The 30-30-30 Interview Prep Playbook

Interview preparation can feel overwhelming when you're trying to balance work, learning, and life. Many aspiring engineers struggle with inconsistency, spending hours on random problems without a clear structure, leading to burnout and frustration. The 30-30-30 Prep Playbook solves this by breaking your daily study routine into three focused 30-minute blocks: fundamentals, practice problems, and review. This structure creates sustainable momentum while preventing exhaustion.

The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity and repeatability. You don't need marathon study sessions or complex tracking systems. Instead, you commit to 90 minutes daily with clear objectives for each segment. This method has helped hundreds of engineers land roles at top tech companies by building deep understanding gradually rather than through cramming.

A structured approach to daily interview preparation

The first 30 minutes focus on fundamentals. This is where you strengthen your foundation by revisiting core concepts, data structures, algorithms, or system design patterns. Rather than diving straight into problems, spend this time reading, watching tutorials, or reviewing notes from previous sessions. Focus on one topic at a time and rotate through different areas across the week. For example, Monday could be arrays and hashing, Tuesday graphs, Wednesday dynamic programming, and so on.

The goal isn't to master everything in one session but to build familiarity through repeated exposure. Each time you revisit a concept, you strengthen the neural pathways that help you recognize patterns during actual interviews. Take notes in your own words, draw diagrams, and create mental models that make sense to you. This foundation makes the next phase significantly more effective.

The second 30 minutes are dedicated to solving problems. Now that your mind is primed with concepts, apply them to actual coding challenges. Start with medium-difficulty problems related to the topic you just reviewed. Don't jump to hard problems immediately; progression matters more than difficulty. The key is deliberate practice: read the problem carefully, think through your approach before coding, and optimize after getting a working solution.

Daily practice problems build pattern recognition

If you get stuck, give yourself 10 minutes to struggle through it. Struggling is where learning happens. After 10 minutes, check hints or solutions, but don't just copy code. Understand the approach, close the solution, and implement it yourself from scratch. This active reconstruction solidifies understanding far better than passive reading. Track problems you've solved and revisit difficult ones after a few days to ensure retention.

The final 30 minutes are for review and reflection. This is the most underrated part of the routine but arguably the most important. Review what you learned in the fundamentals block, analyze the problems you solved, and note any patterns or techniques you struggled with. Write down what worked, what didn't, and what you need to focus on next. This metacognitive practice turns random effort into structured growth.

During review, also maintain a weakness log. If you struggled with backtracking, note it. If you forgot how to implement a trie, write it down. This log becomes your personalized study guide for future sessions. Additionally, review previously solved problems weekly to combat the forgetting curve. Spaced repetition is scientifically proven to improve long-term retention.

Beyond the structure, consistency is everything. Doing 90 minutes daily beats sporadic 8-hour sessions on weekends. Your brain needs time to consolidate information, and consistent daily exposure far outweighs occasional intensive cramming. Set a specific time each day—morning before work, during lunch, or evening—and treat it as non-negotiable. Build the habit first; intensity can come later.

Many engineers report that after just two weeks of following the 30-30-30 routine, they feel more confident, recognize patterns faster, and approach problems with a clearer mindset. After a month, the improvement becomes undeniable. Topics that once felt impossible start clicking. Interview anxiety decreases because you trust the process and your preparation.

The 30-30-30 Prep Playbook isn't about working harder; it's about working smarter. It respects your time, prevents burnout, and creates compounding returns on your effort. Whether you're preparing for your first role or aiming for a senior position at a FAANG company, this routine adapts to your level. The structure remains the same; only the depth of content changes. Start today, stay consistent, and watch your skills transform over the next few weeks.