random_user_
random_user_
Amazon

Skip DSA rounds

I just think we should skip DSA rounds for existing FAANG employees.

I understand the importance of DSA rounds and is pretty much required for SDE 1 roles as their major work is to code. But for higher levels, it starts becoming less and less relevant and pointless.

In most companies DSA is to understand the basics of the candidate, can they write code, explain the problem and thought process. Now most FAANG interviewers look for the same thing. Now once I have cleared one that means I have proved myself to be someone who meets the bar, doing it again is just like "Well, have you continued grinding leetcode after getting the job". You can check design competencies, problem solving in design, mentoring etc. but why ask DSA and go through that gruelling interview process.

Your thoughts?

7mo ago
3xPlusOne
3xPlusOne
Google7mo

Well, you can negotiate and remove certain phone screens based on your experience, although the on-site would be more or less the same for everyone. Further, Amazon RS / AS, SDM, and Google RS loops involve very little or no coding. Instead, there will be a presentation round. For Apple, they follow team based hiring, and most don't involve DSA and based on your experience. For instance, if you're an engineer in Intel, Apple likely hires you.

As for removing the DSA for existing FAANG employees, guess companies don't trust supposed accomplishments and would rather go by DSA as they offer top pay. If say, we started treating pedigrees as important criteria and remove DSA, then there will be calls based on "education" based on advanced degrees, publications, etc. Companies don't want to change and would rather have identical process for all

random_user_
random_user_
Amazon7mo

Yeah makes sense. But even with experience they ask to attend an OA round and these rounds have like a 2D DP or something RB tree or segment tree questions. These questions are very hard to solve unless you have been grinding leetcode on a regular basis

3xPlusOne
3xPlusOne
Google7mo

Agree, You can negotiate with HR to remove online assessments and phone screens, though.

And now, with LLMs getting great at coding, the DSA rounds doesn't make much sense anymore.

ToughElbow
ToughElbow
Goldman Sachs7mo

for FAANG employees only ? :)

random_user_
random_user_
Amazon7mo

Ideal would be no DSA for senior roles. But I think a barrier of entry might demand it.

Also let's start small, they get rid for some and then later for others

Discover more
Curated from across