This leetcode (and similar) nonsense is really ruining our industry.
I've been delivering commercial products (that's the goal, no?) for over twenty years, regularly get high praise and top ranks in reviews, get promoted often including to "distinguished" and "chief" levels (always as a technical IC, not in management).
Yet.. no way I'd ever pass any of these leetcode style memorization interviews. I guess companies think that proves I can't develop? Funny. But sad. Our industry should not be like this.
Personally I feel lucky that this leetcode interview disease started after I was fairly senior already, so I'm getting hired based on track record and connections who love to hire me to deliver products. Hopefully, fingers crossed, that'll carry me to retirement.
But if I was in my 20s or early 30s, I'd be looking to leave tech entirely and go into something else where experience is actually appreciated and valued. None of my high school friends who went into medicine, law, finance, etc have this type of problem in their industries.
I've been delivering commercial products (that's the goal, no?) for over twenty years, regularly get high praise and top ranks in reviews, get promoted often including to "distinguished" and "chief" levels (always as a technical IC, not in management).
Yet.. no way I'd ever pass any of these leetcode style memorization interviews. I guess companies think that proves I can't develop? Funny. But sad. Our industry should not be like this.
Personally I feel lucky that this leetcode interview disease started after I was fairly senior already, so I'm getting hired based on track record and connections who love to hire me to deliver products. Hopefully, fingers crossed, that'll carry me to retirement.
But if I was in my 20s or early 30s, I'd be looking to leave tech entirely and go into something else where experience is actually appreciated and valued. None of my high school friends who went into medicine, law, finance, etc have this type of problem in their industries.