I believe leetcode is a way to skirt around discriminatory hiring practices. It’s not at all representative of most work environments. Some want to pretend they’re cognitive wizards, but many of the algorithms used to solve problems took years to develop. If you haven’t seen a particular problem before or had time to research it, it’s unrealistic to expect a candidate to solve it in twenty minutes in a high pressure situation. This process benefits individuals who have the luxury of time to spend preping. Something minorities, working parents, etc. don’t have.
I’ve been a software engineer and now architect for 15 years. Studying leetcode like problems won’t help me at my current job or a future employer once I get past their interview processes. What leetcode does do is make it difficult for minority candidates, those with external obligations, or those with families to get into firms. For example, I work 50+ hours a week with two kids and a parent with cancer. I work hard at work and have a lot of external obligations. I don’t have time or to study leecode problems.
I’ve been a software engineer and now architect for 15 years. Studying leetcode like problems won’t help me at my current job or a future employer once I get past their interview processes. What leetcode does do is make it difficult for minority candidates, those with external obligations, or those with families to get into firms. For example, I work 50+ hours a week with two kids and a parent with cancer. I work hard at work and have a lot of external obligations. I don’t have time or to study leecode problems.