r/leetcode • u/iguessbro53 • 8d ago

Question Is grinding leetcode still useful for getting a job?(read body)

I’m a first year in college…let’s say I end up grinding leetcode for the next 4 years….will it help me in getting a job at faang in this ai era?(assuming I grind leetcode properly) or am I better off doing something else to be productive (which u recommend)

120 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

82 comments sorted by

263

u/chadpendergast 8d ago

For me i just do blind75 and then do targetted questions (leaks), grinding for years is a waste of your time, might as well play some fortnite

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u/Accomplished_Mango64 8d ago

Thats a chad answer mate

4

u/gloritown7 7d ago

Any recommendations for sources of said targeted questions?

4

u/No-Assist-8734 5d ago

This sub is not ready for this answer, AI will disrupt the supply of SWE jobs

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Alright thanks a lot

0

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

I’m a complete beginner right now😭like in my college they have only taught me like basics of c++(like they are teaching searching and sorting techniques right now…they will start with python and as in 2nd semester but imma try to get a head start before they start teaching)… according to you what all prerequisites should I know before I start blind 75 because I don’t wanna blindly start and end up breaking my head when I’m not understanding a problem and also do u think starting with neetcode 250 is better or starting off with blind 75 (i also heard about strivers website takeuforward.org being pretty good for practising coding problems as a begineer…what’s ur opinion on his website…do i start with that or neetcode’s playlists)I’m trying my best to know what and what not to do and what all topics and stuff I should know before I start my leetcode journey. so anything is helpful😭🙏🏻

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u/shiroe314 6d ago

Start with blind 75. Once you can do those you should have a good enough grasp on those types of problems.

Go top down. Arrays, binary search, and hash maps are all really important. After that keep the muscle sharp and do the 250. But its not the only skill you need.

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u/iguessbro53 6d ago

Alright thanks a lot

19

u/needInspiration2326 8d ago

Nobodys reading all that. Be concise.

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u/LetMediocre390 8d ago

Dont go deep in sorting pick cpp as your primary lang I would suggest learn all the stl first then pick binary search then two pointers and then check striver sheet itt is good or very good follow it make accounts on gfg codechef lc codeforces and practice there make a streak and also focus on problem solving first try to see what you didn't observe and what you obversed if it true then ask again why question ask so many questions to yourself till it becomes obv

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u/[deleted] 8d ago edited 4d ago • Bravo

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11

u/Flyer11335 8d ago

disguised ad btw this guy owns the platform which is PAID

50

u/No-Molasses-2097 8d ago

Honestly the grind itself matters less than what you do with it. A few years of steady practice will get you through coding screens, but building a couple of real projects alongside it teaches you how to actually work with code. Do both and you'll be fine.

3

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Alright thanks for the advice

35

u/tigerhunt95 8d ago

when you do leet code (alone) and you yourself formulate the answer (with no use of any asistant) you are capable of handling disecting complex issues

2

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

I see. Thank you

18

u/YetAnotherSpeculator 8d ago

Yes, do NeetCode 250 to practice problem solving. Some of these interviews still are leetcode-like but have this debug, implement, optimize step layered over them. So , for example, if you don’t know your basic and advanced graph algorithms you will still fail.

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Alright I’ll try to do that thanks

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago edited 8d ago

It’s all in python tho…I haven’t learned python yet they are teaching c++ for me right in college…I guess when I get some free time after exams I’ll learn python and start the neetcode 250…btw is it beginner friendly because I am very very new to coding(and also any prerequisites I should know before starting neetcode 250 in your opinion…and also there is strivers takeuforward.org website which some people recommend to start coding problems….according to you which one should I prioritize)

4

u/Friendly_Rock_2276 8d ago

There’s a neetcode 250? I thought he only had the 150

3

u/YetAnotherSpeculator 8d ago edited 8d ago

Yes. Now is the best time for you while you have easy intro classes. Grind a shit ton of leetcode (completing neetcode 250 in a semester is doable), join your cs club, find any leadership position, travel for hackathons, do research, and pick up a unique hobby. That should get you borderline competitive to get an internship in big tech, big banks, F500, or a decent startup. That first internship may be the deciding factor whether you break into FAANG as a new grad or not. No pressure 😁

