How to Crack Coding Interviews at FAANG Companies

How to Crack Coding Interviews at

FAANG Companies

Tips and resources to ace technical interviews at big tech firms

Introduction: Why FAANG Interviews Are So Competitive

FAANG firms—Facebook (Meta), Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google—are among the highest-regarded employers in the tech world. Their interviews aim to find top talent that can solve advanced problems at scale. With thousands of candidates vying for each position, it’s not easy cracking a FAANG interview, but with the proper strategy, it’s sure possible.

Understanding the FAANG Interview Process

The interview experience at large tech companies is formal, intense, and multi-step. Here’s an overview:

Recruiter Screening

A recruiter calls or replies to your job application.
Expect questions regarding background, experience, and compensation.

Online Assessments

Generally consists of coding problems on sites such as HackerRank or Codility.
Tests problem-solving skills, algorithmic reasoning, and occasionally simple system knowledge.

Technical Rounds

Several coding interviews with engineers.
Concentrates on DSA issues such as arrays, trees, dynamic programming, and graphs.
Interviewers usually seek clean, optimized, and well-explained solutions.

Behavioral Rounds

Following the STAR approach (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
Firms assess cultural alignment, leadership capabilities, and collaboration style.

System Design Interviews

Critical for middle-level and senior positions.
Tests skill in designing scalable, high-performing systems such as “Design Twitter Feed” or “Build a URL Shortener.”

Core Skills You Need to Master

Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA)

Arrays, Strings, Linked Lists

Trees, Graphs, Tries

Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms

Hashing, Heaps, Stacks, Queues

2. Problem-Solving Mindset

Break down problems into smaller steps.

Think out loud to show logical thinking.

Optimize step-by-step.

3. System Design Fundamentals

Scalability, load balancing, caching mechanisms.

Database design (SQL vs NoSQL).

API and microservice architecture.

4. Communication Skills

Explaining thought process clearly.

Asking clarifying questions.

Writing clean, readable code with comments.

Step-by-Step FAANG Interview Prep Strategy

Step 1: Build Strong Foundations

Revisit basic CS topics: OS, DBMS, Networking, OOPs.

Heavy focus on DSA concepts and coding proficiency.

Step 2: Practice on Coding Platforms

Practice on LeetCode, HackerRank, Codeforces, and InterviewBit.

Solve one problem a day (begin simple, then progress to medium/hard).

Step 3: Study Patterns, Not Problems

Rather than memorizing solutions, practice problem-solving patterns (sliding window, binary search, backtracking, DP states).

Step 4: Mock Interviews

Practice with Pramp, Interviewing.io, or peer mock interviews.

Practice coding within 30–45 minutes per problem.

Step 5: Behavioral Question Preparation

Rehearse answers for:

“Tell me about yourself.”

“Describe a challenge you encountered at work.”

“Why do you want to work at [FAANG company]?”

Must-Use Resources for FAANG Interview Preparation

Books

Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakmann McDowell
Elements of Programming Interviews (EPI)
System Design Interview by Alex Xu

Online Platforms

LeetCode (most popular for FAANG prep)
InterviewBit (structured roadmap)
GeeksforGeeks (conceptual explanations + problems)

YouTube Channels & Courses

Tech Lead, Tushar Roy, Abdul Bari, NeetCode.
Paid courses on Udemy, Coursera, and Educative.

Mock Interview Tools

Interviewing.io
Pramp
Exercism (for practice discussions)

Common Mistakes Candidates Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Not coding under time constraints → Always mimic actual interview situations.

Jumping to code without asking questions → Ask questions prior to coding.

Ignoring edge cases → Always test for empty inputs, large inputs, duplicates.

Neglecting system design → Junior engineers should at least have a basic understanding of scalability.

Poor communication → Clearly explain trade-offs.

Conclusion

It is difficult to crack FAANG interviews, but with regular practice, systematic learning, and proper mindset, it is possible. The mantra is to master fundamentals, practice ruthlessly, speak well, and remain confident during stress. Keep in mind: FAANG is not necessarily searching for coders—they need problem-solvers who can think at scale.