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A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

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Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#81

Post by [deleted] »

thewarrior wrote: post #53
logicslave12 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s been really stressful. I know python, but not really any other languages. I’m able to get work done. But I’m really nearly the same as a fresh grad. But really, I was just bumming around, then studied for four months and destroyed their algorithms questions, so much so that expectations for me are really high. But all I know is leetcode, literally nothing else...

Take the same energy and apply it to learning to build testable and understandable code. If you can go from nothing to smoking an algo interview in months you’re a fast learner. You’ll be fine.

[deleted]

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#82

Post by username90 »

biztos wrote: post #75
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> after my upcoming sabbatical if I want to get top dollar I should just invest in power-grinding at the leetcode gym Given that top dollar can mean potentially a six-figure raise over median salaries, that doesn't exactly seem like a bad deal. All things considered, Leetcode is remarkably accessible relative to the barriers of entry in other high-paying fields like law, medicine, certain finance careers, and so on.…

Actually I love leetcode (the website) and do it for fun once in a while, and if I decide to go for a big grind later on then I don't think I'll particularly mind that part even if it doesn't get me my ticket to the Google Bus. The risk of cynicism is that I've been doing this for 25 years or so and there are some things I'm quite good at that can add a lot of value to a company, but it appears that the highest-payin…

> but it appears that the highest-paying outfits will judge me on things that are at best very tangentially related to how I can make/save them money.

This is very wrong, leetcode is just the baseline and don't determine your seniority. Even the best leetcoder in the world had to start at the lowest junior level after college. Instead they look at your experience and what value you can bring to determine if you become junior, mid, senior, staff etc, so they very much value experience not related to leetcode. However you still have to pass the leetcode bar.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#83

Post by vechagup »

mettamage wrote: post #46
logicslave12 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was working on a “startup”/kinda just unemployed for two years. I studied leetcode hard, and got hired into a 300k a year job at FAANG. I know nothing about testing, git, software process, roll outs, dev ops, etc. I barely know how to do software engineering. What an idiotic hiring process.

How did you get past the resume screening? Or are you from the US, because then it's much easier to get past the screeming, or so it seems. I have yet to be invited for so much as an HR call when it comes to FAANG (bachelor/master CS from a Dutch university). Maybe I'm not getting past the application tracking system?

Having a current employee add your resume to an ATS as a referral is the most efficient route. Around SF at least it's not particularly hard to find someone willing to do that even if they hardly know you. This sort of networking is likely harder elsewhere, but perhaps not by much.

Simply uploading your resume to a large tech company's website will rarely get you anywhere, is what I've heard from recruiters.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#84

Post by username90 »

mettamage wrote: post #31
digianarchist wrote: post #21

It's becoming obvious to me that my time is better spent learning to solve these riddles rather than actually becoming a better developer. I have a job search coming up at the end of the year and whilst I've managed to largely avoid companies that ask this type of question, I believe it's seriously constraining my career. I can't speak for everyone but the whiteboard interview has prevented me from leaving jobs earli…

According to the believers it is an unbiased way of predicting whether people are capable for the job. Google has done a lot of tests and these style of interviews predict job performance best [1]. Assuming this is true then to me it means that universities and work experience are too heterogeneous as a measure of job performance. In my experience that is true. Not sure how well the argument holds up if everyone is s…

If you work at google you can go find those studies yourself, they are public internally. At least you could when I worked there.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#85

Post by bradlys »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #63
bradlys wrote: post #38

Gosh, I don’t enjoy that there is so much competition in this space. I can’t compete against people who essentially seem to have no life or other interests than getting job at Big N (or enjoy competitive programming). It feels like this culture has ramped up in the last 5-10 years. When I started interviewing, the questions were easier. It feels like they’ve gotten more difficult - or at least the answer the intervie…

> I can’t compete against people who essentially seem to have no life or other interests than getting job at Big N (or enjoy competitive programming). Interview prep doesn't need to be a grind. One of the nice things about Leetcode is that the problems are bite-sized. You can do one or two per day on your lunch break and make a lot of progress in a matter of months, or even weeks. Don't approach it like a cram sessio…

> All things considered, spending 50-100 hours of your free time solving problems on a free website at your leisure is really a small price to pay.

