# 4 Resources for Technical Interview Success *Disclaimer: This article was originally written and posted in March 2020, and moved to HashNode in March 2023.* In February 2020, I posted on LinkedIn about conducting technical mock interviews with those who are currently in the hiring process. I was surprised at the number of mock interview requests I received. Although I was not able to accommodate everyone, I was able to mock interview several people of varying skill levels. After a few interviews, I realized many interviewees were not aware of the amazing resources available on the web. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1680195283456/2b3e6083-d013-4be0-99aa-ef31db8939b9.png align="center") --- **Here’s the list that helped me go from literally Level 0 *(like folks, I was REALLY bad)* to a Level decent enough to get me offers at Amazon and Google:** ### **#1:** [**The 7 Steps to Solve Algorithm Problems by Gayle Laakmann McDowell**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?index=1&list=PLOuZYwbmgZWXvkghUyMLdI90IwxbNCiWK&v=GKgAVjJxh9w) * You need a plan to tackle these problems - and here it is in video format! * I found a lot of success following Gayle’s approach to solving algorithmic problems because the steps are ***standardized and easy to follow.*** * My only modification to Gayle’s approach is that I ***ask questions about the problem*** (input/output clarifications, constraints, etc.) after I listen to the problem. ### **#2 -** [**Leetcode**](https://leetcode.com/problemset/all/) * This is a well-known online judge with an ***awesome community of folks dedicated to improving*** their technical interview skills. * I learned a lot from just browsing the high-quality discussion posts that revealed how the poster thought about the particular problem. * If you’re just starting out, sort by Acceptance Rate and try your hand at the Easy Problems. Check out this [**article**](https://medium.com/leetcode-patterns) for Leetcode advice. * I approached these problems using Gayle’s 7 Steps outlined above, and in conjunction with the resources outlined below. ### **#3 -** [**Elements of Programming Interviews (EPI)**](https://elementsofprogramminginterviews.com/) * The authors of this book write about high quality problems asked at tech companies. * The authors evolve their solution from brute force to most optimal, approaching the problem similarly to how you or I would. * All I did was ***copy the authors’ approaches*** to these problems and ***vocalized what they had written in the book*** during my interviews. * EPI is a bit more advanced so I recommend doing some easy/medium Leetcode questions before tackling this one. ### **#4 -** [**BackToBackSWE’s YouTube Channel**](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmJz2DV1a3yfgrR7GqRtUUA) * This channel is - in my opinion - the best channel for explaining technical problem solving. * ***I liked the channel’s explanations so much*** ***that*** I made a list of all the problems the channel covers, mapped them to the corresponding Leetcode problem, attempted it myself, and then watched the channel’s explanation. * I ***watched all of the videos*** in the Software Engineering Interviews playlist and attempted to ***copy the way Benyam explains his solutions***. --- One more resource I would add to this group would be ***conducting mock interviews with others***, but I’ll make a future post on that because ***I have a lot to say***. But, hey, there you have it - these are my ultimate resources! I found these resources while studying for technical interviews over **one year** (or more - you lose track of time to be honest lol) - and I hope they help you in your journey as much as they’ve helped me in mine. --- **What about Cracking the Coding Interview (CTCI)?** * Honestly, I wasn’t a fan of CTCI because the explanations weren’t up to par with EPI’s explanations * It’s a good stepping stone, however, if you’re just starting out (but I would skip out on it completely in favor of practicing easy Leetcode problems) * Many of my friends found success by combining CTCI and Leetcode, but I was just not as good at technical interviewing as my friends so I had to utilize the four resources I listed above :) --- **What about System Design?** * Since I applied to New Grad positions, I didn’t get asked any System Design questions; however, I made a list of resources some time ago just in case I would need to study for it in the future. Check them out, and let me know what you think on Twitter/LinkedIn! 1. [Gaurav Sen on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLMCXHnjXnTnvo6alSjVkgxV-VH6EPyvoX&v=quLrc3PbuIw) 2. [Ramon Lopez on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmAyPUv9gOY) 3. [Algo Expert’s System Design course](https://www.algoexpert.io/systems/product)