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Day-of Interview Checklist ​

Everything you need to prepare for interview day

Overview ​

The day of your interview is not the time for intensive studying. Instead, focus on being mentally and physically prepared. This checklist covers everything from the night before through the post-interview period.

Key Principle: Treat interview day like an athlete treats game day - focus on execution, not learning new plays.

The Night Before ​

Logistics Confirmation (by 6 PM) ​

[ ] Confirmed interview time and timezone
[ ] Received interviewer names (if provided)
[ ] Know the format: number of rounds, duration
[ ] For virtual: tested video platform (Google Meet, Zoom, etc.)
[ ] For onsite: confirmed address, building access, parking
[ ] Emergency contact info saved (recruiter phone/email)

Technical Setup (by 8 PM) ​

For Virtual Interviews:

[ ] Laptop fully charged + charger nearby
[ ] Internet connection tested
[ ] Camera and microphone working
[ ] Background clean and professional
[ ] Screen sharing tested
[ ] Coding environment ready (Google Docs, CoderPad link)
[ ] Backup device charged (phone/tablet)
[ ] Phone number ready for backup dial-in

For Onsite:

[ ] Know exactly where to go
[ ] Have ID ready
[ ] Laptop charged (if asked to bring)
[ ] Whiteboard marker experience (practice writing)

Physical Preparation (by 9 PM) ​

[ ] Laid out professional outfit
[ ] Prepared water and snacks
[ ] Set multiple alarms (at least 2)
[ ] Reviewed commute time (onsite) or login procedure (virtual)

Mental Preparation (9-10 PM) ​

[ ] Quick review of pattern templates (15 min max)
[ ] Read through this checklist
[ ] Visualized successful interview
[ ] Practiced deep breathing
[ ] Prepared to sleep by 10 PM

What NOT to Do Tonight ​

[X] DON'T solve new problems
[X] DON'T study for hours
[X] DON'T consume caffeine after 2 PM
[X] DON'T stay up late
[X] DON'T scroll social media before bed

Pre-Sleep Affirmations ​

Read these before bed:

  • "I have prepared well and am ready."
  • "I know my patterns and can solve problems."
  • "I will communicate my thinking clearly."
  • "Whatever happens, this is valuable experience."
  • "I can do this."

Interview Day Morning ​

Wake Up (2-3 hours before interview) ​

[ ] Wake up with enough time for calm preparation
[ ] Hydrate immediately (glass of water)
[ ] Eat a balanced breakfast (protein + complex carbs)
[ ] Light physical activity (walk, stretching)
[ ] Shower and get dressed

Good breakfast examples:

  • Eggs with whole grain toast
  • Oatmeal with fruit and nuts
  • Greek yogurt with granola
  • Avoid: heavy, greasy, or sugary foods

90 Minutes Before ​

[ ] Review this checklist
[ ] Quick pattern refresher (10 min max)
[ ] Review your "power phrases" (see below)
[ ] Confirm all logistics one more time

Power Phrases to Remember ​

Keep these ready for the interview:

When Starting:

  • "Let me make sure I understand the problem correctly..."
  • "Before I start coding, let me think through my approach..."
  • "Can I clarify a few things?"

When Working:

  • "I'm thinking of using [pattern] because..."
  • "Let me trace through an example to verify..."
  • "The time complexity here is O(n) because..."

When Stuck:

  • "Let me step back and think about this differently..."
  • "I'm considering a simpler version of this problem..."
  • "Could you give me a hint about the direction?"

When Debugging:

  • "Let me trace through my code step by step..."
  • "I think the issue is in this section because..."