The problem is - it's not 50-100 hours for most candidates to pass. I've done well past 400 hours of interview prep and never received an offer from Big N. I tried the consistent 1-hour or so a day for months thing - it isn't guaranteed either. Want to emphasize this point to - it isn't like I can't do the problems. I've solved most any problem I'm given - it's that it just doesn't fucking matter. Whatever bias the person has is what they will evaluate on - the problem solving is merely a formality.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#86

Post by anon349852034 »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #70
pcestrada wrote: post #20

Can you imagine having to learn all this just to make a connection to a database, process some data, and then persist it somewhere?

The popular sentiment on computer science knowledge has done a complete 180 in the past several years. Not that long ago, it was popular to complain that junior SWEs didn't really understand the algorithms, the data structures, and what was going on behind the scenes. The complaint was that they were just copy and pasting from internet searches until things sort of worked on their machine, but they couldn't recognize…

> Personally, I've never met anyone who was good at Leetcode yet produced bad code in production.

It's all anecdotal evidence. I've worked with some brilliant people at most places I've been and I can't think of 1 person who even had LeetCode account. Producing great production code is more about experience and knowledge of the domain than knowing how to bang out algorithms.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#87

Post by lowiqengineer »

username90 wrote: post #76
read_if_gay_ wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it's not much of a stretch to imagine that you could apply that same aptitude, ambition, and ability to learn quickly toward picking up the basics of git, dev ops, and so on. But you already have your reward, right? I’m not sure how much ambition is left after you actually get the job.

Promotions can double your salary or more from that level so people are plenty motivated.

That’s definitely not true at companies without incentive systems.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#88

Post by nnd »

logicslave12 wrote: post #48
sukilot wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think it's unlikely for you to learn those skills quickly? People who have all those skills earn over $300K at those companies.

It’s been really stressful. I know python, but not really any other languages. I’m able to get work done. But I’m really nearly the same as a fresh grad. But really, I was just bumming around, then studied for four months and destroyed their algorithms questions, so much so that expectations for me are really high. But all I know is leetcode, literally nothing else...

What was your prep strategy?

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#89

Post by lowiqengineer »

anon349852034 wrote: post #78
digianarchist wrote: post #21

It's becoming obvious to me that my time is better spent learning to solve these riddles rather than actually becoming a better developer. I have a job search coming up at the end of the year and whilst I've managed to largely avoid companies that ask this type of question, I believe it's seriously constraining my career. I can't speak for everyone but the whiteboard interview has prevented me from leaving jobs earli…

I have 2 friends who work at the Amazon office in Denver. Both work on boring projects utilizing internal tools Amazon built over the years and completely hate their lives. But the salary and stock options make them stick around. You can look at this as "Omg, this is total shit. I'd never want to work here." or "I don't mind suffering 4 years to get fully vested, get the fuck out of dodge and enjoy retirement a littl…

I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that if it was Google they wouldn’t have that opinion, eh?

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#90

Post by lowiqengineer »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #67
biztos wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am trying to resist cynicism, but I too am thinking that after my upcoming sabbatical if I want to get top dollar I should just invest in power-grinding at the leetcode gym. Still hoping to find a friendly startup though, since some of the MegaCorps are lifestyle-incompatible and I'm already used to making a lot less than Googlebucks.

> after my upcoming sabbatical if I want to get top dollar I should just invest in power-grinding at the leetcode gym Given that top dollar can mean potentially a six-figure raise over median salaries, that doesn't exactly seem like a bad deal. All things considered, Leetcode is remarkably accessible relative to the barriers of entry in other high-paying fields like law, medicine, certain finance careers, and so on.…

How do I maintain flow? I end up extremely depressed and disillusioned if I get stuck on a problem - that’s really what’s stopped me from doing consistent prep.
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