Leetcode is DYING, Do this instead.

Summary

The rise of AI has disrupted traditional software engineering interviews, leading to the decline of platforms like LeetCode. Companies are moving away from brainteasers in favor of assessing real-world skills, with startups focusing on practical coding tasks and system design. The video highlights how cheating during interviews became rampant, especially after the creation of 'Interview Coder,' a tool that enabled cheating in real-time. To adapt to these changes, candidates should focus on building actual projects and using AI tools to improve coding skills. Additionally, system design interviews are gaining importance, requiring deeper conversations and critical thinking.

Takeaways

• 😀 Lead Code, a popular platform for software engineering interviews, is on the decline as many tech companies, like GitLab, Buffer, and Snapchat, have moved away from using it.
• 😀 AI tools, such as Interview Coder, have made it easier for candidates to cheat during technical interviews, raising concerns about the integrity of the interview process.
• 😀 Roy Lee, a Colombian student, created Interview Coder, a tool that uses AI to help users cheat on coding interviews in real-time, which he demonstrated in a viral YouTube video.
• 😀 Due to massive cheating scandals, companies like Amazon and Meta rescinded job offers and blacklisted Roy Lee, but his company, Interview Coder, is now on track for $2 million in revenue.
• 😀 Traditional lead code questions, like reversing linked lists or solving algorithm puzzles, don't reflect actual software engineering skills needed for real-world jobs.
• 😀 Tech companies often prioritize theoretical brain teaser questions over practical skills, which doesn't always equate to being a good software engineer.
• 😀 Startups, often with limited resources, prefer to evaluate candidates based on practical skills rather than abstract algorithmic questions like those found on Lead Code.
• 😀 New interview formats at startups may involve short-term contracts or real-world projects, which allow candidates to demonstrate their practical abilities and earn pay for their work.
• 😀 Preparing for interviews in the modern tech landscape requires building real-world projects and leveraging tools like AI to solve practical problems, rather than just practicing coding challenges.
• 😀 The rise of system design interviews is changing the hiring process. These interviews focus more on architecture, scalability, and problem-solving skills than on technical puzzle-solving.
• 😀 AI is less effective in system design interviews due to their conversational nature and the need for deep understanding and problem-solving, making it hard to cheat successfully in this area.

Q & A

Why is LeetCode becoming less relevant in software engineering interviews?

LeetCode is becoming less relevant because many tech companies, such as GitLab, Buffer, Zapier, and Snapchat, have moved away from using LeetCode problems in interviews. The platform's problems do not reflect real-world software engineering tasks, and candidates often focus on solving abstract puzzles rather than demonstrating practical software development skills.

What is the main problem with using LeetCode for hiring decisions?

The main problem with using LeetCode for hiring decisions is that it often does not accurately assess the skills needed for real-world software engineering tasks. Solving abstract algorithmic puzzles is not the same as building actual applications or solving business-specific problems, which are the tasks most software engineers face in their day-to-day work.

How has cheating affected the use of LeetCode in tech interviews?

Cheating became a widespread issue after 2020, with candidates using tools like ChatGPT, secret Discord calls, and eye-tracking software to cheat during virtual interviews. This undermined the integrity of the interview process, prompting many companies to reconsider using LeetCode as a standard assessment tool.

What is Interview Coder, and how did it contribute to the decline of LeetCode?

Interview Coder is a software created by Roy Lee that uses AI to cheat in real-time during technical coding interviews. The tool allows candidates to submit LeetCode problems and receive AI-generated solutions while maintaining the appearance of being focused. This software demonstrated the flaws in LeetCode's interview process, contributing to its decline.

What happened to Roy Lee after he exposed the Interview Coder software?

After Roy Lee used Interview Coder to pass technical interviews at companies like Amazon, Meta, and TikTok, he publicly shared a YouTube video explaining how the software worked. As a result, the companies rescinded his job offers, and Amazon blacklisted him. Roy was also expelled from Colombia University for his actions.

How do startups approach software engineering interviews differently from big tech companies?

Startups typically focus more on assessing real-world skills and practical application development rather than abstract algorithmic challenges like those found on LeetCode. They may offer project-based interviews, where candidates are asked to build features or solve real-world problems, and they often encourage the use of tools like AI to improve efficiency.

What is the shift in interview styles that candidates should prepare for?

Candidates should focus on building real-world projects and demonstrating practical software development skills rather than simply solving algorithmic puzzles. The new style of interviews emphasizes project-based assessments, system design, and the ability to solve actual problems using modern tools like AI.

Why are AI tools encouraged during interviews with startups?

AI tools like GitHub Copilot or AI-powered coding assistants are encouraged because they reflect the tools candidates will likely use on the job. Startups want to see how well candidates can use these tools to write efficient, high-quality code and solve real problems, rather than testing their ability to manually solve problems without any assistance.

What is system design, and why is it becoming more important in interviews?

System design is an interview type that focuses on how candidates approach designing large-scale software systems. It typically involves questions about architecture, storage, scalability, and handling challenges like sudden traffic spikes. System design interviews are gaining importance because they better reflect real-world engineering tasks and require candidates to think critically about long-term solutions.

How can candidates prepare for system design interviews?

Candidates can prepare for system design interviews by studying resources like 'Groing the System Design Interview,' practicing with mock interviews on platforms like interviewing.io, and reviewing real-world system walkthroughs on YouTube. It's crucial to understand the principles of designing scalable, maintainable systems and to practice articulating these ideas clearly during interviews.