How to prepare for technical interviews without grinding yourself out The Complete Software Engineering Interview Prep Guide: Beyond LeetCode Landing a software engineering role requires a holistic strategy that goes far beyond grinding LeetCode problems. Companies test your problem-solving process, system thinking, communication skills, and cultural fit-not just your ability to solve coding puzzles under pressure. Understanding What Each Company Tests Different companies prioritize different skills: Company Type Primary Focus Secondary Focus Big Tech (FAANG) Data structures, algorithms, system design Behavioral, leadership principles Startups Practical coding, system design, speed Cultural fit, versatility Finance/HFT Advanced algorithms, math, optimization Communication under pressure Enterprise Clean code, maintainability, behavioral Domain knowledge Jane Street, for example, explicitly avoids "algorithm bingo" and focuses on open-ended problems where they can observe how you collaborate and think through…