Introduction:
If you’ve ever felt stuck during your FAANG interview prep journey—you're not alone.
Maybe you’ve been prepping on and off for months. Maybe you started strong but lost momentum. Or maybe you’ve been rejected once (or more) and are now questioning if you’ll ever crack the code.
Here’s the truth: success in FAANG interviews isn’t reserved for the elite few. It’s for those who can reset, refocus, and rebuild with purpose. And you’re fully capable of doing that—starting today.
This blog is your blueprint to get back on track and build a smarter, more sustainable FAANG interview prep strategy that actually works.
Step 1: Reset Your Expectations
First things first: take the pressure off. FAANG interview prep isn't a race. It’s a process of skill refinement, mindset strengthening, and intentional practice.
Rejections are not a reflection of your worth. They are feedback.
The sooner you view FAANG prep as a growth journey instead of a pass/fail test, the faster you’ll improve. Resetting your expectations gives you mental clarity—and that’s half the battle.
Step 2: Audit Your Current Prep Process
Ask yourself honestly:
- Have I been consistent in my preparation?
- Do I have a clear roadmap for data structures and algorithms?
- Have I been practicing system design or behavioral questions?
- Am I reviewing what I’ve learned, or just grinding aimlessly?
Most candidates struggle not because they aren’t smart enough, but because their FAANG interview prep lacks direction.
Solution: Build a structure.
Here’s a clean weekly framework to start from:
Weekly FAANG Interview Prep Plan (10–12 hours/week):
- 3–4 days DSA practice (1–2 questions/day, topic-based)
- 1–2 sessions of system design or behavioral prep
- 1 mock interview per week
- 1 review session (track insights, revise mistakes)
Even with a full-time job, this schedule is doable—and effective.
Step 3: Go Deep, Not Wide
You don’t need to solve 500 LeetCode problems. What you need is pattern recognition, clarity in problem-solving, and strong communication.
Focus on These Core Topics:
- Arrays & Hash Maps
- Trees & Graphs
- Sliding Window & Two Pointers
- Recursion & Dynamic Programming
- Binary Search & Sorting
For each topic:
- Solve 5–10 key problems
- Understand brute force vs optimized approaches
- Practice explaining your logic aloud
- Log key patterns and common pitfalls
This approach allows your FAANG interview prep to compound over time, building stronger intuition rather than short-term memory.
Step 4: Rethink Behavioral Interview Prep
Many candidates overlook this until the final week—and regret it.
Behavioral rounds in FAANG interviews can be just as decisive as the technical ones. They evaluate your communication, leadership, and culture fit.
Use the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to create a story bank around:
- Conflict resolution
- Ownership and initiative
- Handling failure
- Learning on the job
- Mentoring and collaboration
Write and rehearse at least 8 stories. Make them authentic and tailored to the company’s values. Rehearse them as seriously as you do your coding rounds—because FAANG companies do.
Step 5: Embrace Mock Interviews Early
Mock interviews simulate the high-stakes environment of FAANG interviews better than anything else. The earlier you start, the faster you grow.
Use platforms like:
- Pramp – peer-to-peer live interviews
- Interviewing.io – anonymous, real-world FAANG-style interviews
- Friends or mentors – for personalized feedback
Record yourself. Take notes. Reflect on feedback. Mock interviews not only improve your skills—they improve your confidence, which is key in any FAANG interview prep journey.
Step 6: Learn Basic System Design (Even as a Junior)
You don’t need to master distributed databases overnight. But having a basic understanding of system components will help you stand out.
Start by learning:
- RESTful APIs
- Load balancers
- Databases (SQL vs NoSQL)
- Caching, queues, and latency
- Fault tolerance and scalability basics
Sketch out systems like:
- A URL shortener
- An image-sharing app
- A messaging service
Resources:
- System Design Primer (GitHub)
- Gaurav Sen YouTube channel
- ByteByteGo for visual learners
System design is often overlooked in FAANG interview prep, but even basic fluency can make a big impression.
Step 7: Track Your Progress and Celebrate Small Wins
The biggest motivation killer? Feeling like you’re not improving.
That’s why tracking is so important.
Use a Notion page, Google Sheet, or Trello board to log:
- Questions solved
- Topics covered
- Behavioral stories created
- Mock feedback notes
- Areas to revisit
Every checkbox is a win. Every week completed is momentum. FAANG interview prep is a long game—and celebrating small wins will keep you in it.
Step 8: Prepare Mentally, Not Just Technically
FAANG interviews can feel intimidating. You’re facing some of the most selective hiring processes in the world.
But preparation breeds calm. You don’t need to ace every question—you need to stay composed, think clearly, and communicate effectively.
Build mental prep into your routine:
- Do breathing exercises before mocks
- Visualize interview success
- Sleep well before practice sessions
- Journal your thoughts during the process
Remember, FAANG interview prep is 50% knowledge and 50% mindset.
Final Thoughts:
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to prep 40 hours a week. You just need to start—one smart step at a time.
Your past performance doesn’t define your future success.
You can reset.
You can refocus.
And you absolutely can rebuild your FAANG interview prep journey into something strong, sustainable, and successful.
So take a breath. Make a plan. Show up daily. And let the compound effect of consistent effort move you closer to your dream offer.