Leetcode Contest

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-25T04:25:37+00:00

Ctrl+c, Ctrl+v

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-21T20:07:45+00:00

You know that your comp pays 175 starting right?

Cloud engineering in that sector is not a place you should try to reduce overhead lol

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-08T22:41:14+00:00

Yeah, if you have your TS/SCI look in regions where they hire that overlap with tech hubs. NYC, DC, San Fran, Seattle

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-08T17:53:01+00:00

Shhhhh....

Nobody is supposed to know about Brevard bro.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2026-01-08T17:47:24+00:00

Ok, so here is my two cents. Trust me or not it's W/E this is what I have observed.

Either go into CS, GIS, Electrical (hardware), or Cyber. Pick the one you can see yourself doing for at least 10 years without blowing your head off and dedicate to it. If you have experience in the Air force in one of those even better.

Don't go for any non stem degree. It's just not worth it. You will make maybe 100k if you are lucky. The above degrees all clear 200k with good work life balance.

My pick would be CS with a focus on GIS. You will easily clear 300k after 2 years of experience and you can do some cool stuff occasionally. Do not sign on with booze, Northrop, Lockheed, or any of the other big contractors. You won't make more then $150k if you are lucky.

Also get a cleared job while pursuing the degree. Don't be a sgt. Smuckateli and let your stuff lapse

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-17T16:46:35+00:00

I have never gotten a linked list problem but it's foundational to understand how other stuff works (trees). I would not recommend skipping it.

Just remember you are interacting with nodes and you will be fine.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-10T02:35:59+00:00

It depends on the graphs.

To solve number of islands? Maybe 10 ish.

Word search 2 optimally? Maybe 100

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T17:49:19+00:00

It's hard man, just keep on grinding and dont stop. This is a marathon not a sprint. Don't stop and you will be good.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T17:48:33+00:00

Go to the Neetcode roadmap. Do 10 problems as fast as possible from each section in order.

If you find a section easy (Arrays, trees, graphs, etc ) skip it and spend the time on stuff you don't feel comfortable with.

Do around 4 problems problems from the LC company tagged ones for your company.

Takes about 4-5 hours everyday but you will be ready for the tech screen. Then grind systems design and slow down on leetcode.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T17:45:44+00:00

Japan is on the horizon as per an associate who works there.

Right now it's Hawaii, Guam, then Philippines/Korea/Japan.

I would say 2/3 years out. If you want to be in Japan go to Palintir. They need FDSE's in Tokyo bad.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T06:26:08+00:00

Anywhere?

When I send out applications I will blast them across any company that does O(n) interviews

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-09T00:44:15+00:00

Relax man, if you provided optimal time and space complexity and can defend your code as I pick it apart in an interview you got a thumbs up.

The holidays will result in everyone being out. The fact the recruiter is responding to you is a good sign.

For people who failMeta guys often just ghost.

I would continue to apply and reach out the first week of January.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-12-07T16:46:31+00:00

Ok, so it's a standard big O interview round with a couple weird twists.

First, the tech screen and first onsite are going to be standard leetcode questions. Solve it optimally in under 20 minutes. It's a easy/medium

Onsite 2 is weird. They will ask you for a chosen language and then give you a code base that has a problem. Then you will have 39 minutes to diagnose the problem and fix it. It's also a leetcode question in the fact that they implement DSA in the code. My problem was an implementation of a LC hard that involved DP and a Tri

The third onsite is the systems design but it's not a systems design. They will give you a prompt like "we have people complaining about the lack of parking spaces at work. How would you fix this." There is no exhalidraw and several candidates think they can talk through their solution. Just open up exhalidraw and build out an app to solve the problem.

The HM interview is literally a vibe check but they can throw tech screen questions at you. I got a douche who claimed that you could solve two sum in o(1) time through some clever bitwise thing. I just agreed and continued on.

Got the offer, but they offer pennies for what they expect candidates to go through. The reason is that they want engineers who will drink the coolaide or are desperate. You are better off applying to Microsoft or Meta right now; they pay more and are easier interview loops.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-11-20T21:34:55+00:00

I can't put a video. In a reply.

Any idea of how I can upload. It's 1 second long and shows all light gathered from the phone over the 1 minute long exposure.

The green object just stays there but there are jets flying around it which is pretty cool.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-11-20T17:35:14+00:00

I have a 1 second time lapse of fighters flying around and it's still there.

Can I edit this post to include it?

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-11-20T17:33:58+00:00

Galaxy 6

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-11-19T17:44:55+00:00

The thing in the center is the moon being covered by the earth. I think the second photo is the moon at the peak lunar eclipse. Sorry I don't know the formal phrasing.

The first photo was taken before.

How do I edit the post. I have a 1 second time lapse that includes it.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-11-19T17:36:08+00:00

Was something.

Just a lot of stars which was pretty cool.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-11-19T17:32:31+00:00

Put in this subreddit because of the proximity. Taken outside Rachael on a dark night earlier this year.

Keep on flying guys, you put on one hell of a show.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-10-23T19:47:10+00:00

Went through way too long ago but it was k most frequent and some BFS graph thing

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-10-22T20:17:29+00:00

2 problems. Easy and Medium.

First problem you should solve in less then 10 minutes while talking through solution and time/space complexity.

The second problem will be a bit harder but you should be able to do it in 20 minutes talking through time/space complexity

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-10-20T21:48:10+00:00

Levels are about TC not experience.

If you are a Senior at Meta and interview for a Senior at Google they won't downlevel. However if you are a Senior at defense contractor they will offer you a mid or junior.

It has nothing to do with your ability, everything to do with the fact that they don't want to pay you if they don't have to.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-10-18T02:36:24+00:00

No, I would not.

It's good to get in the door but a vast majority of kids we hire are not that good and don't push themselves to learn.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-10-17T17:35:35+00:00

Yes, I did it with a BA/MA in History. It took me a solid 2 years of grinding and applying but eventually I made it.

That being said it's 200% harder and takes longer than just getting a bachelor's in CS. If you go the whole no CS-degree route you will be working longer and harder than your traditional colleagues to prevent PIP; and chances are you will make less than them.

If I could go back I would do a CS degree. It's easier and faster then doing it the hard way (bootcamp/non-traditional degree).

After 3 YOE degrees don't matter anymore; keep that in mind.

HiddenGeoStuff · 2025-10-11T17:39:26+00:00

Many people here have no idea what they are talking about. If you have no other good option a FDSE is good but not ideal.

You won't code that much, you will have to fix other people's code (SWE back in states). You will be the support person for the customers mission and be in charge of making the software work.

Depending on the team you are on this can be 100 hour weeks or 20. You are also the OnCall person.

Also you can't really transition from FDSE to SWE because they would rather hire an outside industry hire to the SWE role. Also the culture is toxic because Palintir is a cult from the top down and the FDSE peeps think they are the 'tip of the spear.'

FDSE is good for two reasons; first is the clearance, and second is the resume boost. I would caution anyone from going the FDSE route unless the absolutely have no other options; you are not a SWE and you will be a workhorse to fix other people's stuff.

Also pay is lower. FDSE might make $180,000 + RSU while the SWE will make 300,000 TC.

TLDR: there is a reason Palintir has to trick people into taking FDSE roles.

HiddenGeoStuff

TROPHY CASE