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Programming Practice Resources - Learning from My First Amazon Interview
AJ Barea
Fresh out of college, I landed my first major tech interview with Amazon. I didn't pass.
It was a tough experience, but instead of letting it slow me, I decided to turn that failure into a coding skill boost. I went on a hunt for the best ways to practice and prepare for next time.
Here are some key resources I discovered during that journey that helped sharpen my skills and regain my confidence.
Programming Practice Resources
| Link | Description |
|---|---|
| Codewars | A community-driven site with coding challenges that help you learn and grow. Ranking up as you solve problems feels like a game—super motivating. |
| Leetcode | Ideal for practicing interview-style questions. It's got a huge problem library you can sort by topic or difficulty. |
| HackerRank | Amazon uses this in their hiring process, so it's a must-know. It offers challenges and projects to sharpen your skills. |
| Cracking the Coding Interview | The go-to book for tech interviews. It breaks down common questions and teaches a structured problem-solving approach. |
| Microsoft Learn | A free platform with learning paths for all kinds of tech. It's always fresh with new content. |
| Amazon AWS Educate | Hands-on AWS experience with tutorials and courses—perfect for diving into cloud tech. |
| DeepLearning.AI | Andrew Ng's platform for AI education with courses ranging from deep learning fundamentals to generative AI—great for building ML skills. |
Final Thoughts
You always pass failure on your way to success.
— Mickey Rooney
These resources turned coding practice into something I genuinely enjoy. If you're an aspiring programmer, give them a try. Failure's just a pit stop on the road to success—keep coding, keep learning, and don't quit.