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How to prepare for your first technical interview

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Preparing to attend your first technical interview? Feeling extra nervous and overwhelmed? Then, as a newbie in the tech industry, this piece is curated for people like you. 

Now, being new to the tech industry doesn’t mean that you must be a tech graduate; you can also be switching careers to pursue your passion. But preparing for a technical interview and assuring success in this competitive and evolving job market is the same for everyone. And if you are eyeing software development roles, you must be fluent in coding. 

Drawn from trusted sources, this comprehensive guide provides practical suggestions for coding interview prep to help transform nervousness into confidence. Here’s how to get started with five key areas.

What to expect in a technical interview

Technical interviews are beyond just coding; they also critically assess candidates’ problem-solving, technical knowledge, and communication skills under pressure. These interviews typically last 45-60 minutes and are conducted in formats (e.g., phone screens, virtual coding sessions, or in-person whiteboarding). Here’s what you might encounter:

  • Behavioral questions: They ask about past projects or how you’ve handled team conflicts to assess soft skills.
  • Situational scenarios: Expect to solve real-world problems, like optimizing an app’s performance or debugging code.
  • Coding challenges: Performing live coding on platforms like LeetCode, with special focus on algorithms and data structures.

Most technical interviews aim to assess “your coding skills, problem-solving ability, and technical agility.” Hence, to tailor your preparation, ensure to research the company’s interview patterns via Glassdoor or their career pages. Knowing the format reduces surprises and helps you prepare for technical interview challenges.

How to whiteboard effectively

A critical element of every tech interview is whiteboarding, which involves solving problems on a physical or digital board. It’s to test your ability to think aloud and collaborate. To excel in this phase, follow these steps:

  • Clarify the problem: Before starting narration, ask about the problem’s inputs, outputs, and constraints to prevent missteps.
  • Outline your approach: Write clear pseudocode or sketch a flowchart before coding to showcase an organized thought process.
  • Discuss complexity: Mention time (e.g., O(n log n) for sorting) and space complexity to highlight analytical skills.
  • Handle edge cases: Include empty inputs, duplicates, or invalid data early in your solution.
  • Communicate clearly: Explain your thought process aloud and with clarity to build rapport.

During practice sessions, focus on logic over syntax when writing code, ensuring that it is legible even without auto-complete tools. For betterment, use virtual whiteboards like Miro or Excalidraw for home practice. If you get stuck, break down the problem into granular parts or propose alternative approaches. 

Common Data Structures and Algorithms questions

Mastering data structures interview questions is non-negotiable; they are the core of most technical problems. Here are some common topics and examples of DSA you can expect to encounter:

  • Arrays: Find two numbers summing to a target (two-pointer technique) or rotate an array.
  • Linked Lists: Reverse a list or detect cycles using Floyd’s algorithm.
  • Trees and Graphs: Implementing depth-first search (DFS) or breadth-first search (BFS), such as finding a binary tree’s lowest common ancestor.
  • Stacks and Queues: Build a stack using queues or validate parentheses in a string.
  • Hash Tables: Solve problems like detecting duplicates or implementing an LRU cache.
  • Algorithms: Master binary search, quicksort, or Dijkstra’s algorithm for shortest paths.

In top-tier tech interviews, you can expect high-frequency questions, such as merging sorted lists or implementing a trie for autocomplete features. Consistently practice thousands of problems that mirror real interviews on LeetCode. This will help you write optimized solutions.

The importance of mock interviews

Taking mock interviews helps refine your skills under pressure, as it simulates the real thing. Regular practice can reduce anxiety, improve time management, and highlight weaknesses, like unclear reasoning or missed edge cases. Here’s how to make use of mock sessions:

  • Leverage trusted platforms: Coding resources like Interviewing.io offer peer-to-peer mocks or paid expert feedback.
  • Record yourself: By analyzing this recording, you can review your pacing, body language, and problem-solving approach.
  • Simulate pressure: Tech interviews are time-constrained. So, set your mock sessions to a 45-minute window.
  • Seek feedback: Many mock practices provide automated feedback. But you can also ask peers or mentors to critique your logic and communication.

Therefore, incorporating mock interviews into your coding interview preparation can help build resilience and adaptability under a pressurized environment.

How a comprehensive curriculum can prepare you

Self-taught coding is commendable, but using a structured learning path can accelerate and deepen your coding interview prep. Coding boot camps or specialized online courses offer a high-quality curriculum that covers:

  • Structured learning: Best for beginners, it covers all the essential topics in a logical progression, from basics to advanced, leaving no room for knowledge gaps.
  • Expert guidance: You get to learn from experienced developers and collect insights you can’t get from a textbook.
  • Accountability and community: A set routine and a supportive peer group boost motivation, while also providing a built-in network for mock interviews and support.

As a systematic approach, this is the most reliable way to prepare for technical interview challenges, making it manageable and even enjoyable, while demonstrating your programming skills.

Final thoughts

Your first technical interview is the gateway to a potential career in the tech industry. It can take multiple attempts to succeed, but this guide will help build the skills needed to shine in these interviews. Just don’t give up and learn from mistakes. With constant practice, you can transform from a beginner to a tech expert. So, start today, and turn your first interview into a stepping stone to success.

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