What Recruiters Want to See, And What They’re Ignoring? Ethan and Rohan are both applying for tech jobs. Ethan is grinding LeetCode because that’s what big tech companies ask in interviews.
Rohan thinks LeetCode is a waste of time. He’s busy building a powerful Chrome extension because he believes cool projects get you hired. Ethan is grinding LeetCode because that’s what big tech companies ask in interviews. Rohan thinks LeetCode is a waste of time. He’s busy building a powerful Chrome extension because he believes cool projects get you hired. So, who’s right? And more importantly, who’s more likely to get a good job? Let’s break it down. LeetCode vs Projects: What Most People Get Wrong Zoom image will be displayed Every company has a hiring funnel. At the top is résumé screening.
At the bottom are technical interviews. At the top is résumé screening. top At the bottom are technical interviews. bottom LeetCode helps you crack interviews.Projects help youget interviews. crack interviews get interviews If your résumé has no strong projects, you might get rejected before you even make it to the interview. Doesn’t matter if you’ve solved 500 LeetCode problems, nobody will ever know. On the flip side, if your résumé has solid, real-world projects, but you haven’t done any interview prep, you might bomb the actual interviews, especially at big tech companies. Why Projects Matter? When a recruiter sees your résumé, they’re looking for proof that you can build things that matter. A strong project shows: You know how to work with real tools.
You can take an idea from scratch and turn it into something usable.
You can solve actual problems, not just toy algorithm questions. You know how to work with real tools. You can take an idea from scratch and turn it into something usable. You can solve actual problems, not just toy algorithm questions. For example, a machine learning project that detects skin cancer is going to stand out more than a line saying “500 LeetCode problems solved.” It shows you can write production-quality code. And that gets attention. Why LeetCode Still Matters? Here’s the catch, getting the interview is only half the battle. Once you’re in, most big companies test your problem-solving and algorithmic thinking. That’s what LeetCode helps you practice. problem-solving and algorithmic thinking It’s not about whether you’ll use these exact problems on the job. It’s about how you think. Big tech companies assume that if you can solve tough algorithm questions, you can learn anything else on the job. So if your goal is to work at companies like Amazon or Google — you have to do LeetCode. Period. have Every Company Is Different Not every company hires like big tech. Startups often skip LeetCode-style interviews.
They care more about your ability to build and ship features fast.
Interviews might revolve around your portfolio, side projects, or take-home assignments. Startups often skip LeetCode-style interviews. Startups They care more about your ability to build and ship features fast. Interviews might revolve around your portfolio, side projects, or take-home assignments. That’s because startups don’t have time (or budget) to train new hires for months. They need people who can jump in and start building right away. Also, the role matters: role Front-end roles might focus more on JavaScript, DOM, and CSS. LeetCode questions tend to be simpler, or nonexistent.
Back-end roles are heavier on algorithms, data structures, and system design. LeetCode is a must. Front-end roles might focus more on JavaScript, DOM, and CSS. LeetCode questions tend to be simpler, or nonexistent. Front-end roles Back-end roles are heavier on algorithms, data structures, and system design. LeetCode is a must. Back-end roles Become a T-Shaped Programmer You want to become what’s called a T-shaped programmer. T-shaped programmer T-shaped programmer The horizontal bar of the T is your broad problem-solving ability, from LeetCode.
The vertical bar is your deep expertise, shown through projects. The horizontal bar of the T is your broad problem-solving ability, from LeetCode. horizontal bar problem-solving ability, The vertical bar is your deep expertise, shown through projects. vertical bar deep expertise, This combination makes you very attractive to employers. With LeetCode, you show that you can think under pressure and solve hard problems. With projects, you show that you’ve already done work similar to what they need. With LeetCode, you show that you can think under pressure and solve hard problems. With projects, you show that you’ve already done work similar to what they need. How to Balance LeetCode and Projects? Start by asking:What type of company are you targeting? What type of company are you targeting? If you’re targeting big tech: Spend 70% of your time on LeetCode,
And 30% on projects. Spend 70% of your time on LeetCode, 70% of your time on LeetCode And 30% on projects. 30% on projects Their interviews are standardized and algorithm-heavy. You’ll need strong prep. If you’re targeting startups: Spend 70% on projects,
And 30% on LeetCode. Spend 70% on projects, 70% on projects And 30% on LeetCode. 30% on LeetCode They care more about speed, feature-building, and real-world problem-solving. They care more about speed, feature-building, and real-world problem-solving. And if you’re going for roles where LeetCode doesn’t matter at all (e.g., some front-end roles)? Then go all-in on building. How to Combine LeetCode and Projects? Here’s a trick:Build projects thatrequire algorithmic thinking. require For example: A rate limiter needs a sliding window algorithm.
A web crawler might use BFS (breadth-first search). A rate limiter needs a sliding window algorithm. rate limiter A web crawler might use BFS (breadth-first search). web crawler BFS These projects: Make your understanding of algorithms stronger.
Give you real examples to talk about in interviews. Make your understanding of algorithms stronger. Give you real examples to talk about in interviews. Imagine getting a BFS question (Breadth-First Search) and saying, (Breadth-First Search) “I used this algorithm in my web crawler project.” That hits harder than just repeating a memorized solution. Final Strategy Don’t pick one side. Pick both. LeetCode in the morning, when your brain is fresh.
Projects in the evening, when you can go deep.
Or alternate days, whatever keeps you consistent. LeetCode in the morning, when your brain is fresh. morning Projects in the evening, when you can go deep. evening Or alternate days, whatever keeps you consistent. The people who win in job hunting don’t choose sides.They build strong projectsand prep smart for interviews. and That’s how you actually get hired.

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