Leetcode tests programming; interviewing about previous projects tests software engineering, or at the very least the person's understanding of it.
My problem with that is that when I get interviewed about a project, I will talk about the whole project, not just my personal contributions to it which I believe is the primary purpose of a job interview. Of course, knowing about the whole of the project is important too, but if I just have an overview and little to no contributions, I wouldn't be a valuable asset to the company I'm interviewing at.
(Not to dismiss my own contributions of course, I'm a competent engineer and can do anything - it's more a matter of what I'm enthusiastic and energised about. I wouldn't be energised by clicking around in the AWS console, but I know of it, for example).
My problem with that is that when I get interviewed about a project, I will talk about the whole project, not just my personal contributions to it which I believe is the primary purpose of a job interview. Of course, knowing about the whole of the project is important too, but if I just have an overview and little to no contributions, I wouldn't be a valuable asset to the company I'm interviewing at.
(Not to dismiss my own contributions of course, I'm a competent engineer and can do anything - it's more a matter of what I'm enthusiastic and energised about. I wouldn't be energised by clicking around in the AWS console, but I know of it, for example).