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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 mi

by biztos 6y ago

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-paying outfits will judge me on things that are at best very tangentially related to how I can make/save them money. Sorry if my comment came off as anti-leetcode, I have a low opinion of the thing so many people use it for, not the site itself. Before hearing of my impending sabbatical I was even planning to subscribe to the "pro" level and build it into my work routine, just as way of differently exercising my brain once or twice a week.

PragmaticPulp 6y ago
> 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. IMO, this is a popular misconception but it's not really reflective of reality. Leetcode is ultra-popular with new college grades and people with a few years of experience who want to break into Big-N. As such, the vast majority of Leetcode discussions online revolve around that demographic. It's true that the Big-N companies will still be heavy on the algorithmic interview questions, but it's not true that they'll ignore everything else on your resume. The early 20-somethings talking about Leetcode online don't have a long resume to point to, so Leetcode is the focus. If you show up with a 25-year career of successes, you're going to have a very different interview experience.
- kyawzazaw 6y ago
  25 year seems so extreme though, no? At that point, won't it be more around the Staff+ role, even VP/Director of Engineering roles?
username90 6y ago
> 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.
- biztos 6y ago
  Yes, I will have to pass the leetcode bar, which has very little to do with my actual value add. I understand that’s how it works, I have friends who hire for some of these companies, but thanks for explaining. I strongly dislike having that bar, because I think it is irrational to use it as the baseline hoop everyone has to jump through. And honestly because it’s not my strongest suit, I’m sure I’d be less bothered if it was something I’m good at and your average fresh CS grad is not. Which is kinda how we ended up here I think.

by biztos 6y ago

PragmaticPulp 6y ago

> 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. IMO, this is a popular misconception but it's not really reflective of reality. Leetcode is ultra-popular with new college grades and people with a few years of experience who want to break into Big-N. As such, the vast majority of Leetcode discussions online revolve around that demographic. It's true that the Big-N companies will still be heavy on the algorithmic interview questions, but it's not true that they'll ignore everything else on your resume. The early 20-somethings talking about Leetcode online don't have a long resume to point to, so Leetcode is the focus. If you show up with a 25-year career of successes, you're going to have a very different interview experience.

kyawzazaw 6y ago
25 year seems so extreme though, no? At that point, won't it be more around the Staff+ role, even VP/Director of Engineering roles?

username90 6y ago

> 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.

biztos 6y ago
Yes, I will have to pass the leetcode bar, which has very little to do with my actual value add. I understand that’s how it works, I have friends who hire for some of these companies, but thanks for explaining. I strongly dislike having that bar, because I think it is irrational to use it as the baseline hoop everyone has to jump through. And honestly because it’s not my strongest suit, I’m sure I’d be less bothered if it was something I’m good at and your average fresh CS grad is not. Which is kinda how we ended up here I think.