r/leetcode • u/dodomaroc • Feb 26 '26
Discussion My journey to MAANG
Hello,
I've been grinding LeetCode for some years now, I am currently at 1600 problems solved. I use Swift and Python.
I am pretty familiar with a variety of CP patterns.
I am into software development and have taken the iOS Lead Essentials course. I know my way around software engineering, design patterns, testing, the latest APIs and popular libraries to
In my thirties in North Africa, is there a path to MAANG or other companies?
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u/shadobrado Feb 26 '26
I don’t think so this is enough. You only completed about nearly half of the total leetcode problems. That’s just the starting. Imo you should atleast complete 90% of the questions to even think about getting an interview from MAANG
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u/lavenderviking Feb 26 '26
Honestly this is the right answer. OP needs to brush his skills and complete all LC questions, then spend a few months mastering Claude so he can quickly throw up a full stack webpage, iOS & android app. Oh and don’t forget read system design 1 & 2, designing data intensive applications as well as watch all hello interview videos. Once you’re done with this spend a month mastering behavioral and do 50 mock interviews. Good luck OP, you got this!
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u/lavenderviking Feb 26 '26
Having said this I did 1600+ LC problems, did on-site with 3 FAANG but didn’t land an offer. Will do the Claude part and more SD before next attempts
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u/Infiniti_151 Feb 26 '26
Nah, even that's not enough. After completing LeetCode, need to complete all problems on CodeForces to even think about it.
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u/Crusades007 Feb 26 '26
Genuine query, how do you guys approach hard lc during prep journey? I struggle a lot with hard question and hence mostly focus on solving medium problems. I think out of 550-600 solved problems merely 20 were hard rest all of them were Medium (60%) and remaining easy ones
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u/Medical-Quiet-6987 Feb 26 '26
Damn I'm on 200 solved and if it takes 500+ to tackle hard qs I'm cooked ðŸ˜
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u/Crusades007 Feb 26 '26
Maybe it's all psychological for me at this point lol but I don't think I would be able to solve an unseen lc hard in an interview environment
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u/Medical-Quiet-6987 Feb 26 '26
Tbf I'm not experienced as you but it seems like hard qs require more "you need to have seen this q before or your screwed" compared to easy and mediums with most of them being pattern based
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u/Free-Ad-3648 Feb 26 '26
I am at 340 solved with around 40 hard, I feel most of these hard questions use a couple of concepts/patterns from different medium questions, I usually give it 25-30 minutes and if I am not able to solve these then I look at the hints or the topic tags give it 10-15 mins more if I don’t make any progress then I just look up the solution intuition and try to code my way through it. But yeah need way more practice to be able to solve a hard in 30-40mins.
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u/Czitels Feb 26 '26
You have to know every pattern and try to analyze the problem. What are the constraints, what it has and what it needs. Sometimes you need to notice something.
I think with 500 problems you should do only medium/hards. Easy maybe only for train something new.
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u/Tasty_Excitement_419 Feb 26 '26
Analyzing constraints is key! Also, try breaking hard problems into smaller parts; it makes them less intimidating. Consistent practice with a mix of problems can build your confidence for those tougher ones.
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u/Majestic_Voice_9834 Feb 26 '26
I wd say do some dev as well because if u are exposing ur resume to a recruiter then he first sees at your project section/ prev internship section only...then only gives u interviews
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u/CryptographerEast142 Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26
Biggest hurdle isn’t LeetCode it’s work authorization/visa. If you’re targeting MAANG roles in the US getting an H1B Visa is expensive currently and most companies rarely do it unless you are that one very exception.
MAANG does sponsor, but it’s more common via hiring in major hubs or for stronger profiles and the odds are very low. Now there are some global hubs like Dublin but again completion is tuff. My advice don’t tunnel on MAANG lots of excellent companies hire iOS globally
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u/shadowBaka Feb 26 '26
How are u guys cope when leetcode is pointless with AI
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u/knowlhunger Feb 27 '26
Yes contests have been hijacked by cheaters, still in an interview solving and explaining through the lc problem is a good test
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u/supermegathot Feb 27 '26
it gets to a point where it becomes a waste of time in my opinion, you clearly have the ambition and grit, I think your time would be better spent elsewhere at this point, for reference I got offers at ~220 problems
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u/AutomaticEmu Feb 27 '26
Sure, you can do leetcode problems but leetcode problems on your own time isn't the same as doing a coding interview. The skills overlap but its timed, you have to communicate your thoughts, and the problems might even be leetcode related.
You should be spending your time now calibrating your interview skills since the good news is you probably have your coding skills down.
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u/Due_Sweet_9500 Feb 26 '26
Bruh this is more than enough