Day before & day of

• Revise, don't cram

  • Read the one-screen synopsis of 4–5 chapters you know well. No new topics.
  • Re-solve two Easy problems you have solved before, out loud, with a timer.
  • Say your five ready lines out loud once: clarify, brute force, stuck, hint, done.
  • Read your round log: which failure card are you working on?

  0 / 4 ticked

• Logistics

  • Confirm the time, the time zone and the link (or the office address).
  • Ask the recruiter which tool you will code in, and check that Java is allowed.
  • Keep the recruiter's email or phone number handy, in case you get disconnected.
  • Plan your meals and travel so you are not rushing.
  • Sleep at your normal time.

  0 / 5 ticked

Do this the evening before, not ten minutes before.

• Editor

  • Find out if you get an IDE or a plain editor (shared doc, online pad).
  • If it is a plain editor: practise one problem today with no autocomplete and no run button.
  • Open the actual tool once, if the link allows it. Check the Java version and how input is read.
  • Keep a blank paper and a pen for drawing examples.

  0 / 4 ticked

• Laptop, camera, internet

  • Laptop charged, charger plugged in.
  • Internet tested. Keep a mobile hotspot ready as backup.
  • Camera at eye level, light in front of you (not behind).
  • Headphones with a mic tested in the meeting tool.
  • Turn off notifications. Close other apps and extra browser tabs.
  • If the round is proctored, run the platform's system check early.

  0 / 6 ticked

• Room

  • A quiet room. Tell family the time, so nobody walks in.
  • Water within reach.
  • Phone on silent and face down (but nearby for the hotspot).

  0 / 3 ticked

• Before it starts

  • Light meal. Not too heavy, not empty.
  • One warm-up: an Easy problem you have solved before, out loud.
  • Join 5–10 minutes early. Test audio and video.
  • One slow breath. Your first line: "Let me restate the problem."

  0 / 4 ticked

• During the round

  • Clarify before you code, every time.
  • Say the brute force, even if you see the better idea.
  • Glance at the clock at each phase change.
  • Silent for two minutes? Say what you are trying.
  • Dry run before you say "done".

  0 / 5 ticked

• If something goes wrong

  • Internet drops: rejoin, then email the recruiter right away. It happens; say so calmly.
  • Blank on the approach: go back to a tiny example by hand.
  • One round went badly: it is over. Give the next round a fresh start.

  0 / 3 ticked

• After

  • Write your round log within an hour.
  • Do something relaxing. You showed up, and that counts.

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