I see lots of people saying you NEED to grind leetcode to get a job. That they spent 100s of hours studying to ace interviews. This sounds absurd. I've never done it and I also have yet to 'fail' an onsite. I think you just be affable, talk through your process and do some problem solving. When I interview people I actually kinda hate when the problem is easy/seems memorized. Anyways what do you think? Is it needed? Maybe I'm just an asshole who got lucky?
Doesn't matter. If you're not from the CORRECT part of the country or world, and don't have the most elite credentials, then it doesn't matter how fast or thorough your problem-solving and algorithmic skills are, nor your communication, nor your ability to lead a team to success. It's like throwing yourself onto a wall that's painted as an entrance window with a small wall at the bottom. Then the people on the inside will upon up another wall on the other side of the building if you are one of Their people.
The last interview I failed wasn’t the coding (which was easier than I expected from blind). It was not remembering the best stories for the “tell me about a time <oddly specific situation>” I wish I had spent more time reflecting and practicing that part.
Interesting.. thanks for sharing. Did you get feedback about your answers to those behavioral questions?
Not really. The recruiter just said I did well on the coding and really well on system design then hand wavy vague feedback and to interview again. But I knew were I fumbled and had a hard time finding the right story. And the days after the right ones kept coming to mind.
OP is an a^^hole who’s either in a 💩 company, trolling or a new grad that got lucky with easy questions
You do not need to but it's recommended. I successfully interviewed at Google and Amazon recently for Senior Staff and Principal positions respectively and did not grind, however, you may get caught off guard and one no means you tanked.
Leetcode for Life.
The problem is that even unknown or shit tier companies are asking difficult problems and expecting flawless solutions.
Exactly. Then it's another dang chicken & egg game where those who already made it will get into the shite tier, and those who need it are barred.
You’re not going to magically pass a dynamic programming question by “doing some problem solving”
I don't think popping a memorized solution should get anybody anywhere. When I have done that, they keep adjusting the problem until I get stuck and have to problem solve anyways. Just do a ton of programming either at your current job or at home. Have good examples that aren't hypothetical, ideally ones from you current job. Understand popular algorithm techniques and data structures. Get in that interview and let your intuition run wild and free. Communicate like with a coworker problem solving together.
In typical jobs, there’s little algorithmic coding involved
Yeah this is my general interview strategy
Need leetcode to get in a FAANGMDU
Disagree about necessity. I got in without it. Okay I did 4 problems, but that's it. Maybe it's good for most people? I don't think I'm special or great though in any way.
Which one