30 Minutes Before ​

[ ] Use the restroom
[ ] Final water check (but don't overhydrate)
[ ] Close unnecessary applications
[ ] Put phone on silent (but keep recruiter number accessible)
[ ] For virtual: Join meeting 5 minutes early
[ ] For onsite: Arrive at building 10 minutes early

Deep Breathing Exercise (5 minutes before) ​

1. Breathe in for 4 seconds
2. Hold for 4 seconds
3. Breathe out for 6 seconds
4. Repeat 5 times

During the Interview ​

First Impression (First 2 minutes) ​

[ ] Smile and greet warmly
[ ] Make eye contact (or camera contact for virtual)
[ ] Brief introduction if prompted
[ ] Project confidence and enthusiasm
[ ] Have pen and paper ready (or text editor open)

Problem Presentation Phase (3-8 minutes) ​

[ ] Read problem completely (don't skim)
[ ] Note key constraints
[ ] Ask clarifying questions:
    - Input size and type?
    - Edge cases (empty, single element)?
    - Expected output format?
    - Any constraints I should know about?
[ ] Repeat problem back to confirm understanding
[ ] Think about 2-3 test cases before coding

Red flags that indicate you might be misunderstanding:

  • Problem seems too easy (are you missing something?)
  • Problem seems impossibly hard (did you miss a constraint?)
  • Example doesn't make sense (ask for clarification)

Approach Discussion Phase (5-7 minutes) ​

[ ] Share your initial thought (even if brute force)
[ ] Explain time/space complexity of brute force
[ ] Propose optimized approach
[ ] Explain WHY this approach works
[ ] Get verbal confirmation before coding
[ ] Mention edge cases you'll handle

Template for explaining approach:

"So my understanding is [restate problem]. My initial thought is [brute force approach] which would be O(n^2). However, I think we can optimize using [pattern] to achieve O(n). The key insight is [explain]. Does this approach make sense before I start coding?"

Implementation Phase (15-25 minutes) ​

[ ] Write function signature first
[ ] Add brief comments for major steps (optional but helpful)
[ ] Think aloud as you code
[ ] Handle edge cases explicitly
[ ] Use meaningful variable names
[ ] Don't panic if you make a mistake

Time Management:

  • 20 minutes in: Should have basic solution
  • 25 minutes in: Should be testing
  • 30+ minutes: If stuck, ask for hints

Testing Phase (5-10 minutes) ​

[ ] Trace through with given example
[ ] Test edge cases:
    - Empty input
    - Single element
    - Maximum size (describe, don't trace)
    - Duplicate values (if relevant)
    - Negative numbers (if relevant)
[ ] Fix any bugs calmly
[ ] State final time/space complexity

Wrap-Up Phase (3-5 minutes) ​

[ ] Confirm your solution is complete
[ ] Discuss any possible optimizations
[ ] Ask 1-2 thoughtful questions (see below)
[ ] Thank the interviewer

Good Questions to Ask:

  • "What's a typical day like on your team?"
  • "What's the most challenging problem you've worked on recently?"
  • "How does the team approach code reviews?"
  • "What do you enjoy most about working here?"

Between Rounds (Onsite) ​

If you have multiple rounds:

[ ] Use restroom
[ ] Drink water
[ ] Quick stretch
[ ] Reset mentally - each round is fresh
[ ] Don't dwell on previous rounds
[ ] Review power phrases
[ ] Deep breathing if needed

Mental Reset Technique:

"That round is done. I cannot change it. This next round is a new opportunity to demonstrate my skills."

Handling Difficult Situations ​

If You Get a Problem You've Seen Before ​

DO:

  • Solve it naturally (don't pretend you haven't seen it)
  • If directly asked, be honest: "I've seen a similar problem before"
  • Focus on clear communication, not speed

DON'T:

  • Pretend to struggle if you know the answer
  • Rush through without explaining
  • Fake the thinking process

If You're Completely Stuck ​

Step-by-step recovery:

  1. Pause and breathe (it's okay to be silent for 30 seconds)
  2. Re-read the problem constraints
  3. Think about brute force
  4. Consider simpler versions
  5. Ask for a hint: "Could you point me in the right direction?"

Phrases for being stuck:

  • "I'm going to take a moment to think..."
  • "Let me consider a different approach..."
  • "I'm not immediately seeing the optimal solution, but here's what I'm thinking..."

