Ace Your Coding Interview & Land Your Dream Developer Job from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

Master a proven step-by-step framework for solving any coding interview problem
Practice applying essential data structures, algorithms, and design patterns to real-world problems

Learn strategies for optimizing your resume, personal website, and side projects to stand out
Gain confidence in negotiating salaries and showcasing your skills in the interview process

Master a proven step-by-step framework for solving any coding interview problem
Practice applying essential data structures, algorithms, and design patterns to real-world problems
Learn strategies for optimizing your resume, personal website, and side projects to stand out
Gain confidence in negotiating salaries and showcasing your skills in the interview process

Syllabus

Introduction

What You’ll Learn

Solving problems with code at your interview

Choosing and sticking to a language for your interviews
Approaching problems smartly
Communicating with your interviewer
Strategies for getting un-stuck when you don’t see a clear solution
Fixing mistakes in your solution before your interviewer does
Handling design problems
Reviewing and understanding key concepts, algorithms, data structures
1. From hash tables to dynamic programming to even bit manipulation

Soft skills of code interviews

Writing cover letters and preparing your resume
Avoiding common interview mistakes
How to dress
How to connect with your interviewers
Questions for YOU to ask your interviewers

Strategies for long-term continuous improvement

Getting deeper in to the programming community
Seeking out new job opportunities
Getting the most out of your internships and jobs
Establishing an online presence

Preparation Mindset

Preparing for code interviews can be painful, stressful, time consuming and energy draining.

But it’s so important. Dan Blumenthal, Dir. Engineering at TripAdvisor puts it well: Whether through arrogance (“I’m awesome, and don’t need to prepare”), fatalism (“there’s nothing I can do to prepare”), or ignorance (“preparing is an option?”), virtually no one does a thing to stack the odds in their favor during one of the most important inflection points in their career. Your job will likely determine where you live. If you get an offer with a low starting salary, it could take years to catch up to a higher one (if at all). “So before you even start practicing, you've gotta just view these interviews as yet another standardized test, another game that you need to play well and beat.” - Philip Guo, CS Professor at University of Rochester “Don't whine and think to yourself, ‘but I'll never have to manually reverse a linked list in my job, so these questions are lame!’” “You should plan on working 60 hours per week. The first 40 are for your employer. The remaining 20 are for you. During this remaining 20 hours you should be reading, practicing, learning, and otherwise enhancing your career." - “Uncle” Bob Martin, author of Clean Code Takeaways:

Take your preparation seriously and invest in it
Have a positive attitude and focus on preparing, not on complaining
Practice in small chunks so you don’t burn out

Summary

Practice a ton of problems: code code code
Code at a whiteboard
Practice writing REAL code—and compile it
Do more real interviews, ending with your favorite company

Create a portfolio website with: a list of projects, your resume, and a photo of your beautiful mug.

Use Github Pages (Octopress/Jekyll) or Wordpress for your site, consider a custom domain.

Start blogging—write about your interview prep, practice problems you do, notes from courses. Host on your site or e.g. CoderWall.

Have a personal website you'd like feedback on? Send it to the instructors/students for review!

Hands-on To Dos:

Get a GitHub account and push something there. Some ideas: Code interview solution code, even snowboarding videos.

Get and update your LinkedIn: list jobs, connect with coworkers, update to a nice photo, ask for recommendations.

(Optional) Get an account on StackOverflow: ask and answer some questions.

Beware of tweets: Be sure you keep your tweets professional or keep separate personal (#yolo) / professional (#knuthswag) accounts—and link to the professional one from your portfolio/LinkedIn.

Cover letters are important
Research the company you're applying to
Use the standard structure for your letter
1. Paragraph 1: Introduction
2. Paragraph 2-3: Why you're a good fit
3. Paragraph 4: Closing, call-to-action
Have someone review your letter

Topics covered:

1. Choosing the language—choose what you're comfortable with, lean towards language used at company

2. Once you've chosen—practice with that language—and only that language!

Solid choices: Java, C / C++ / C#, Python, Javascript, even Ruby

Company leanings:

Facebook: PHP

Google: C/C++, Java, Python Javascript

Amazon: mostly Java, Javascript, tiny bit of Ruby

In this lecture, I cover the 7 essential steps to approaching a problem, finding a solution—and coding it up without making any avoidable mistakes.

Practice problem: given a linked list, return that linked list with the order of all nodes reversed.

Write a function which, given a linked list, returns whether that linked list contains a cycle.

E.g., given the following linked list, your function will say "yes, this contains a cycle".

E / ^ v | A -> B -> C -> D

That is, where traversing would result in C -> D -> E -> C -> D -> E

For this question, you will parse a string to determine if it contains only "balanced delimiters."

