How to Prep for a Software Engineer Interview (and Actually Feel Ready)
Prepping for a software engineering interview can feel like trying to drink from a firehose. There's algorithms, system design, language-specific quirks, and of course, that sneaky imposter syndrome whispering in your ear.
The good news? With the right approach and tools, you can walk in prepared—and confident.
At Minnas, we work with developers every day who want to level up, land better roles, and sharpen their coding skills. Here's a breakdown of how we recommend prepping for your next interview.
1. Know What Kind of Interview You’re Walking Into
Every company is a little different, but most interviews fall into a few buckets:
Coding Challenges: Usually data structures & algorithms, either on a whiteboard or a shared online editor.
System Design: More common for mid to senior-level roles. You’ll be asked to architect something scalable.
Behavioral Interviews: These test how you think, work with others, and reflect on past experiences.
Technical Deep Dives: Expect to be grilled on language-specific concepts or past projects.
Your prep should mirror the structure of the interviews you’re walking into. If it’s mostly leetcode-style problems, focus there. If it’s full-stack knowledge, be ready to talk through your past work and architecture decisions.
2. Practice Coding Under Pressure
This is the part where most engineers get tripped up—not because they don’t know how to code, but because they’re not used to coding with someone watching them, or while explaining their thoughts.
That’s where Minnas comes in.
🧠 Every day, we post a new coding challenge. They range in difficulty and often reflect real-world scenarios. You solve it, submit your code, and get feedback. No guesswork.
3. Brush Up on System Design
If you're aiming for mid-level or senior roles, system design interviews are likely. These test your ability to think at scale: databases, caching, load balancing, etc.
How to prep:
Study common architectures (e.g., URL shortener, messaging systems).
Learn trade-offs: SQL vs NoSQL, monolith vs microservices.
Practice explaining your decisions out loud.
There are great resources out there (Grokking the System Design Interview, YouTube channels, etc.), but don’t just passively watch—draw it out and explain it like you're in the room.
4. Have Stories Ready for Behavioral Interviews
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. And be honest. These interviews are about communication, teamwork, and problem-solving more than perfection.
Good stories to prep:
A time you solved a tough bug.
A time you had a conflict with a teammate.
A time you had to learn something quickly.
5. Simulate the Real Thing
Mock interviews are your secret weapon. Grab a friend, record yourself, or use online platforms to simulate the real thing. The more reps you get, the calmer you’ll feel when it counts.
TL;DR: Prep Smart, Not Just Hard
You don’t need to memorize 200 leetcode problems. You need to build confidence, sharpen your instincts, and practice in a way that mirrors the real thing.
If you want a place to grow daily, test your problem-solving, and get real feedback on your code, Minnas is built for that.
We’re here to help you get interview-ready—and stay sharp every day after.