Why “blanking out” happens (and why it’s fixable)

Even strong engineers can freeze in technical interviews—not because they don’t know enough, but because they lack a repeatable process under pressure. The good news: you can train a lightweight framework that works for live-coding, whiteboards, and online assessments.

Below is a practical 4-step game plan you can apply to almost any coding interview question.

The 4-step game plan (use it every time)

1) Clarify and lock the problem (2–3 minutes)

Before touching code, ask questions that prevent rework.

• Confirm inputs/outputs and data types
• Ask about constraints (n size, value ranges)
• Clarify edge cases (empty input, duplicates, negatives)
• Restate the goal in your own words: “So we need to…”

Pro tip: If you’re remote, narrate your plan clearly. Interviewers can’t “see” your thinking unless you speak it.

2) Do a tiny example + define the approach (3–5 minutes)

Run through a small sample and look for patterns.

• What data structure naturally fits (hash map, stack, heap, graph)?
• Can you reduce it to a known pattern (two pointers, sliding window, BFS/DFS)?
• State your intended time and space complexity before coding

Pro tip: When stuck, say: “Let me try a smaller example and see what breaks.” This signals strong problem-solving.

3) Write the “interview-friendly” version of the solution (10–20 minutes)

Aim for correctness first, then cleanliness.

• Start with a clear function signature
• Use descriptive variable names
• Add brief comments only where logic is non-obvious
• Avoid over-optimizing prematurely

Pro tip: If you can’t finish, still implement the core and explain the missing piece. Partial credit often comes from reasoning.

4) Test like an engineer (2–5 minutes)

Don’t just say “it works.” Prove it.

• Walk through the example input
• Test edge cases intentionally
• Check off-by-one boundaries
• Reconfirm complexity

Pro tip: Interviewers love hearing: “Let’s validate on corner cases: empty, one element, max size.”

Common mistakes that derail great candidates

• Coding immediately without clarifying requirements
• Silence during thinking time (appears like being stuck)
• Forgetting to discuss complexity
• No test walkthrough at the end

Quick practice challenge (try this today)

Pick any LeetCode medium you’ve solved before and re-solve it using the 4-step structure out loud. Record yourself for 10 minutes. You’ll quickly spot where your process breaks under pressure.

What part of technical interviews do you struggle with most right now—clarifying, choosing the approach, coding cleanly, or testing—and what question recently made you freeze?