Interview Preparation Guide

Question: How should I prepare?
Answer: Break it in 3 steps.
1. Make strong foundation of data structures and algorithms. You should be well versed with stacks, queues, heaps, trees and graphs. And also know how to implement trees and graphs using c++ vectors.. (basically learn how to use stl). You may skip the avl trees, red black trees portion for interviews, but learn everything else by heart.

You can do this part once you start feeling good about data structures and algorithms.
2. Doeducational rounds on codeforces. Practice solving previous codeforces educational rounds, and participate in new ones.

3. And then, practice coding previous year questions of companies. Also, you can read cracking the coding interview book. You’ll get a PDF version of the book for free just by googling. You may read only those chapters which you find relevant for your preparation and skip others.

Also, you should know the basics of OS, CN, and DBMS.

Now, the million dollar question is, how much time should you spend on each of these?In my opinion,
If you have≥6 months:

Spend good 2–3 months doing 1 — Making strong foundation of Data Structures and Algorithms.

Leave 1 month for 3 — practicing coding questions on GFG, InterviewBit; Brushing up upon the basic concepts of OS, CN, DBMS.

And use the remaining time practicing solving questions on Codeforces. You can also participate in Codeforces Rated contests, if you wish to.

If you have around2.5 months:

Spend first month doing 1 — Making strong foundation of Data Structures and Algorithms.

Spend half a month doing 2 — doing codeforces educational rounds

And spend rest of your time doing 3 — practicing questions on GFG, InterviewBit etc

If you have≤1 month and ≥1 day:

Make sure you don’t skip 1 — Making strong foundation of Data Structures and Algorithms. You can skip 2. But don’t skip 1.

In my opinion, if you’ve to start from scratch — 1 will take atleast 20–25 days. So adjust the number of days according to where you stand right now, But make sure your fundamentals are strong before going to 3 — practicing questions on GFG, InterviewBit etc

Question:From where should I prepare for aptitiude questions?
Answer: At max, do aptitude MCQs or Puzzles on GeeksforGeeks for a few companies which ask such questions. But don’t neglect coding. It’s that one thing which will differentiate you from others. Spend most of your time coding.

Question:As the placement season is coming closer, I’m getting stressed. What should I do?
Answer:Single most important thing you can have in the placement season is a tough mind and a never give up attitude. And it is better to prepare in advance for it. There will be times when your online test seemed to be better than your friend’s, but you weren’t shortlisted for interviews and your friend was. There will be times when you’ll screw up the online round, or will screw up the last interview. There will be people who’ll reach last rounds and get rejected, multiple times. Accept the result, and prepare for the next company. Believe me, it’s the tough who wins. Luck does play a role. But its not in your hand. What’s in your hand is:Hoping for the best, and Preparing for the Worst! Be Positive and back your positivism with hard work and mental strength!

Question: What should I focus upon with only a week left?
Answer: Code. Sit with your laptop. Find a question on GFG (or InterviewBit). Code it. Debug it. Submit it.

Make sure you’re codingat least one questioneveryday. Don’t let those patches of days come when you haven’t solved and submitted a problem for 3 days. Make it a habit to code. Every single day.

Question:My communication skills aren’t that good. What should I do?
Answer:As long as you can explain the other person (and the other person understands) what your solution is, and translate that into code, you should be good. Remember, they’re looking for good coders and good problem solvers. If you’ll manage to show them your coding/problem solving skills, you’ll be good. Having mock sessions before mirror/or a good friend/senior, might help as well:). Have a copy pen with you, try and explain solutions to problems to your friends bymaking diagrams, writing pseudo code,and replicate that in an interview!

One very important thing to remember is:Think out Loudin an Interview! That does not mean just say whatever you’re thinking. Ask the interviewer for 2–3 minutes (or more time if you need), think of a solution, discuss it with him, improve it and iterate upon this process till the interviewer is satisfied with your solution. And then code! Don’t jump to coding as soon as you’re given the problem. And think of it as a discussion instead of an interview. That’s what interviewers want.They want to see how you think!

Question:Do we have GD in coding companies?
Answer:I haven’t seen any coding company do so!

Questions:Do they ask about coding projects? Which projects should I keep on my resume?
Answer:It varies from company to company. Some companies do ask about your projects. Some don’t. But with the ones which do, it’s important to explainwhich problemwere you trying to solve, how did youcome up with the solution and which tools (frameworks, languages etc) you usedto solve that problem. So have these 3 points ready for each of your project which you intend to put on your resume. One thing which made my projects impressive was that I could show them that I tried tosolve my life’s problems using computer science. I feel this was impressive because it shows you have a mindset of a computer scientist who’ll find solutions using computer science concepts!

It would be great if you can provide a github link to code of your projects in your resume. This makes a load of difference as this makes that project genuine, and also tells that you have an idea of Github:). Do commit it to a repository on github, it’ll make a difference. Don’t worry too much about the quality of code, no one expects you to write enterprise level code in college!

Question:What should my answer be if they ask about my weakness or strengths?
Answer:You’ll not be asked this question in most coding interviews, but even if you are, Be truthful. Be realistic. They’re not looking for idealistic individuals, but for realistic professionals.

All the best:).