If You Make a Bug ​

Stay calm. Bugs are expected.

  1. Say: "I see there's an issue. Let me trace through..."
  2. Walk through code line by line
  3. Identify the bug
  4. Fix it and explain why
  5. Re-test

If You Run Out of Time ​

Before time is called:

  • "I see we're running low on time. Let me summarize where I am..."
  • Explain what you would do if you had more time
  • Show you understand the remaining steps

If You Don't Know an Interviewer Question ​

Be honest:

  • "I'm not familiar with that specific concept, but here's how I would approach learning it..."
  • "I haven't worked with that technology, but in a similar context I would..."

After the Interview ​

Immediately After (First 30 minutes) ​

[ ] Send thank you email (if you have addresses)
[ ] Jot down problems asked
[ ] Note what went well
[ ] Note what was challenging
[ ] Relax - you've done your part

Thank You Email Template ​

Subject: Thank you - [Your Name] SDE Interview

Hi [Interviewer Name],

Thank you for taking the time to interview me today. I enjoyed discussing
[specific topic or problem] and learning more about [team/project mentioned].

[Optional: Brief mention of something specific you discussed]

I'm excited about the opportunity to join Google and contribute to [team/mission].
Please let me know if there's any additional information I can provide.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Rest of the Day ​

[ ] Do something enjoyable and relaxing
[ ] Don't obsess over what you could have done differently
[ ] Don't look up the problems you were asked
[ ] Get good sleep
[ ] Wait for recruiter follow-up (usually 1-2 weeks)

Quick Reference Card ​

Print or screenshot this for interview day:

INTERVIEW DAY QUICK REFERENCE
=============================

BEFORE PROBLEM:
- Clarify constraints
- Ask about edge cases
- Confirm understanding

APPROACH (before coding):
- State brute force first
- Explain optimization
- Get confirmation

DURING CODING:
- Think aloud
- Handle edge cases
- Use good names

TESTING:
- Given example
- Empty input
- Single element
- Edge cases

IF STUCK:
- Pause and breathe
- Re-read problem
- Think simpler
- Ask for hint

POWER PHRASES:
- "Let me make sure I understand..."
- "I'm thinking of using [pattern] because..."
- "Let me trace through an example..."
- "Could you give me a hint about the direction?"

Mindset Reminders ​

The Right Mindset ​

- This is a conversation, not an interrogation
- The interviewer wants you to succeed
- Partial solutions are better than nothing
- Communication matters as much as code
- One interview doesn't define your worth

Confidence Boosters ​

Read before your interview:

  1. You are prepared. You've studied the patterns and solved the problems.

  2. You belong here. Google invited you because your resume showed promise.

  3. You will think clearly. The patterns you've practiced will come to you.

  4. You will communicate well. You've practiced explaining your thinking.

  5. You can handle anything. Even if stuck, you know how to recover.

Post-Interview Reflection ​

Whether it went well or not:

  • You gained valuable interview experience
  • You identified areas for improvement
  • You took a step toward your career goals
  • You can be proud that you tried

Emergency Contacts ​

Before interview, save these:

Recruiter Name: _______________________
Recruiter Phone: ______________________
Recruiter Email: ______________________

Backup Contact: _______________________
Interview Platform Support: ____________

Final Pre-Interview Checklist ​

Use this as your final check 10 minutes before:

TECHNICAL
[ ] Device charged
[ ] Internet working
[ ] Camera/mic working
[ ] Coding environment ready
[ ] Backup plan known

PHYSICAL
[ ] Water nearby
[ ] Comfortable seating
[ ] Quiet environment
[ ] Professional appearance

MENTAL
[ ] Deep breaths taken
[ ] Power phrases reviewed
[ ] Confidence affirmed
[ ] Ready to show your best

READY TO GO!

You've prepared for this. Trust your training and show them what you can do. Good luck!

Last updated: January 2026