A balanced delimiter starts with an opening character ((, [, {), ends with a matching closing character (), ], }respectively), and has only other matching delimiters in between. A balanced delimiter may contain any number of balanced delimiters.

Given an array of integers and a target integer sum, return whether there exist a pair of integers in the array which add up to sum.

See if you can come up with an O(n^2) solution first. Then—can you come up with an O(n log n) one?

Implement a stack which keeps track of its minimum value.

Challenge: can you keep the operation time complexity to O(1)?

Hint: Try using some extra space. What data structure might work for keeping track of minimums?

Given a binary search tree, return its height—that is, the maximum depth reached by the tree.

Example: given a BST with a single node, your function would return 0.

Given a linear BST with only right side nodes 0 -> 1 -> 2 -> (null), where 2 is the tail, your function would return a max height of 2.

Hint: BSTs are a recursively defined data structure.

Hint #2: which tree traversal method covered in the traversal lecture might come in handy here?

Given a binary search tree root, count the total number of nodes in the tree.

Try the problem simultaneously called "offensive", "an insult to my dignity", and "a must-ask".

Write a function that, given n, returns n!

In this lecture we talk about why reviewing hash tables is important, reading quotes from Dan Blumenthal of TripAdvisor, Steve Yegge from Amazon/Google, and Cracking the Coding Interview.

Make sure you know your traversals!

Material Covered:

How to solve problems with code
Choosing a language
Approaching problems, getting un-stuck, fixing solutions' mistakes
Soft skills" framework for preparing cover letter and resume, connecting with interviewer, questions to ask during your interview
Long-term improvement
Negotiating once you've got offers

Additional resources:

Coding for Interviews book list
Practice problem websites
Schedule a time with Brian

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Covers essential data structures and algorithms, such as hash tables and dynamic programming, which are fundamental for coding interviews and software development roles

Includes guidance on optimizing resumes and creating personal websites, which are crucial for showcasing skills and experience to potential employers in the tech industry

Offers strategies for negotiating salaries, which can help candidates secure better compensation packages and improve their financial well-being in their software engineering careers

Teaches a step-by-step framework for tackling coding problems, which is useful for those who need a structured approach to problem-solving during technical interviews

Recommends practicing with a single language, which may not be ideal for candidates interviewing for roles that require proficiency in multiple programming languages

Includes advice on professional online presence, but cautions about unprofessional tweets, which may be a concern for candidates with existing social media activity

Reviews summary

Prepare for tech coding interviews

According to students, this course offers a comprehensive framework for tackling coding interview problems highly relevant for landing tech jobs. Many appreciate the focus on essential data structures and algorithms, with practical coding problems and solutions being a major strength. Learners found the structured approach to problem-solving particularly helpful. While the soft skills and negotiation sections add value, some feel the core data structures and algorithms content could be more in-depth for intermediate or advanced candidates. The instructor's experience is valued, though occasionally there are suggestions for updated content or more recent problem examples.

Suggestions for updated examples.

"Some of the technology references or specific company examples might be a little dated now. An update would be beneficial."

"The core concepts are timeless, but refreshing some practice problems with more current styles seen in interviews could improve it."

"I noticed a few minor points that seemed less relevant in today's hiring landscape. Still, the majority is solid."

Includes important non-coding aspects.

"The sections on resume building, networking, and salary negotiation were surprisingly helpful and often overlooked in other resources."

"Learned practical tips on how to communicate effectively with the interviewer and what questions to ask."

"The negotiation strategies alone are worth the price of the course if they help you secure a better offer."

Instructor's background is highly valued.

"The instructor's real-world experience in conducting interviews adds immense credibility and insight to the material."

"Learning from someone who has been on both sides of the interview process was incredibly beneficial."

"His anecdotes and tips derived from his own career and interview experiences were highlights."

Covers essential topics for tech interviews.

"The review of core data structures and algorithms is very much on point for what is asked in actual interviews."

"It covers the critical DS&A topics you absolutely need to know. The examples helped solidify my understanding."

"Going over hash tables, linked lists, and graph traversals felt directly applicable to the kinds of problems I faced."

Hands-on practice with real interview problems.

"Working through the example problems using the framework was the most valuable part. Seeing the solutions explained was great."

"The inclusion of real interview questions made the practice feel very effective and representative of the challenges ahead."

"I appreciated the detailed walkthroughs of the problem solutions after attempting them myself. It clarified many concepts."

Teaches a step-by-step method for problems.

"The structured approach to breaking down coding problems was a game-changer for me. It helped reduce anxiety and improve my performance."

"I really liked the framework presented for solving any coding problem. It gave me a clear path to follow during interviews."

"This course provides a solid methodology for approaching algorithm questions, much better than just practicing random problems blindly."

Some feel DS&A needs more detail.

