dsa3 min read
Mock Interview Complete Guide — Structure, Timing, and Analysis Framework
Master the mock interview process: how to structure 2-hour sessions, simulate real conditions, analyse performance, and track improvement week over week.
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Preparation
16 articles
dsa2 min read
Mock Week 1 — Easy + Medium Mix with Communication Focus
Week 1 mock session: two carefully chosen easy/medium problems designed to build communication habits. Full problem walkthrough with example think-aloud scripts.
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dsa2 min read
Mock Week 2 — Medium Problems with Optimization Round
Week 2 mock: solve medium problems then optimize. Practice the full interview loop of brute force → optimal → follow-up questions. Includes common interviewer follow-up prompts.
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Mock Week 3 — Hard Problems Under Time Pressure
Week 3 mock focuses on hard problems. Strategy: get a working solution in 35 minutes, optimize in remaining 15. Includes triage framework for when you're stuck on a hard problem.
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Mock Week 4 — Full Company Simulation (Google, Meta, Amazon)
Full company-specific mock sessions. Each simulation replicates the actual interview format, problem difficulty distribution, and evaluation criteria of Google, Meta, and Amazon.
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dsa2 min read
Mock Week 5 — System Design + Coding Combined Session
Week 5 combines system design with coding. Design a system at high level, then implement a core component in code. Mirrors senior-level interview formats at all major companies.
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dsa2 min read
Mock Session Analysis — How to Learn from Every Practice Interview
How to extract maximum learning from each mock session. Covers error categorisation, pattern analysis, and a weekly improvement cycle that compounds over 5 weeks.
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dsa3 min read
Time Management in Coding Interviews — The 45-Minute Breakdown
Exact time allocation for a 45-minute coding interview. How to avoid common time traps, recover from getting stuck, and always have something to show at the end.
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dsa3 min read
Behavioral Interview Framework — STAR Method with DSA Context
Master the STAR method for behavioral interviews. Includes 10 must-prepare stories, how to tie them to DSA/technical decisions, and company-specific LP alignment.
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dsa3 min read
Amazon Leadership Principles — DSA Interview Alignment Guide
Map Amazon's 16 Leadership Principles to coding interview behaviors. Know which LP each behavioral question targets, and how to weave LP language naturally into technical answers.
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dsa3 min read
Google Behavioral + Coding Interview Prep
Google's interview process: Googleyness criteria, coding expectations, and how to prepare for the unique 'How would you improve Google Maps?' style questions.
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dsa3 min read
Meta Behavioral + Coding Interview Prep
Meta's interview process: core values evaluation, coding speed expectations, and preparation strategies for Meta's unique product-focused behavioral questions.
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dsa3 min read
System Design Interview Framework — Requirements to Deep Dive
A repeatable 45-minute framework for system design interviews. Covers requirements gathering, capacity estimation, high-level design, deep dive, and trade-off discussion.
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dsa4 min read
Common Coding Interview Mistakes — and How to Fix Them
The 15 most common coding interview mistakes that cost candidates the offer. Each mistake includes the root cause, what it signals to the interviewer, and the exact fix.
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dsa3 min read
Final Week Preparation — The 7-Day Interview Countdown
The complete 7-day plan for the week before your interview. Daily focus areas, what to review, what to skip, and how to peak on interview day.
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dsa3 min read
Interview Readiness — Master Recap and Final Cheatsheet
The complete interview readiness cheatsheet: pattern recognition guide, complexity reference, STAR story index, system design vocabulary, and company-specific tips all in one place.
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