DSA 101 + Technical Interview Tips

Timeline
Crucial Months

- May, June, July, August

Targets to hit before placement season

- Getting good grip on DSA

- Strengthening CS Core fundamentals
- Mock Interviews
DSA Prep

Beginners
Free/Cheap courses to learn basic programming
1. Cpp :
https://www.udemy.com/course/cpp-data-structures-algorithms-prateek-nar
ang/
2. Java : https://www.pepcoding.com/resources/
3. Python :
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSzsOkUDsvdvGZ2fXGizY_Iz9j8-ZlLqh
DSA Prep

Intermediate
SDE sheets to practice basic concepts along with tutorials
1. Striver Sheet
2. Love Babbar Sheet
DSA Prep

Resources for practicing questions

1. Interviewbit
2. Leetcode for structured problem solving
3. LeetCode biweekly and Weekly Contests
4. Codechef / CodeForces Contests
DSA Prep

DSA Book for reference

1. Coding Interview Questions By Narasimha Karumanchi
2. Topic wise resources - DSA Resources
Core CS Resources

● COMPUTER NETWORKS
Youtube- https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxCzCOWd7aiGFBD2-2joCpWOLUrDLvVV_

● DBMS
Youtube-
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmXKhU9FNesR1rSES7oLdJaNFgmuj0SYV
Notes- https://lecturenotes.in/l/ap01095536

● OOPS Object Oriented Programming (1).pdf

● Operating System
Youtube-https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmXKhU9FNesSFvj6gASuWmQd23Ul5omtD
Drive- Operating System Notes.pdf
GFG- https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/operating-systems/
Flow of interview

● Introduction about yourself- keep it short and crisp

● DSA questions - make sure to ask about constraints
● time and space complexity
● move from brute force to optimised code
● CS Fundamentals
● HR type questions, behavioural- mostly revolves around you, time
management, teamwork and strategic planning
● Question for interviewer - Prepare 1-2 questions in advance by researching
about the company.
Interview prep material

https://leetcode.com/problem-list/top-interview-questions/
https://leetcode.com/problem-list/top-100-liked-questions/
Questions Related to Projects
https://www.coursera.org/articles/project-management-interview-questions

Projects could be mainly on- for technical domain

● Web Development
● Android Development
● Blockchain and Web 3
● AI/ ML domain
Note

● Revise thoroughly the tech stacks

● Remember the Schema
● Be prepared for open ended questions
● Might discuss about scalability
● Don't fake things
Behavioral Questions

● If you are a good fit to the company

● Time management tactics
● Teamwork and coordination among peers
● Hypothetical Questions about some situation and impact
● Leadership related stuffs
● Based on company's values

Behavioural Questions list-

https://novoresume.com/career-blog/behavioral-interview-questions
Pre Interview Prep

● Give Mock interviews on Pramp and Interviewbit

● Research a bit about the company
● Do read the resume beforehand
● Practice for Behavioural questions
● Read interview experience on GFG/ Leetcode (recent ones)
● If you use standard libraries in code, make sure to know its complexities
and implementation
During Interview

● Ask clarifying questions

● Ensure you have understood the question correctly
● Create 2-3 sample test cases on your own and verify the above point
● Start with brute force and then optimize
● Ask for hints if stuck
● Start with brute force and optimize
● Do not change the input types eg: try working with the data in the format
it is given.
During Interview

● Be vocal. Your thought process matters

● Start writing code only when you get the green signal from interviewer
● While writing code, keep explaining it
● Do not beat around the bush if you don’t know the answer.
● Always mention TC and SC at the end irrespective of whether the
interviewer has asked for it or not
● Always ask questions at the end
Finding Opportunities

● Be active on LinkedIn and add people from companies you wish to join
● Follow people who posts about jobs on linkedin like Arsh goyal & Kushal
Vijay
● Regularly check Linkedin jobs, telegram job groups and company websites
● Mentro - Platform where jobs are posted
● Unstop - Platform with competitions for job opportunities
Referrals

● Referrals increase the chances to get interviews

● Good linkedin profile is important (details) (Sample profile), connections
● Template to reach out - to the point message
○ Intro(1-2 lines), achievements(2-3), link of role, hoping to hear back
, thanks, resume
○ (Very less people reply)
● Reach out to college seniors first
IMP NOTE

Whenever you are sharing your resume with anyone for review/referral ensure that you are

sending them a LINK and not a PDF copy. Also ensure that they

have view permissions.

Pro Tip

Have a folder on your local to track the versions of your resume

and keep a note of which version are you sending to which
company
Applying to international
opportunities
● Why to apply: less competition, easier interviews, international exposure
● Where (eligibility): visa requirements
○ Can’t apply directly in US, Australia
○ Can - UK, Singapore, Germany, Japan
● How: MAANG or other top companies websites
● Even many startups provide such exposure and opportunities
● PPP (purchasing power parity) : do make sure compensation is good enough against the
expenses there
● Do research about process/interviews
Indirect Job Opportunities

● What are they - programs, hackathons, scholarships-

● (Google STEP, DESIS Ascend, Adobe WIT, Facebook Hacker cup,
Microsoft Engage)
● Be actively involved, performance matters
● Be curious, ask a lot of questions
Additional Resources

● C++ free course from basics to advanced DSA by Aman Dhattarwal (Apna college):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfqMhTWNBTe0b2nM6JHVCnAkhQRGiZMSJ
● DSA One course (free) by Anuj Bhaiya (using Java/C++):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUcsbZa0qzu3yNzzAxgvSgRobdUUJvz7p
● DSA in Java from basics from Apna college (free):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfqMhTWNBTe3LtFWcvwpqTkUSlB32kJop
● Technical mock interviews from Keerti Purswani, especially for first-time interviewees:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLliXPok7Zonn3pcQp2TzNYnIKq1jPoLM8
Additional Resources

● Top OOPs interview questions (for revision):

https://www.interviewbit.com/oops-interview-questions/
● Top OS interview questions (for revision):
https://www.interviewbit.com/operating-system-interview-questions/

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/commonly-asked-operating-systems-interview-questions/

● Top DBMS and SQL interview questions (for revision):

https://www.interviewbit.com/dbms-interview-questions/

https://www.interviewbit.com/sql-interview-questions/
Additional Resources

● Top Computer Networks interview questions (for revision):

https://www.interviewbit.com/networking-interview-questions/
○ https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/top-50-computer-networking-interview-questions-and-an
swers/
● Space and time complexity of C++ STL containers along with their
implementation, candidates often ignore that and that causes issues during
interviews:
https://www-geeksforgeeks-org.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.geeksforgeeks.org/a
nalysis-of-time-and-space-complexity-of-stl-containers/amp/?usqp=mq331AQKK
AFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D&amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1#referrer=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.google.com&csi=0&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2F2.zoppoz.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fwww.geeksforgeeks.
org%2Fanalysis-of-time-and-space-complexity-of-stl-containers%2F
Additional Resources

1) Java collections framework in one video by Anuj Bhaiya (prerequisite:

Java basics): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzA7UJ-hQn4
2) UNIX and Shell programming
https://www.sanfoundry.com/1000-unix-questions-answers/
System Design (Extra)

● Gaurav Sen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpDnVSmNFX0&list=PLMCXHnjXn
Tnvo6alSjVkgxV-VH6EPyvoX
● Keerti Purswani:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6n5PCYLSr0&list=PLliXPok7Zonn
Zd99TE0Zzn1MZlE4u08GW
 Thank You!!

Rock the placement season ahead girl ;)