Mock interviews: Better utilized for Systems Design or DSA?

Question

Hey,

I had bought a course from interview kickstart that expires on 20 days (post extension) and they are not able to extend it further.

I have 11 interviews left with them, which is really amazing given the talented interviewers they have.

I am applying for L6 (maybe L5) at Roblox, Google, Netflix and Uber.

Given the constraints, how do I best utilize the interviews:

Is it better utilized for systems design or DSA?
For folks who successfully clear DSA at FAANG+, how did you practice "talking" through the problems? What other resources did you use for mock interviews?

I was thinking of using ChatGPT for talking my mock interviews, is that a good idea? And using 10 / 11 for systems design and 1 for behavioral.

Rahul Pandey · Accepted Answer

I'd prefer system design over DSA, since system design is much more about the discussion rather than the solution.

System design requires a competent human on the other side of the table, and that is the scarce resource for you. If Interview Kickstart provides that, use them for that. DSA is comparatively more cut-and-dry, since you can do a decent job evaluating how you did on your own.

I'd also recommend checking out the system design masterclass we have.

Instead of ChatGPT for your mock interviews, I'd much prefer a human. Just grab a friend or someone in Taro Premium and talk through some stories with them for behavioral interviews.

Mock interviews: Better utilized for Systems Design or DSA?

Discussion