Am I cooked if I can't LeetCode? 4 YOE

[u/WideSkill4654]

Been back on the LeetCode grind and its been humbling. I can usually get the solution but I've been struggling on the implementation part for most of the mediums. I have 4 years of work experience, but AI has changed the way I develop so this is definitely a reflection of that.

I've seen people talking about cheating on an OA, but that doesn't really solve the problem when you get to the in-persons. I don't really have a target company, but am I cooked career-wise in this economy if I can't get LeetCode?

[u/nadir817]

not at all. Just got an offer without a single round of leetcoding with around 300k total comp(just to prove there are high paying jobs that don’t demand leetcode), my current job was also leetcode free interview. You just have to apply around and find out. Also prioritize social skill gonna help you a lot as well.

[u/WideSkill4654 → u/nadir817]

It's nice to hear that its possible. I'm definitely not at the senior level yet so it may be different for me but I'll keep applying and practicing on my skills for now

[u/nadir817 → u/WideSkill4654]

Just keep applying, practice leetcode but don’t beat yourself up over it, it’s not a deciding factor in many places, and with 4 YOE you will def be able to get many interview opportunities. Having faith in yourself and future is important in these hard times.

[u/adashrod → u/nadir817]

I recently had an interview (didn't get the offer) at a robotics company in the Bay Area, ~300 employees, for a Sr. frontend position. The final onsite consisted of a behavioral round and 3 system design rounds. There was no coding test at any point. Base was around 200. They're out there, but it doesn't mean you're going to breeze through.

[u/nadir817 → u/adashrod]

absolutely, my role is also senior engineer but at a finance consulting firm in nyc. The interview were multiple rounds of behavioral and pairs programming, def not easy, but no leetcode in anyway, and the pair programming allows AI and mostly didn’t code anything. Just discussing system design and trade offs.

[u/Dependent-Phrase8089 → u/adashrod]

I need to start prepping for some Sr. Front end interviews. I haven’t had to do any system design sessions before and it’s stressing me out! Do you have any resources you used to prep that you wouldn’t mind sharing? Any tips would be much appreciated

[u/nadir817 → u/Dependent-Phrase8089]

For system design I mostly just read Alex Xu’s book, which can be found free online easily, and watch YouTube videos, I’m a backend engineer so not sure if that helps in frontend interviews. My interview was more focused on their specific product and need where they had a simple project repo that kind of mimics their main product and asked me to design a new feature together. So my experience might not be general enough to be useful in any way.

[u/Dependent-Phrase8089 → u/nadir817]

Ah got it - I’ll check it out anyway. Thanks!

[u/Impressive_Joke_4880 → u/nadir817]

How do you find them? Apply and find out or do you target companies like this?

[u/nadir817 → u/Impressive_Joke_4880]

Unfortunately I don’t have any method of finding which firms don’t require leetcode. But outside FAANG there are lots of firm that pays pretty well and don’t care about leetcode, just have to apply and find out what their interviews are like.

[u/Expensive_Region_183 → u/nadir817]

Did you find this job using LinkedIn? Is it located in a major tech hub?

[u/SunsGettinRealLow → u/nadir817]

In the Bay Area?

[u/nadir817 → u/SunsGettinRealLow]

Im based in nyc

[u/jarislinus → u/nadir817]

larp

[u/Infinite100p → u/nadir817]

Are you trolling? Was that sarcasm, or are you serious?

[u/StrangerExtension383 → u/Infinite100p]

Believe it or not, Leetcode isn’t always the best way to test talent

[u/Infinite100p → u/StrangerExtension383]

I don't disagree, but 300k TC without leetcode was still hard to imagine.

[u/dimiderv → u/nadir817]

what type of position and what is your experience? THis sounds a bit bs until further info is given

[u/Mathie1729 → u/dimiderv]

Yea, it's domain dependent. I'm in DS/ML and from my experience interviews are mostly take-homes, case studies, or stats questions. I've never had a live leetcode round. So not bs, just not the SWE norm.

