Getting a job as a computer science student is extremely difficult. Very few are able to crack the coding-based interview. But it’s not impossible. With practise on Leetcode, acing these interviews becomes much easier.

In this article, I’m going to talk about the impacts that leetcode can actually have on your education and future career, as well as why it is brought up. I’ll also discuss what leetcode is, and how to use it to your advantage without pouring unnecessary time into the website.

Before diving into how to effectively use Leetcode, let’s discuss what it is first, an if it’s even worth considering.

What is Leetcode

Leetcode is a website that provides anyone with an account the ability to do “interview” questions. These questions are ranged in three categories: easy, medium, and hard. 

The beautiful thing about leetcode is that it is not exclusive to programmers who know a single language. If you decide to work on a problem, there is a dropdown that will allow you to choose your desired language.

This feature removes the stigma of trying to get good in multiple languages, or a single language. It can actually serve as a benefit because some questions can be easily solved in one language over the other.

If you don’t believe me, check out problem 973 on leetcode, and use this website that shows the approach of solving the problem across different languages.

When they say hard, they mean nearly impossible. Just FYI. So don’t be stressing if you aren’t able to do them!

If you’re struggling with these questions, don’t worry, we have you covered. Read this article to learn how to ace any coding question.

Why should I do leetcode?

This question is the core of the article, but I want to first answer it without being biased. Anyone who has never done leetcode should definitely consider it. It provides you interview questions that you can practice on.

Once you eventually land that interview, with enough practice under your belt, you won’t be so stressed about this part of the interview. The coding questions can be the most uncomfortable and stressful part of the interview.

This is ironic because computer science students are socially awkward, so the talking should really be the worst part, but I digress 🙂

For those first jumping into leetcode, I highly recommend you tackle a few easy problems. Whether you’re an expert coder, or a complete beginner, these easy problems will fix your eyes to the challenge, its format, and how to properly do interview questions.

I participated in several coding competitions throughout my years of college, and overcoming the anxiety and blank stare that comes with getting a question can be especially challenging. But just like any sport, it takes time and practice (yes, I said that programming is a sport).

It’s difficult to find time to do Leetcode. I get it. That’s why we have teamed up with Notion to help you make the most out of your limited time. I recommend checking this article out. You can thank me later.

How to use Leecode effectively?

Simply put, practise as many questions as you can. I suggest taking each question as an opportunity to learn. Watch online tutorials on questions you don’t get and make notes of areas you need to focus on.

When you get pulled into an interview, and are presented with a question, the interviewers know that LLMs (large language models) and Google exist. If they wanted the problem solved, then they could just put more money into AI and have a freaking computer write code.

The interview question serves the purpose of revealing how you think and tackle a problem. They are more interested in seeing your thinking process and creative problem solving than they are in whether you can keep track of an algorithm that uses three nested loops or not (which is not impressive, by the way). 

Use this fact as an opportunity to shine.

Whenever you practice with leetcode, think to yourself two things:
1). How would I approach this myself?
2). What can I learn from more efficient algorithms that solve the same problem?

By really factoring in these two points, you can compare and refine your problem-solving skills. While it does take time and patience, you’re essentially teaching yourself a new skill.

Interviewers would be more interested to see how you researched the problem and what you learned from it, anyways. So why not start now?

I should also mention that this simple fact is the crux of a software engineer. They spend more time researching and learning than they do busting out code. Yes, I am aware that movies don’t represent the true work process of a programmer… Hey, but it looks cool, anyways.

Other platforms to help you secure a job as a computer science student

Another platform I mentioned earlier is Linkedin. While you might have a couple of classmates in uni who swear that Linkedin is the only way to land a job, there should always be a balance. 

What is LinkedIn and why is it useful?

For those who are unfamiliar with the platform, Linkedin is essentially social media for businesses and companies. On the platform, you create a page listing your skills and your experiences.

Of course, there are always those people who go over the top and pay for platinum and have 500+ followers and what not, but don’t be intimidated by them. The important aspect from Linkedin is the connection less than messaging as many people as possible.

If you can connect to one or two software engineers and establish relationships, you’ll increase your chances of being hired. Interviewers will pull up your Linkedin page, see that you have already connected with one of their employees, and feel more interested in hiring you. In this day in age, job-searching is all about connections and networking.

But if you don’t have any of that, don’t fret! Establishing a presence on leetcode, posting your experience on Linkedin, and connecting with a few people on the platform will already increase your chances of eventually getting hired.

Enhancing your CV is crucial. Check out our article covering the easiest way to get an internship to make your CV stand-out amongst the crowd!

The Bottom Line.

The bottom line of leetcode and Linkedin is that they provide you with free and easy outlets to establish a presence. It’s up to you to see how you use that power.

Are there going to be thousands of other people doing the same thing? Yes. Are these people going to land a job you might have also applied for? Probably. But that shouldn’t be unmotivating—that should be the opposite! Your best chances at doing anything is by doing, really!

I have a GitHub that contains several leetcode questions I’ve completed, along with a README that explains my thought process, and the answer. If you are interested in following my leetcode journey, feel free to give me a follow on Instagram and check out my GitHub here. 

Another place where you can find me is my website, which you should check out. I’m an author, so you can read my book too. It’s Sci-Fi. Don’t worry, none of that romance stuff.