How Coding Interviews Made Me a Better Developer?

Abhinaya Rangarajan
2 min readJul 6, 2024

--

A Cautionary Tale of Coding Interview Woes — Part 3

This journey wasn’t easy, but it was incredibly rewarding. Here are the key takeaways I’d like to share:

  • Never Stop Learning: The tech industry is constantly evolving. Embrace continuous learning to stay updated and relevant.
  • Practice Makes Perfect: Regular coding practice improves your problem-solving skills and builds confidence.
  • Seek Feedback and Learn from It: Every interview, even unsuccessful ones, offer valuable learning opportunities.
  • Stay Positive and Persistent: Rejection is a part of the process. Don’t get discouraged — keep learning, keep improving, and most importantcly keep applying.

Beyond the Technical Skills:

  • Communication is Key: Clearly articulate your thought process, explain your code effectively, and ask clarifying questions when needed.
  • Confidence is Crucial: Believe in your abilities and showcase your passion for programming.
  • Learn from Every Experience: Even unsuccessful interviews offer valuable feedback. Analyze your performance and identify areas for improvement.

Additional Resources:

  • Online Courses: Explore online platforms like Gigame, Neetcode, Udemy, YouTube etc for in-depth courses on specific programming languages, data structures, and algorithms.
  • Books: Classic books like “Cracking the Coding Interview” by Gayle Laakmann McDowell or “Elements of Programming Interviews in Python” by Adnan Aziz, Tsung-Hsien Lee, and Amit Prakash offer valuable insights and practice problems.
  • Programming Communities: Engage in online programming communities like Stack Overflow or join meetups in your area. Connect with other programmers, ask questions, and learn from their experiences.

Remember: The journey to becoming a successful programmer is a marathon, not a sprint. Embrace continuous learning, practice consistently, and don’t be afraid to seek help and guidance. With dedication and perseverance, you’ll crack the coding interview code and land your dream job!

Looking Ahead:

My new role is challenging and stimulating. There’s still so much to learn, but I’m confident that the skills I developed during my interview journey will serve me well.

Thanks for reading :)

What’s next?

New Job, New Jitters! Read here :) Of course, I will pen down that too :D

--

--

Abhinaya Rangarajan

"The best code is human-readable code." - This mama dev believes in clear code and clear communication (even with toddlers!).