So I finally got the offer

When I started, I had 5 years of experience as a Java Developer and some basic knowledge of data structures and algorithms. I struggled even with LeetCode Easy problems.

Overall:

  • Time for preparation: 1 year
  • Solved Leetcode problems: 800+
  • Problem solving mocks: 20+
  • System design mocks: 10+
  • Behavioral mocks: 2

Courses taken:

Companies:

  • Amazon, Berlin: Raised the bar for DSA, problem solving, and LLD. Met the bar for SD and one LP, but unfortunately, that LP was critical. I received a 6-month cooldown period.
  • Meta, London: Received very strong feedback for all rounds except for SD. I was advised to attempt SD again to qualify for IC5 but declined, as I wasn't confident I could replicate the positive feedback. I proceeded to the team matching stage as IC4 and, after two months, received an offer.

Most of my mock interviews were free; I only paid for the system design and behavioral mocks, which were totally worth it.

Overall Experience: I received an offer and enjoyed the process with Meta (except for the team matching stage). However, everyone I know who applied to big tech companies, despite having strong DSA and SD skills, did not receive a single offer. In my opinion, this statistic is quite disheartening. If you're considering applying, it might be better to postpone until next year.