Mock Interviews

Use this folder to simulate real system design rounds, track performance, and improve weak areas over time.

Suggested Structure

• session-template.md for recording one mock interview
• interviewer-checklist.md for evaluating performance consistently
• prompt-*.md for ready-to-use interview scenarios

Recommended Mock Format

45 to 60 minute session

1. 5 minutes: clarify requirements
2. 5 minutes: estimate scale
3. 10 minutes: high-level design
4. 10 to 15 minutes: deep dive into bottlenecks
5. 5 to 10 minutes: trade-offs, reliability, scaling
6. 10 minutes: feedback and recap

What To Track After Every Mock

• Did I clarify requirements before designing?
• Did I estimate traffic, storage, and throughput?
• Did I explain trade-offs clearly?
• Did I drive the conversation confidently?
• Did I identify bottlenecks and failure modes?
• Did I communicate in a structured way?

Suggested Practice Order

• prompt-001-url-shortener.md
• prompt-002-notification-service.md
• prompt-003-chat-system.md
• prompt-004-news-feed.md

Scoring Areas

• Requirement gathering
• Estimation
• API and data model
• Architecture clarity
• Scalability
• Reliability
• Trade-off discussion
• Communication