"While the overview of DS&A is good, I felt some topics could go deeper, especially for someone targeting highly competitive roles."

"For complex algorithm questions, the foundational review in the course might not be enough; I needed supplementary resources."

"The course is great for getting started, but intermediate learners might find the DS&A explanations a bit basic."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Ace Your Coding Interview & Land Your Dream Developer Job with these activities:

Review Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals

Show steps

Strengthen your understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms before diving into interview-specific problems. This will provide a solid base for tackling more complex challenges.

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Review common data structures like arrays, linked lists, trees, and graphs.
Study fundamental algorithms such as sorting, searching, and graph traversal.
Practice implementing these concepts in your chosen language.

Cracking the Coding Interview Review

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Use this book as a reference and guide to reinforce the concepts taught in the course. Work through the practice problems and understand the solutions.

View Cracking the Coding Interview: 189 Programming... on Amazon

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Read the relevant chapters covering data structures, algorithms, and system design.
Solve the practice problems at the end of each chapter.
Compare your solutions with the book's solutions and understand the differences.

LeetCode Grind

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Sharpen your coding skills by solving a variety of problems on LeetCode. Focus on problems related to data structures, algorithms, and design patterns covered in the course.

Show steps

Select a set of LeetCode problems based on the topics covered in the current module.
Attempt to solve each problem independently within a time limit.
Analyze the optimal solutions and learn from your mistakes.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Conduct Mock Interviews with Peers

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Practice your interviewing skills by conducting mock interviews with your peers. This will help you get comfortable with the interview format and receive valuable feedback.

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Find a partner who is also preparing for coding interviews.
Take turns interviewing each other using problems from the course or LeetCode.
Provide constructive feedback to each other on your problem-solving approach, coding style, and communication skills.

Create a Video Explaining a Coding Interview Problem

Show steps

Deepen your understanding by creating a video explaining how to solve a specific coding interview problem. This will force you to articulate your thought process and identify any gaps in your knowledge.

Show steps

Choose a coding interview problem from the course or LeetCode.
Record a video explaining the problem statement, your approach, and the code solution.
Edit the video and share it with your peers for feedback.

Implement a Mock Interview Platform

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Apply your knowledge by building a mock interview platform. This project will help you solidify your understanding of data structures, algorithms, and design patterns.

Show steps

Design the architecture of the platform, including data storage and user interface.
Implement the core functionalities, such as problem selection, code execution, and feedback generation.
Test the platform thoroughly and refine its features.

Elements of Programming Interviews Review

Show steps

Use this book to supplement the course material and gain a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts. Focus on the problems that are most relevant to your target companies.

View Melania on Amazon

Show steps

Select problems from the book that align with the topics covered in the course.
Attempt to solve the problems independently and compare your solutions with the book's solutions.
Analyze the time and space complexity of your solutions and the book's solutions.

Career center

Learners who complete Ace Your Coding Interview & Land Your Dream Developer Job will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Software Engineer

A software engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains software systems. This often involves writing code, debugging, and collaborating with other engineers and stakeholders. This course helps build a solid foundation for acing coding interviews, which are often mandatory for software engineering positions at top tech companies. The course teaches how to approach coding problems smartly, communicate effectively with interviewers, and fix mistakes quickly. The problem-solving framework, data structures, algorithms, and design patterns covered will empower a prospective software engineer. The inclusion of resume optimization and salary negotiation provides a holistic approach to landing a desired role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Web Developer

Web developers are responsible for building and maintaining websites and web applications. This involves front-end development (user interface), back-end development (server-side logic), or both. This course may be useful because it provides comprehensive training for coding interviews, a crucial step in securing a web developer position. The course's focus on data structures, algorithms, and problem-solving helps a web developer to tackle coding challenges effectively. The course also provides guidance on improving a resume, building a personal website, and connecting with other learners in the programming community.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Mobile App Developer

Mobile app developers create applications for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. This includes designing user interfaces, writing code, testing, and debugging. This course may be helpful because it equips aspiring mobile app developers with the skills and strategies needed to ace coding interviews. The course’s coverage of essential data structures, algorithms, and design patterns builds coding proficiency, while guidance on resume optimization and interview techniques enhances employability. The emphasis on problem-solving frameworks and real-world practice problems will empower a mobile app developer to excel in technical assessments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile App Developer

Data Scientist

Data scientists analyze large datasets to extract meaningful insights and develop data-driven solutions. This involves statistical analysis, machine learning, and data visualization. This course may be helpful as some data science roles require coding skills, using languages like Python or Java. The course's comprehensive coverage of algorithms, data structures, and problem-solving techniques will provide a data scientist with a strong foundation to approach coding challenges in the interview process. Additionally, the course's advice on resume building and interview strategies will help a data scientist present the skills in the best possible light.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning engineers develop and deploy machine learning models. This involves feature engineering, model training, and optimization. The position usually requires a master's degree or a doctorate. The course may be helpful to a machine learning engineer because it provides intense preparation for coding interviews, a common requirement for roles at leading technology companies. The course's emphasis on data structures, algorithms, and design patterns will empower a machine learning engineer to tackle complex coding challenges confidently. Furthermore, the course's focus on resume optimization and interview strategies will help a machine learning engineer stand out during the job application process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