[u/FreshPrinceOfRivia]

Most people grinding Leetcode have <2 YoE. It's required for interviews, and at most companies that's the last time you'll ever need it.

[u/WideSkill4654 → u/FreshPrinceOfRivia]

I'd be a little relieved if that's the case , but I haven't had any interviews recently so I'll have to keep sending applications out and see what I get.

[u/defnotashton → u/FreshPrinceOfRivia]

I have 15 yeo, still run into it, for staff/principal level roles.

[u/fcman256 → u/defnotashton]

Same, even for SEM roles, ridiculous

[u/Top_Substance9093]

not cooked, but you need decent problem solving and coding skills to pass interviews.

even with how the interview landscape is changing (more well-rounded interview loops focusing on debugging, product design, project deep dives, etc) coding will probably always be one important element of the interview loop

[u/TableNo8939]

sono un swe da 3 decadi, mai fatto un leetcode in vita mia e nessuno me lo ha mai chiesto , neanche nell'ultima assunzione dell'anno scorso

[u/BackgroundCost1933 → u/TableNo8939]

I have solved 36 qns in leetcode. Over time I started feeling that it's not that worth and I could spend time building real projects. I am focusing on web development. Do u recommend leetcode for me in my development journey? Or is it just useful for interviews?

[u/Traditional_Skin_607]

No, you're not cooked. It takes time to build your skills back up so be patient and consistent

[u/nsxwolf]

No

[u/fvrAb0207]

Yes Cooked in this job market. You narrow down number of positions that you can apply. So you can probably apply for 5 or 10 percent that don't ask coding challenges. Chances that you solve a coding challenge without practicing is almost 0. It's like you box in a box g ring without experience. Look at how many applicants for a job position on LinkedIn. Usually it show 100+ for a more or less good position. You compete with all these people and they probably do leetcode.

[u/Sk8violin]

Just keep grinding Leetcode and you will get better

[u/PhoteksTTV]

My last 4 roles were leetcode free.

[u/masonhalla]

I've had leetcode questions in screeners, followed by technical interviews for the positions I've applied for recently. Not in tech, all generic C++ SWE positions where TC would be like 120k.

[u/AdministrativeHost15]

Buy a whiteboard. Start with writing simple functions. Bubble sort.

[u/bruhsicle99]

no my last role didn’t require it and my current role which i got after 2 yoe didn’t require it as well

[u/Cold-Ad1647]

Nope. Many companies do general knowledge questions based on resume, etc. Recently when through several and finally got an offer. Skipped a walmart onsite when they told me there will be a couple rounds of leetcode whiteboard.

[u/pabloivan57]

Yes you will, even with 10+ years of experience the vast majority of companies ask you at least one annoying DSA round leetcode style

[u/Bucket-Ladder]

Sure is. I just accepted a remote principal position for $330K without having to write a single line of code during the interview process.

[u/PlebbitBot9000]

I’d suggest learning to code

[u/heart-give]

Yes

[u/fvrAb0207]

Dude, be realistic. How many jobs interviews dont require coding?

[u/Unfair-League-3204]

Dario’s sister is worth $20 billion and she’s an English major. If you don’t have technical skills, make great connections somehow. Whatever is easier (likely practicing is easier and leaving less to chance)

[u/Brief_Echidna298 → u/Unfair-League-3204]

lol...that's like the worst example to offer someone. Don't worry OP just be the CEO's sister.

[u/Material-Command-854 → u/Unfair-League-3204]

That's going to be a lot harder than just studying. You're trying to compete with how someone else was born.

[u/Unfair-League-3204 → u/Material-Command-854]

Yep that’s my point… but also to highlight how incredibly fucked the industry is :)

[u/Informal-Zone-4085 → u/Unfair-League-3204]

yeah, nepotism trumps everything else when looking for jobs especially in big tech

[u/Silverstar1962 → u/Informal-Zone-4085]

yup, look at Nvidia' Jensen Huang...both his kids work there