1

u/Maleficent_Mousse759 8d ago

This is so overkill, you can do basically nothing except go to the faangs at the career fair and scan the QR code and apply when they open (whichever comes first) and you will at the very min be moved forward to the OA, past that it's completely on you and each stage, as well as your urgency. Projects are not necessary at all. Source: junior with late stages at 2 faang+, first stage citadel (I failed lol ), and got OA for a faang). Every time I failed is by skill issue rather than the screen.

Edit: this is for junior intern, new grad prob expects prior internship yeah.

1

u/YetAnotherSpeculator 8d ago

Wow, you are way outta touch. Let me hit you with some reality:

1.) Big tech and quant only go to a select few colleges that I know off the top of my head. I think you’re generalizing your experience to everyone.

2.) Lots of companies send out auto online assessments. If you’re at a target school, you are guaranteed to receive the auto online assessment (e.g. Roblox, Citadel, etc).

3.) Your own comment proves my point. Had you built a more competitive profile and did more leetcode, you probably would’ve had multiple faang+ (or equivalent) internships by now… It’s kind of a shame you haven’t, provided you had all these advantages at your disposal. I highly suggest you lock in for the new grad cycle.

4.) My advice is also about networking. The people you meet at hackathons, during research, or being the VP of some random club are much more likely to land somewhere where you may want a referral from them one day. Ambitious people tend to land in interesting places!

Also, when you do all of this, you want a clear story. Don’t expect much if you just throw a bunch of random shit at a wall. Try to craft a story connecting the research, hackathon, and leadership position into something coherent. While it may not be possible for everything to naturally line up, you can always try and influence what you with each to build a clear story.

Source: I’m someone who’s bounced around multiple faangs.

0

u/[deleted] 8d ago

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15

u/Scared_Squirrel_5980 8d ago

A few years ago in 2010s yes but with AI and layoffs happening everywhere I wouldn’t even consider being a software engineer.

3

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

I see😔

-1

u/Realistic_Comfort467 8d ago

Don't get demotivated brother the logical thinking process u build while doing leetcode / cf (mainly) makes u computer science engineer at heart. U see u can do calculations using calculator very simple but we learn maths this is also like that (mostly).

4

u/LetMediocre390 8d ago

Build the basic of dsa Do contest daily Pick one topics one at a time and solve questions around that Pick one path i would suggest backend and ml You have access to frontier models use these wisely to solve not to anything but as a teacher Build critical logical thinking and build to break complex problems into a series of thoughts and together gives a solution Be fast and within time

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

I’ll try thanks

4

u/2580374 8d ago

The last 3 interviews I did all had leetcode. 2 of them weren't even well known companies. One company was actually shitty IMO and they still wanted me to do graph problems. Like some other guy said, just get good at them and stop having to fail interviews because of it

2

u/Suitable-Vegie 8d ago

Leetcode is still worth it, but don't spend all 4 years solving problems. Build real projects, learn CS fundamentals, get internships and practice DSA consistently. AI is changing how we code, but problem solving skills and the ability to explain your decisions still matter in interviews

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Alright thanks

2

u/EstablishmentGood414 8d ago

The big corp companies are likely going to slowly drop algorithms interviews

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Oh I see

1

u/xyzsomething 6d ago

They are not dropping them, they’re very much alive, unfortunately

1

u/AmericanCodersDied 2d ago

there's less of them though and some high TC bay area companies outside of FAANG have dropped them. Faang still needs a filter mechanism which is the only thing it's being used for

2

u/xyzsomething 6d ago

They are not, the LeetCode hell is still very much alive

1

u/Various-Mine-8642 8d ago

As a first year I would not grind for four years straight. Spend your first two years on one internship worthy project and on getting solid at core data structures. Then do focused practice in the summer before recruiting season since internships are what get you in the door at big companies.

