Mock Interview Instructions

Terms and Conditions

By using the AlgoExpert Mock Interview feature, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to our Terms and Conditions.

Overview

The AlgoExpert Mock Interview feature allows you to practice your coding interview skills by doing a mock coding interview with an actual human being.

You have the option of setting up a Mock Interview either with a random AlgoExpert user or with a friend.

Mock Interview With a Random AlgoExpert User

With this option, the platform matches you with another AlgoExpert user, assigns you random AlgoExpert questions, and has you interview each other on a shared AlgoExpert coding workspace over the course of 2 hours, alternating roles of interviewer and interviewee.

You must own AlgoExpert in order to use this option.

Scheduling a Mock Interview

To schedule a Mock Interview, fill out your profile on the "Profile" tab, submit your available start times on the "Scheduler" tab, and wait to get matched with someone.

Once you've scheduled a Mock Interview, you're no longer able to schedule another Mock Interview until the first one has taken place.

Question Assignment

You'll be assigned questions from a subpool of our 200 normal AlgoExpert questions. This subpool has been curated to consist of the AlgoExpert questions that are most appropriate for real coding interviews; for example, we exclude questions about classic algorithms and data-structure construction, since these questions serve as building blocks to prepare for tougher questions but are seldom stand-alone questions themselves.

Before the Mock Interview

24 hours before your Mock Interview starts, you'll be given the link to the coding interview question that you'll be giving your interview partner; naturally, you won't know the question that your partner will give you until the actual interview.

It's critical that you prepare this question before the interview in order to give your interview partner the best possible experience. Yes—being an interviewer isn't easy!

To prepare the question, simply watch or read its accompanying video or written explanation, and familiarize yourself with the written solution(s) in your interview partner's language of choice.

During the Mock Interview

During the Mock Interview, you'll need to open two tabs: one for the shared coding workspace, and one for the video call you'll have with your Mock Interview partner. Links to both the shared workspace and the video call will be provided to you 24 hours ahead of the Mock Interview start time.

A Mock Interview lasts up to 2 hours and consists of two interviews (one interview for each user to be the interviewee).

The general guideline for each interview is to first spend 45 minutes doing the problem at hand and then to spend another 10 minutes debriefing how the interview went. This will leave you and your partner with an extra 10 minutes to spare, which you can use to further debrief, to take a break in between interviews, or to chat about anything else. However, AlgoExpert doesn't enforce these time limits, and you'll be able to spend more or less time on interviews as you and your interview partner desire.

Your video call will automatically end 2 hours after the start time of your Mock Interview. This means that you and your partner should both join the call on time, and you should manage your time wisely.

After the Mock Interview

One of the most important aspects of any interview is receiving feedback about your performance. This is why after every Mock Interview that you do, you'll be asked to submit feedback about your interview partner, which they'll have access to.

The feedback form that you'll have to fill out will be similar to the feedback forms that interviewers at big tech companies fill out for candidates that they interview.

You won't be able to schedule another Mock Interview until you submit feedback for your latest Mock Interview.

Cancelling a Mock Interview

You can cancel both requested Mock Interviews and confirmed Mock Interviews.

While you're allowed to cancel an unlimited amount of requested Mock Interviews at no penalty, you can only cancel two confirmed Mock Interviews in a row. Cancelling three confirmed Mock Interviews in a row will result in a 30-day ban from the AlgoExpert Mock Interview feature.

Limits

You're allowed to do an unlimited number of Mock Interviews.

Mock Interview With a Friend

With this option, the platform has you select one of the 200 normal AlgoExpert questions (or randomly assigns you one), pick your role (interviewer or interviewee), and create a special link that a friend can use to join you for a 1-hour-long interview, conducted on a shared AlgoExpert coding workspace.

You must own AlgoExpert in order to create a shareable link, but your friend doesn't need to own AlgoExpert in order to join you.

Limits

If you own AlgoExpert, you're allowed to create up to fifty shareable links per month. If you don't own AlgoExpert, you'll only ever be able to join one Mock Interview through a shareable link.

Shared AlgoExpert Coding Workspace

Mock Interviews are conducted on the standard AlgoExpert coding workspace, with a few key differences.

The first major difference is that the workspace is shared; this means that writing code, running code, and interacting with the workspace in general will be visible to both users in real time.

Another noteworthy difference is that interviewees won't have access to the question prompt; interviewers will have to present the question prompt at the beginning of an interview, just as they would in a real interview setting.

Finally, interviewees naturally won't have access to written solutions and video explanations, and while running code will be available, submitting code won't be, since this functionality isn't relevant to Mock Interviews.

Requirements

To do a Mock Interview, you'll need a stable internet connection and a functioning microphone. A functioning webcam is recommended but not necessary.

Interviewer Tips

If you're unsure how to properly conduct a coding interview as the interviewer, check out one or two examples of mock coding interviews that Clement has conducted on his YouTube channel ( here and here).

Rules

As is explained in our Terms and Conditions, inappropriate behavior of any kind during a Mock Interview is strictly forbidden and is grounds for termination of your AlgoExpert account.

As a rule of thumb, just be respectful to your interview partner(s), and treat your Mock Interview(s) as you would treat any real interview at a real company.

Also, out of respect for other users of the AlgoExpert Mock Interview feature, it's important that you actually show up to Mock Interviews that you've been scheduled for. If you think that you might not be able to show up to a scheduled Mock Interview, cancel it ahead of time. If you don't cancel a scheduled Mock Interview and you don't show up to it, you'll be banned from the AlgoExpert Mock Interview feature.

FAQ

If you've got some unanswered questions about Mock Interviews, check out our FAQ.