Leetcode hero binge

Insurance Company
lcid

Insurance Company

lcid
Apr 30 20 Comments

I need career advice from wise and experienced Blinders.

Yesterday I leetcoded from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. I’m a new grad who graduated in August and I still have no job. I made it to background check phase with a company after 4 month long interview process. References called and all. Only to not get an offer. So now I have a formidable resume gap as I didn’t do much after getting confetti email with congratulations and background check link.

Shit happens. I’m back at square one. My brother who is 3 years younger just got 160k offer in Bay Area on his first tech interview ever. He says I’m maybe not fit to become a software engineer (douche).

I have three options. I’m still getting tons of interviews from low tier companies (think 80k in LCOL) AND decent tier companies (Audible, Amazon, Doordash, Capital One, Chewy, JPMChase). But my LC ability is easy level at best.

Please select my best course of action. The bootcamp can help my skill set and close resume gap by 6 months. But at the same time rejection has turned me into a Leetcode animal/lover. I have the capacity/will to go 996 purely studying LC. Or I could simply get the first job willing to take a chance on me and work my way up. My instinct is to Leetcode as I’ll never have the opportunity to spend this much time on LC again if I get a basic job.

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TOP 20 Comments
  • Amazon
    moocha

    Go to company page Amazon

    moocha
    Your brother is a jerk but don’t worry he’s borderline poverty with that TC in the Bay Area
    Apr 30 1
    • Insurance Company
      lcid

      Insurance Company

      lcid
      OP
      He literally admitted to failing both technical rounds and only got the interview through a strong referral from a non technical dude. Now is acting like 10x engineer or something lmfao
      Apr 30
  • Meta
    hwhfb

    Go to company page Meta

    hwhfb
    "formidable resume gap"

    Man the shit we worry about when we're young...
    Apr 30 1
    • Insurance Company
      lcid

      Insurance Company

      lcid
      OP
      Thanks for making me smile :) guess I forgot “mo money mo problems”
      Apr 30
  • Meta
    я

    Go to company page Meta

    я
    Get a job and LC on the side. You’ll get farther with one hour of LC a day for a year than with 12 hours of LC for a month until you burn out.

    I think of Amazon and Doordash as high tier companies btw.
    Apr 30 0
  • Apple / Eng
    phase

    Go to company page Apple Eng

    phase
    Grinding LC without knowing about proper algorithms, data structures, and complexity analysis won't make you better.

    Learn about algorithms and data structures first, then use LC as a test/application of your skills/knowledge.

    If you're doing that and not *just* grinding LC with massive hours and little progress, then focusing on that full-time is a good use of time.

    I recommend Tim Roughgarden's books on algorithms.
    Apr 30 4
  • You're gonna burn out. Get a job and get some IRL experience while LCing 7-8am or 8-9am before work. Keep evenings for having fun or you're gonna hate life.
    Apr 30 1
    • Insurance Company
      lcid

      Insurance Company

      lcid
      OP
      I agree in general it’s a terribly unhealthy approach but if I 996 for a month and don’t make sufficient progress I’ll take a step back. I can trade time now for a more stable future.
      Apr 30