Start practising

The Interview Delivery Playbook

What to say, and when, in every round of a senior software engineering loop. 19 chapters in six parts.

Read the start of every chapter free. The 45-minute plan is free in full.

Switch without quitting

  1. 01Switch without quitting: the 12-week calendar Study timeline and the whole switch, first recruiter call to joining date, for someone working full time.Preview
  2. 02Getting the interview: résumé, referrals, recruiters A one-page résumé for 6+ years, referral messages, a target list, and what to say about CTC and notice period.Preview
  3. 03Online assessments and screens Decide whether to take an assessment, budget the time while employed, and handle proctoring, AI rules and take-homes.Preview
  4. 04What you must already know, and how deep A map of system design, DSA and LLD fundamentals by level, how deep to go on each, and free official places to learn them.Preview
  5. 05Explaining a layoff or a career break One honest sentence, then forward: a short script structure, how to state your status truthfully, and how to present a break.Preview

System design

  1. 06The 45-minute plan What to do, and when, in a design round.Free
  2. 07How to drive a design A minute-by-minute plan for the 45-minute round, what the interviewer writes down, and a full timed run.Preview
  3. 08What loses the round Twenty mistakes that cost the hire, how each shows up, the fix, and a checklist for reviewing a mock.Preview
  4. 09Senior vs Staff answers The same prompt answered at L5 and at L6, side by side.Preview
  5. 10Follow-up question bank The second half of every round.Preview

Coding

  1. 11How the coding round works What is scored, the six-step method, and how to recover when stuck.Preview

Low-level design

  1. 12How LLD and machine-coding rounds work What is graded, the time plan, and how to present a design.Preview

Behavioural

  1. 13How behavioural rounds are scored Signals, rubrics, STAR+R and the mistakes that sink seniors.Preview
  2. 14Tell me about yourself 60- and 120-second pitches, with a full draft to adapt.Preview
  3. 15Story bank Five example stories taken apart, and eight prompts to fill from your own job.Preview
  4. 16The project deep-dive round Presenting past work for 45 minutes, and the questions that follow.Preview
  5. 17Hiring manager and team match Manager rounds, team matching and the questions to ask them.Preview

The new loop and the offer

  1. 18The AI-era loop: rounds where AI is allowed How AI-allowed coding, design and take-home rounds work, what is graded, and how a senior engineer shows judgement.Preview
  2. 19Offers, counter-offers and notice period Read your letter, compare offers, negotiate, handle a counter-offer and a long notice period, with what to check and whom to ask.Preview