[QuitProgramming]

>Neither of these are relevant if you want to work as a programmer. I say this because probably millions of programmer never done any of those things before they get a job as a programmer.

Yes, underlying talent and intelligence is what matters. Leetcode is just the way companies filter for that today.

>It could be that you already are very good at programming, but it doesn't matter because you're a shit person. Meaning that maybe your soft skills are very lacking compared to your technical skills.

I have both bad soft skills and tech skills.

>Question: what have you been doing for 5 years exactly if only 1.5 years of those was at a workplace?

I did Leetcode almost since the beginning of my 4 years of university. 4 years in school + 1.5 years on the job = 5.5 years. I rounded down.