My info:
BS, Computer Science
SWE, 4+ YOE
Non-FAANG

Leetcode:
89/235/55
6+ months

Can't go into details due to NDAs, but I will write how my experience was and some tips.

Phone Screen :

• 1 medium ~ hard question

• A graph problem. Not on leetcode.

• Was able to code 70% of my algorithm within 45 min, and told my thought process and how I would implement the rest if I had more time.

• Self assessment: lean hire

• Tip: If running out of time, always let the interveiwer know that how you would implement the rest if you would have more time.

On-site
Round1: coding

• 2 leetcode medium level questions
• one array question and one tree question. Did not see them on leetcode.
• Finished both of them in 45 mins
• Self assessment: strong hire

Round2: coding

• 2 leetcode medium level questions

• One graph and one matrix problem. Did not see them on leetcode as well.

• Finished both of them in 45 mins

• Self assessment: strong hire

• Tip:

  • The interviewers usually tell how many questions they would ask at the beginning. If not, ask the number of Qs to be asked so that you could manage your time efficiently.
  • Manage your time well. Here is how I usually spent the 45 min given two questions would be asked
    • First 5 min: Understand the question, clarify anything unclear and confirm with the interviewer if your understanding is correct. 10-15min: Start coding. Last 5 min: Test and check for edge cases
  • Always keep communicating with the interviewer. Verbalize your thought process because the interviewer would sometimes correct you if you are going in a wrong direction, which will save you time.
  • For coding rounds, "completeness" matters a lot (maybe the most), but I believe there are other criteria that they also look at such as communication, thought process, testing, etc. So, do those and get checkmarks on the crieteria

Round3: behavioral

• Got a few questions that I could not give strong examples for, but was able to give at least something at the end of each question.
• I think Amazon LP questions will prepare you well
• self assessment: lean hire

Round4: System design

• Was able to come up with the overall design, and the interviewer wanted to deep-dive into one specific component.
• Often asked me questions like "What if x,y,z happens, how is your system able to handle? is it scalable enough?"
• I knew my answer was not compelling enough and the interviewer pointed out a few scenario in which my overall design is not going to work.
• self assessment: no hire / lean no hire

Tip:

• Hard to advise since I did not do well on this, but my strategy was to spend as much as time on reading system design questions/answers online and watching mock videos in youtube.

Final result: E4 approved.

Overall, 6+ month preparation in leetcode tremendously helped me to pass the interview. I want to thank you everyone in the community. During this journey, I got rejected from many other companies, including other FAANG, but I believed that my hard work would eventually pay off. I have no doubt that your hard work will pay off as well.

"Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people." - Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture