Tech Interview Handbook: Free Step-by-step Guide for 2024

Do you have a technical interview coming up? Are you a software developer, engineering manager, technical product manager, or anyone hoping to crack the tech interview process? Do you need structure and support to practice coding challenges? 

There’s no way around it — the job market for software developers right now is extremely competitive. 

5% of software engineering job applicants at top companies get selected for an initial screening. On average, less than 1% of all applicants get an offer. Whether you're selected for a first, second, or third interview, you need to ensure you're equipped to perform as best you can.

Technical interview questions can be difficult to tackle, and it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to preparing. Luckily, the software engineering interview is a formula that can be cracked. All it takes is the right prep plan.

Start with Educative’s 12-week Roadmap to Ace the Developer Interview.

Fill out the form below to get your free roadmap:

Educative has helped tens of thousands of candidates land jobs at top tech companies, so you don’t have to spend hours searching for the perfect software engineering interview prep resource. We have curated everything you need (including a complete study plan) in one practical handbook. 

We've formulated, workshopped, and tested a 12-week prep plan that has helped thousands of developers land dream roles at impressive companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Our goal is to demystify (and standardize) the full software developer interview loop and give you a structured plan for success.

The best part about this plan is that it can be easily adapted to fit different career specializations and even unique individual goals. We'll provide you with a boilerplate for 12 weeks (that will work just fine for most devs) and you can fine-tune the outline to one that more acutely meets your needs.

The Complete Tech Interview Handbook 

Studying for every phase of a technical interview can seem daunting. It’s impossible to go into the mind-numbing details of every topic, or fully prepare for every type of question you might encounter. Yet with a structured tech interview prep plan, you can prepare yourself to confidently take on each phase of the interview. Let’s look at the structure of the handbook now. 

The Best Way to Answer Technical Interview Questions

This free handbook provides a structured prep plan to help you crack your technical interview, complete with questions taken directly from interviews at top companies. Moreover, the tried and tested strategies and problem-solving techniques in this handbook come directly from FAANG hiring managers. That means you can use this complete technical interview preparation plan to confidently tackle your interviews and land your dream job. 

What is a Technical Interview Loop? 

Only one in five software engineers will pass the technical interview loop at top companies. Even so, preparing with a practical and positive approach is important. First, you need to know what the interview process looks like. Nothing will catch you off-guard if you are deeply aware of the three main phases of the loop: 

• Coding Interview: This part of the technical interview focuses on data structures and algorithms. 

• Design Interview: Your knowledge of System design, API/product design, or object-oriented design will be tested during the design interview.  

• Behavioral Interview: Questions will be asked to see if you are a cultural fit for the workplace. This includes your work style and logistics-related questions. 

You must be asking yourselves the following questions: How do I prepare for these? How much time does each section need?

This is exactly why we developed this 12-week Interview Prep Roadmap.  

Our success formula: 12-Week Interview Prep Roadmap

2 million developers use Educative to learn in-demand skills and level up their careers. 

We all know that nailing your next interview can be the difference maker between an increased salary by tens of thousands of dollars or years of waiting for a promotion. That kind of pressure can be tough to deal with, especially in the heat of the moment. 

Our interview prep plan will help give you the technical knowledge (and the confidence) to nail any interview loop you're selected for. Whether you're aiming for a top tech company with 10,000+ employees or a seed round startup, you can count on Educative to give you the right resources for the job. 

Teachers give students an efficient and structured approach to exam prep at school. This is what Educative aims to do for tech professionals. This technical interview prep plan outlines the ‘curriculum’ that you need to review. Each topic comes with practice questions and ways to answer them, giving you a comprehensive plan that guides you through each week of the roadmap.

Fill out the form below to get your free roadmap:

Prep smarter with the 12-week Tech Interview Handbook  

The 12-week Roadmap to Acing the Developer Interview provides a structured approach to prioritizing your valuable prep time. This includes review topics, example questions, and high-value resources to help you understand important technical concepts faster and easier than watching and re-watching videos.

To wrap things up, here are a few main takeaways: 

• Start your technical interview prep early 

• Find out about the main components of the technical interview 

• Have a trustworthy study plan to cover the right topics 

• Don’t forget timed practice!

Preparing for all the topics the right way will protect you from burnout. With the Tech Interview Handbook, you will have a concrete study plan to follow. That means you can save energy and have the composure you need on the interview day. We hope this eases your interview stress! 

Happy learning!