🎭System design interviews are more about acting than technical expertise.
🔎Finding the right resources for system design interview prep is crucial.
⏰Expectations and time constraints in system design interviews are unrealistic.
🔄The same question can have different interpretations in system design interviews.
💡Focus on discussing design tradeoffs and logical reasoning in system design interviews.
Are system design interviews necessary for real-world software engineering roles?
—No, system design interviews often don't reflect the day-to-day tasks and challenges of a software engineer. They are more common in large companies and greenfield projects.
How should I prepare for system design interviews?
—Find reliable resources, such as courses, books, or YouTube channels, that cover system design concepts and real-world examples. Practice discussing design tradeoffs and consider the audience's perspective.
Why do system design interviews have strict time limits?
—System design interviews have time limits to assess candidates' ability to think on their feet and prioritize key aspects of a design. However, these time limits are often unrealistically short.
Why do different interviewers have different interpretations of system design problems?
—System design is a broad field, and there can be multiple valid solutions to a problem. Interviewers may have their own preferences or biases, which can influence their interpretation of a solution.
What should I focus on in system design interviews?
—Instead of providing a complete design in a short time, focus on discussing design tradeoffs, scalability, fault tolerance, and logical reasoning behind your choices. Remember that communication and collaboration skills are often as important as technical expertise.
00:00System design interviews are unrealistic and subjective acting performances.
04:12Don't design anything in the interview before clarifying every aspect of the problem statement.
05:50Don't assume that system design interviews have the same meaning for everyone.
08:23Square fixed system design interviews by discussing design tradeoffs instead of expecting complete designs in a short time.
