perceived value than actual value it plays to your benefit.
You really need to turn around the interview on the interviewer. Best means of accomplishing this is to run through the technical evaluation as quick as possible, then turn the question around in terms of whether it would solve their current problems with what they're working on. It likely won't, so try to identify current problems within the organization/team/project. Dig into those problems and help identify solutions. Question the tradeoffs with the existing system and their current approach.
One time I took a suitcase to my office and told my manager I was away for some interviews. Subsequently told him I didn't feel like I was earning my market rate - this was after my performance reviewed raise+bonus. Gained another 15% that way.
Definitely useful to be able to demonstrate you've implemented, tested, deployed, and maintained some sort of software on your own.
Also being able to talk through design decisions and tradeoffs from an engineering point of view is useful.
Finally, I would advise that if you are applying to a position through a recruiter, stop asking for senior level positions. Ask for staff level positions instead, you'll receive more autonomy and a higher pay as well.
First it was domestic espionage leaks that results in online discourse taking a step back. People became more apprehensive to share their opinions and simply kept them to themselves.
Unfortunately the mob will have a compounding effect in conjunction with the aforementioned reduction in online discourse. Differences in opinions will no longer be acceptable.
Eventually the mob will turn on their own as the radicalization accelerates. I would argue this is a great place for foreign psyops to target the western populous and I'm sure its already being targeted to some extent.