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Jonny Hsu
Jonny Hsu

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Beyond the Code: Interview Tips for Clarity and Confidence

This is a post for anyone that’s currently practicing LeetCode and is preparing or in the middle of the interview process. The interviewer usually doesn’t just sit in silence and watch you code, they’ll often chime in with questions related to your code, or be there to provide hints as you code. It’s an interactive process.

Here are a few tips I’ve found useful:

  1. Talk Through Your Thought Process

Don’t just quietly write code. Narrate your reasoning: explain why you choose certain data structures or algorithms, and how you plan to handle edge cases. This gives interviewers insights into your approach and adaptability.

  1. Communicate Early and Often

If something in the problem statement is ambiguous or unclear, ask clarifying questions right away. This shows proactiveness and that you’re comfortable collaborating.

  1. Practice Like It’s Real

Rehearse in an environment that mimics an actual interview as closely as possible. If you can, get a friend to interrupt with typical interviewer questions. Or talk out loud as you practice. Try to anticipate questions you might get.

Practicing the communication aspect of an interview is important. That’s why I’ve been working on Codi, an AI-powered platform that simulates interview scenarios by prompting you with real-time questions as you code. It’s helped me get more comfortable with the interactive side of interviews, and I thought it might be helpful to share it here for anyone preparing.

It’s still pretty scrappy, but we’re experimenting with timing the questions and making them feel more relevant to what you’re working on.

I’m sharing it here in case anyone wants to try it out and (hopefully) give some feedback. We’re aiming to polish it further based on real user experiences. Let me know what you think—what’s working, what’s not, and what you’d improve.

Check it out: https://codi.dabblestudios.ca

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