9 months ago, applied for a FAANG role, did the full day of interviews etc. Rejected, I feel the reason was not enough experience doing these on the spot coding challenges. I was given 2 on the day, 25 mins to answer each. I answered but on retrospect not a 'text book' answer. I know how I'd answer it now.
It is what it is, in practice, on the job your value comes from knowing a system, which takes time, but interviews don't check for that. I don't respond well to artificial pressure like that, but interviews have time pressure, the only way for me to break through that is to practice these puzzles.
Paused currently though, as I got a job elsewhere, that didn't have the leet code barrier to entry. Respectfully, they told me up front what they wanted to talk about it, so the questions were not a surprise.
It is what it is, in practice, on the job your value comes from knowing a system, which takes time, but interviews don't check for that. I don't respond well to artificial pressure like that, but interviews have time pressure, the only way for me to break through that is to practice these puzzles.
I had been making my way through these:
https://www.teamblind.com/post/New-Year-Gift---Curated-List-...
Paused currently though, as I got a job elsewhere, that didn't have the leet code barrier to entry. Respectfully, they told me up front what they wanted to talk about it, so the questions were not a surprise.