Debate: Should junior devs focus on leetcode or real projects first?

I was at a tech meetup in Austin last week and heard two camps going at it. One guy said he spent 6 months grinding leetcode problems and still bombed behavioral interviews. Another girl said she built a full stack app for a local food bank and got hired cause of that portfolio piece. Now I'm stuck on which path matters more for someone just starting out. The leetcode grinders say you need to pass the coding screens or you won't even get a foot in the door. But the project builders argue that real experience shows you can actually ship stuff and work with messy requirements. I've got about 4 months before I start applying seriously and I'm torn. Which side has worked better for you all?

3 comments

3 Comments

wilson.kelly26d agoMost Upvoted

Binary search isn't even that common in junior screens, though.

phoenix_thompson417d ago

Shows up everywhere now, even grocery store self-checkouts have trick questions now.

hernandez.blake26d ago

Honestly the leetcode grinders are right about one thing - you can build the coolest portfolio app ever but if you freeze on a binary search during the screen you're done (and I've seen it happen to good devs). Those coding tests are literally the gatekeeper at most places now, especially if you don't have a CS degree or fancy connections. I spent two months straight doing leetcode problems every night after work and it paid off because I got offers from three companies that all made me do live coding. Yeah projects show you can build stuff, but they won't help you when some interviewer is staring at you while you try to remember how to reverse a linked list on a whiteboard.