preparation guide
Interview Prep & Jobs
Turn what you've learned into a software job offer.
This is the most direct payoff. Coding interviews are, overwhelmingly, DSA problems under time pressure — and you've just learned the material they test.
The work now is pattern recognition and reps: seeing a new problem and recognising which technique it wants, fast. That comes from solving curated sets, not grinding randomly.
The milestones
Work them in order. Each one is a real, checkable step — not a vibe.
- 1
Learn the patterns (you already have)
Almost every interview problem is one of ~15 patterns: two pointers, sliding window, BFS/DFS, binary search, backtracking, dynamic programming, monotonic stack, union-find. Every one of those is a lesson here — revisit any that feel shaky.
- 2
Grind a curated list, not random problems
Don't solve problems at random. Work a proven list so you hit every pattern with rising difficulty. Blind 75 for the essentials, NeetCode 150 for fuller coverage, Grind 75 if you want a schedule.
- 3
Do mock interviews out loud
Solving silently is a different skill from explaining your thinking to a stranger while typing. Do real timed mocks — with a friend, or a platform that pairs you with people.
- 4
Add system design & behavioural (for mid/senior)
Beyond entry level, interviews add system design ('design Twitter') and behavioural rounds. Start early — these take longer to build than DSA.
Lessons to revisit
The foundations this path leans on hardest. A quick refresher before you dive in.
Now go do it
Reading about it is the easy part. Pick milestone one, open the first resource, and start today — momentum is the whole game.