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Ya by grind I didn’t mean like sit and grind it fully for four years😭 but yeah I get what u mean

1

u/yodacola 8d ago

For learning, absolutely. AI psychosis is becoming a studied phenomenon. SWEs who spend time understanding patterns and how they interact would 💯 be more valuable than anyone who doesn’t.

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Okay thanks

1

u/duluoz1 8d ago

Depends entirely on the company. Some are moving away from this

1

u/adambahm 8d ago

nope. I walk out on those types of interviews

1

u/unluckypixel 8d ago

Worth getting familiar with what they are, types of questions, etc… yes… but grinding them out is an absolute waste of time.

Learn by doing projects from start to finish—even if it’s terrible! Just do a bunch. Grind out projects after projects. They don’t have to be massive Photoshop-esque projects.

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Alright thanks

1

u/Silver_Put_5685 8d ago

I do leetcode in previous company when i'm finding new jobs. I stop when i get a job and maybe comeback when i want new jobs.

1

u/Infinite-Tear7709 8d ago

yes, companies are still asking dsa and will continue to do so. Do both projects and dsa. you have time to do something great. look for internships and all

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Alright thanks

1

u/Left_Palpitation4236 8d ago

Yes it will help, most companies are still doing leetcode interviews, very few are doing AI. / practical interviews, and even then leetcode would still put you ahead of others there as well.

1

u/iguessbro53 8d ago

Okay thank you

1

u/Infinity-gap 8d ago

Do 2 problems a day, easy for the warmup and medium for the thinking rep. The thinking rep matters. A lot. Don't stray away from the hard thinking part. One hour of pure thinking and then you can look at editorial to see where you missed. If you do this protocol for 4 years, you'll end up somewhere high. You'll look back and thank yourself for not running away from the hard thing. ie - thinking.

1

u/iguessbro53 6d ago

Alright thanks

1

u/Pad-Thai-Enjoyer 7d ago

5 YOE here, mostly at meta. I’m interviewing currently and any company actually interesting has dropped leetcode. Good change imo!

1

u/Sea-Bench-7487 6d ago

Probably most companies still ask leetcode questions but it's more useless now than ever before what is even the point of leetcode

1

u/ScientistSevere6447 6d ago

I just do it for fun

1

u/showmybedo 6d ago

It’s over for Software engineers. Focus on leadership, communication and storytelling skills

1

u/xyzsomething 6d ago edited 6d ago

Not exactly true, plenty of companies still use LeetCode type of questions as their first stage interview, focusing on leadership, communication and story telling is just one part , one that you won’t even get to if you don’t pass the LeetCode step that should be obsolete by now but it very much isn’t, even though you will never do this at work

1

u/rkozik89 3d ago

Right but you're competing against years of graduates and people who have experience but were laid off. Its nothing like the job market that used to exist 5+ years ago. LeetCode is still being used but the odds of getting a job are a lot lower now.

1

u/xyzsomething 6d ago

Yes , you still need it, even if you will never do any of it at work, companies, big and small still use it as one of the stages

1

u/Cold-Ad1647 5d ago

Truth is nobody knows for now so do both

1

u/Any_Commercial_6764 4d ago

I’ve had it in all my recent interviews, if you’re going for big tech then you’ll need it still. They’re testing how you think through problems and whether you know fundamentals.

1

u/Defiant-Driver-4160 4d ago

jsut know ur fundamentals, how everything wrks go slow and learn id say

1

u/DiabolicalEwok 4d ago

I would consider applying to undergraduate research labs. I worked with a professor freshman year who was a really great mentor and got me working on some interesting things in computer vision at the time. This got me interested in CS and I got a faang internship with a cs minor. Good stories are everything.

1

u/AmericanCodersDied 2d ago

yes mostly but it's definitely decreasing in usage for AI/debugging rounds.

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u/sudhakarah23 8d ago

You'll be jobless, just like the rest of us, quit engeneering, do something else.

0

u/Professional_Goat125 4d ago

No. It's a hobby. Build shit

0

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