If you're a student trying to land a tech job in North America, chances are you've spent some time on LeetCode. It's pretty much a staple at this point. But here's the thing—while a lot of people treat it like a game of memorizing patterns and speeding through problems, that’s not the point. At least, not if you’re aiming to do well in interviews. LeetCode isn’t just for solving problems—it's for learning how to explain your thinking, break down problems clearly, and walk someone else through your solution.
In the beginning, it’s easy to fall into the “speed matters” trap. But honestly, understanding the question is way more important. Try slowing down and reading the problem carefully. Think about what it's asking, where things might break, or how edge cases could play out. A lot of simple-looking problems come with weird edge cases—empty arrays, duplicates, off-by-one errors. It's better to catch those up front instead of diving right into code and debugging later. Over time, you’ll start naturally checking assumptions first, and that kind of habit is super helpful during live interviews.
Once you're more comfortable with solving questions—say, medium-level problems don’t take hours anymore—it’s time to shift gears. Try explaining your solution out loud. Doesn’t matter if you’re alone; talk through your reasoning anyway. Or you can have a mock interview with your friends. Even something like binary search can be tricky to explain clearly: why did you update left to mid + 1? Why is your loop condition written a certain way? Practicing this out loud helps a lot when you're sitting across from an interviewer and your brain is racing. If you wait until the interview to do this kind of talking, you’re already at a disadvantage.
Another big thing? Consistency beats intensity. You don’t have to grind 10 problems in one night. Actually, that can burn you out fast. Try doing one or two problems each morning or after lunch when you’re mentally fresh. If you get stuck, take a break. Seriously. Walk away and come back later—it’s amazing how often things click when you’ve had time to breathe. Being able to manage your focus and keep your stress low is half the battle when job hunting.
Look, LeetCode isn't a magic ticket. But it’s a solid tool for interview preparation if you treat it as more than just a checklist. It teaches you how to think, how to explain, and how to deal with pressure in a structured way. Every question is more than code—it's practice for solving real problems when it matters. And when you finally sit down for that interview, all that prep helps you walk in with calm, clarity, and confidence. Which, in the end, is what counts.
Release time:2025-05-22
