I Arrived With Ambition, Not an Interview Strategy

Hello everyone, I am Shreyas Deore, I came to the US in 2024 to pursue my master's degree, with very little understanding of how to prepare for FAANG level DSA interviews.

The job market was challenging, and I quickly realised that I needed a structured way to prepare.

The First Real Step Was TUF

Based on recommendations from my batchmates, I started following takeUforward's A2Z DSA Sheet.

It helped me:

• Build strong DSA fundamentals.

• Understand problem solving patterns.

• Develop confidence with unfamiliar problems.

• Follow a structured preparation path.

Once I had built my foundation, I moved to the SDE Sheet for focused revision and interview preparation.

Consistency Became Non Negotiable

The journey was rigorous, especially while navigating a tough job market.

Instead of constantly changing my strategy, I focused on:

• Regular DSA practice.

• Revising previously solved problems.

• Understanding concepts instead of memorising solutions.

• Recognising patterns across different problems.

• Following a structured approach.

• The goal wasn't to prepare overnight.

• It was to keep improving every day.

The Market Tested My Patience

There were moments when the process felt overwhelming. But consistency gave me something I could control.

Practice → Revision → Pattern Recognition → Confidence

With every iteration, problems that once felt unfamiliar became easier to approach.

The Takeaway From My Journey

Don't measure your preparation only by the number of problems solved.

Focus on:

• Concepts → Understand why the approach works.

• Patterns → Learn to recognise them in new problems.

• Consistency → Keep practising even when progress feels slow.

• Revision → Revisit problems until the approach becomes natural.

• Patience → Trust the process.

From US Student to Rakuten Engineer

The journey was challenging, but the structured preparation and consistent practice helped me stay on track.

Today, I'm working as an AI Engineer at Rakuten.

Master's in the US → DSA Fundamentals → Structured Revision → Interview Preparation → Rakuten