Software Engineer Interview Checklist: 48 Hours Before

Do NOT try to learn new topics. Instead, review what you already know:

□ Review your 5 strongest data structure patterns (the ones you can code in 20 min) □ Re-read your system design notes: focus on the trade-offs you understand well □ Re-check your STAR stories for behavioral questions: practice them out loud once each □ Review the company's engineering blog or recent tech talks □ Check if the role mentions specific technologies (Python, Java, Go) and prep language-specific questions

What NOT to do: Cram new algorithms, read new system design papers, or start a new LeetCode problem. The stress-to-gain ratio is terrible at T-48.

The behavioral prep people skip is usually the thing that costs them the offer.

Research the company's recent news: a product launch, a funding round, an acquisition: and have one specific observation ready. Not to show off, but because interviewers at every level notice when a candidate has clearly read the same generic about-us page and nothing more.

Prepare three questions to ask the interviewer. Make them specific: "I saw you launched X in Q1: how has that changed the team's priorities?" lands very differently from "What's the growth trajectory here?" The first shows you prepared. The second sounds like you're interviewing the company on behalf of yourself six months from now, which is fine: just not for this moment.

Re-read the job description the morning of. Map your experience to each requirement they listed, so when they ask "have you worked with distributed systems?" you're not reconstructing your resume from scratch under pressure.

Rehearse your "Tell me about yourself" once, out loud, timed. Target 90 seconds. The point is not to memorise a script: it's to catch the filler phrases and dead air that only appear when you say it, not when you think it. Write down the interviewer's name if you have it, and use it when you open. It's a small thing that reads as preparation rather than nerves.

For in-person interviews: □ Confirm the office address (Swiggy, Razorpay, Flipkart all have multiple offices) □ Plan to arrive 15 minutes early: not 5, not 30 □ Bring copies of your resume (3 copies minimum) □ Bring a notebook and pen for rough work □ Dress code: Business casual is safe for most Indian product companies

For video interviews: □ Test your audio and camera 30 minutes before □ Ensure stable internet: use ethernet if possible, or position yourself near the router □ Background: plain wall or minimal blur. No virtual backgrounds. □ Have your resume open on a second screen or printed in front of you □ Mute all notifications on your system

The most underrated part of interview preparation.

□ Stop working on technical prep by 8 PM □ 8–9 PM: Light exercise or a 30-minute walk □ Write down your 3 strongest interview moments (projects/achievements you're proud of): a confidence anchor □ Sleep target: 7+ hours. Cognitive performance on 5 hours of sleep drops measurably for problem-solving tasks □ Morning of: No last-minute cramming. Eat before. Arrive early enough that you can take 5 minutes to breathe before going in

1. Think out loud: Interviewers evaluate process, not just answers. Say what you're considering before you start writing.

1. Clarify before coding: Spend 2–3 minutes clarifying the problem: edge cases, input constraints, expected output. This is the most common differentiator between junior and senior candidates.

1. Start with brute force: Name the brute force solution first, state its time complexity, then optimise. Never jump straight to the optimal without acknowledgment.

1. If you're stuck: Say 'I'm going to think through this systematically' and walk through your approach. Silence for 3+ minutes without narration is a red flag to interviewers.

1. At the end: Always ask a thoughtful question. It signals genuine interest and gives the interviewer a positive last impression.