DevOps Engineer

A DevOps engineer automates and streamlines the software development lifecycle, including building, testing, and deployment. This involves using various tools and technologies to improve efficiency and collaboration. This course may be helpful because it equips DevOps engineers with coding skills that are increasingly valuable in infrastructure automation and scripting. The course's focus on problem-solving techniques and coding best practices helps a DevOps engineer approach complex automation challenges. Additionally, the course's coverage of essential data structures and algorithms strengthens its ability to create efficient and scalable solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Quality Assurance Engineer

Quality assurance engineers ensure the quality of software products through testing, debugging, and implementing quality control measures. While this role does not involve coding in its totality, it is not uncommon for one to automate testing, which does involve some degree of software development. This course may be helpful because it introduces the concepts of coding interviews. It covers data structures, algorithms, and design patterns, which empowers a quality assurance engineer to automate tests. Also, the principles of communication may be helpful in explaining the testing process to others.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Engineer

Technical Lead

A technical lead guides a team of developers. To assess potential engineers, they may conduct technical interviews including live coding exercises. This course will allow a technical lead to have a better theoretical framework to evaluate candidates. The content of applying critical thinking, the strategies for getting unstuck, and fixing solutions mistakes are all helpful in evaluating a candidate's potential ability. By mastering the material in this course, a tech lead will be more effective in the hiring process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Lead

Database Administrator

Database administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining databases. This includes installation, configuration, performance tuning, and security. This course may be helpful as some coding may be required. The course's coverage of algorithms, data structures, and problem-solving techniques will provide a database administrator with a strong foundation to approach coding challenges in the interview process. Additionally, the course's advice on resume building and interview strategies will help a database administrator present the skills in the best possible light.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Solutions Architect

Solutions architects design and oversee the implementation of complex technology solutions. This involves understanding business requirements, selecting appropriate technologies, and ensuring scalability and security. This course may be helpful to a solutions architect because it helps strengthen their understanding of coding principles and best practices. While solutions architects may not code directly, the course's focus on problem-solving and algorithmic thinking helps them design and evaluate technical solutions effectively. Additionally, the course's emphasis on communication and collaboration may help a solutions architect articulate technical concepts to stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Solutions Architect

Engineering Manager

Engineering managers lead and manage teams of software engineers, overseeing projects, providing technical guidance, and fostering a positive work environment. This course provides an understanding of the coding interview process, including the types of questions asked, the skills assessed, and strategies for success. This may allow a manager to better assess talent and provide insights to their team members. The course's focus on problem-solving frameworks and communication techniques strengthens an ability to guide engineers through technical challenges.

See salaries and explore the career path for Engineering Manager

Product Manager

Product managers are responsible for defining and managing the strategy, roadmap, and features of a product. While product managers may not code, they often need to understand technical concepts and collaborate effectively with engineers. This course may be helpful because it equips product managers with a better understanding of the software development process and technical challenges. The course’s emphasis on problem-solving and communication techniques helps a product manager articulate technical requirements and prioritize features effectively. Additionally, the course’s coverage of resume building and networking may help a product manager build relationships with engineers.

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Technical Writer

Technical writers create documentation for software products and systems. While the role does not have to code, understanding a bit about Computer Science will help the technical writer more effectively understand the subject and communicate concepts to others. This course may be useful because it introduces the concepts of coding interviews. The principles of communication may be helpful in explaining technical topics to others. Through this a technical writer can ensure accuracy and clarity in the created documentation.

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IT Support Specialist

IT support specialists troubleshoot and resolve technical issues for computer users. A deeper insight into Computer Science may help the specialist communicate with developers. This course may be useful because it introduces the concepts of coding interviews. It covers data structures, algorithms, and design patterns.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Support Specialist

Business Analyst

Business analysts identify and analyze business needs and translate them into technical requirements. This course may be useful because it equips business analysts with a better understanding of technical concepts and software development processes. The course's emphasis on problem-solving and communication techniques will help a business analyst articulate business requirements effectively and collaborate with technical teams. The course’s coverage of resume building and networking helps a business analyst build relationships with developers and other stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Ace Your Coding Interview & Land Your Dream Developer Job

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

What You’ll Learn

Solving problems with code at your interview

Soft skills of code interviews

Strategies for long-term continuous improvement

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Prepare for tech coding interviews

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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