Strengthen Coding Interviews and Build Job-Ready Skills

Follow this 8-week plan for coding, problem-solving, and a showcase project. Balance GATE prep with coding skills to get ready for your first job. Focus on learning, practice, and building a real project.

Weekly Hours: 10
Estimated Weeks: 8

Phases

Start Strong: Coding Foundations

Begin with basic programming, problem types, and practice habits. Understand core coding topics for interviews. Build comfort with solving questions under time.

2 weeks

Review key algorithms and data structures
Practice coding simple problems daily
Understand coding interview formats
Set up a tracking system for progress

Implement arrays and linked lists (reverse a linked list)
Write simple sorting code (bubble sort)
Solve math-based coding questions (find a prime number)

Online practice platform
Intro to Algorithms
Beginner Coding Workbook

Solve 20 beginner-level problems by day 14
Complete an array and string quiz with 80%+ accuracy

Level Up: Intermediate Interview Skills

Move to common coding interview questions and patterns. Start time-bound solving. Grow confidence by solving different question types regularly.

2 weeks

Practice medium-difficulty interview questions
Learn recursion and backtracking
Use mock interview tools
Get feedback on problem solving

Solve recursion problems (factorial calculation)
Implement stack and queue (design a queue)
Tackle simple dynamic programming (fibonacci series memoization)

Coding Interview Prep Book
Practice Interview Platform
Online coding forums

Finish 20 medium-level problems by week 4
Complete two timed mock interviews with written review

Project Focus: Real-World Coding

Work on one main project to show your skills. Apply interview techniques to real code. Learn basics of routing, forms, and simple testing.

2 weeks

Pick a practical project idea
Plan project features and timeline
Build using coding best practices
Start basic testing and documentation

Build a job tracking web app (add/search jobs)
Implement user input validation (check empty form fields)
Write simple tests (form submission test)

Project Starter Template
Free hosting service
Web App Tutorial

Publish a job tracker project with live demo
Complete README docs and add test coverage report

Polish: Testing and Sharing

Make your project shine with tests and good presentation. Share your work and get reviews. Prepare samples to show in interviews.

1 weeks

Write more tests for your project
Add clear documentation
Showcase project online
Gather feedback

Test web page features (check job search works)
Add screenshots to project docs
Deploy to free hosting (Netlify/Vercel)

Testing Guide
Beginner’s Portfolio Checklist

Achieve 80% test coverage with passing tests
Get two code review comments from friends

Mock Interviews and Review

Practice your interview skills and review all progress. Do mock interviews and refresh problem topics. Build confidence for your first real job applications.

1 weeks

Schedule and do mock interviews
Review key coding concepts
Update your resume and project links
Reflect on what you learned

Solve whiteboard problems live
Explain your project in simple words
Practice common interview questions (why this project?)

Peer Interview Group
Resume Template

Complete two live mock technical interviews
Update resume with project and link

Weekly Plan

Week	Focus	Why	Tasks	Deliverables
1	Coding basics and daily problem practice	This builds a strong foundation for all interviews.	Read array and string basics (Online practice platform), Solve beginner coding problems (LeetCode or GeeksforGeeks), Follow a daily coding warm-up routine, Join an online coding group	Journal with 10 solved problems and notes
2	Understand key data structures and practice tests	Data structures are common in most interviews.	Study linked lists and stacks (Intro to Algorithms), Implement simple sorting (bubble sort code), Take an array/linked list quiz (free online), Update problem tracker with results	Passed timed quiz screenshot
3	Practice medium interview problems and recursion	Medium problems boost confidence for real interviews.	Review recursion basics (Coding Interview Prep Book), Solve 5 recursion/interview problems (LeetCode), Try one timed coding round (Practice Interview Platform), Write about learning points in journal	Solved 5 medium problems log
4	Mock interview and feedback, dynamic programming intro	Mock interviews help spot weak areas early.	Participate in one peer mock interview, Practice easy dynamic programming (fibonacci with memoization), Collect feedback from mock, Identify areas to improve	Feedback summary from peer
5	Plan and start main project: Job Tracker App	A real project shows practical skills to employers.	Outline project features (Google Docs), Setup project workspace (GitHub, starter template), Design user interface sketch (paper or Figma), Write first code for adding a job	Project repo with first commit and feature list
6	Build features: search, save, and form validation	Feature depth shows real ability to solve problems.	Code job search and filter (React or plain JS), Add form validation (check for empty fields), Test all features manually, Log bugs and fixes	Job app with functioning search and save
7	Add tests, write docs, and deploy project	Tests and docs make your project ready for sharing.	Write basic unit tests (Jest or similar), Add screenshots to README (project folder), Deploy app online (Netlify or Vercel), Check app works in browser	Deployed live link and README with screenshots
8	Mock interviews, resume update, and final review	Finish strong and get ready to apply for jobs.	Do two technical mock interviews (Peer Interview Group), Review resume and add project link, Practice explaining your project, Reflect and create list of next steps	Updated resume and list of future actions