interview advice

How to Ace Software Engineering Interviews in 2026

Scout Editorial Team

30 December 2025 • 5 minute read

Interview prep — Photo by Annie Spratt / Unsplash

AI is everywhere in the 2026 interview loop. Companies expect engineers who can reason clearly, code efficiently, and wield AI tools without over-relying on them. Here's how to prep with modern resources and stay sharp on fundamentals.

We'll pair classics like Cracking the Coding Interview with AI-first resources—NeetCode for curated problems and Grind75 for scheduling—to keep you focused.

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Step 1: Master fundamentals with CTCI and NeetCode

Combine depth from Cracking the Coding Interview with targeted reps from NeetCode (great patterns-based lists).

Focus on these fundamentals:

Big O & patterns: Revisit time/space tradeoffs, and map problems to patterns: two-pointers, sliding window, heaps, graphs, DP.
Data structures: Arrays/strings, linked lists, stacks/queues, trees/graphs, hash maps/sets, heaps, tries, and union-find.
AI-aware practice: Use AI to explain code and edge cases, but implement by hand to keep fluency.

PRO TIP

Track misses by pattern. Redo them after 48 hours and again after one week to lock in.

Step 2: Grind smart with Grind75 + NeetCode + AI

Stay efficient with curated lists and time-boxed practice.

Use Grind75 for scheduling: Set 6–10 weeks, follow the cadence, and track accuracy, time, and re-dos.
Layer NeetCode patterns: After each Grind75 problem, note the pattern and bookmark a similar NeetCode variant.
NeetCode roadmap: Follow NeetCode 150/250 to cover patterns end-to-end; use the roadmap to close gaps between interviews.
AI as tutor: Ask AI to critique your solution, suggest test cases, and point out complexity pitfalls—then re-implement without assistance.

PRO TIP

Mock weekly: alternate behavioral + technical screens; record yourself to tighten pacing and clarity.

Final tips for 2026

Stand out with consistency, clarity, and AI fluency.

🧠 Explain out loud: narrate intent, edge cases, and tradeoffs; interviewers reward clear reasoning.
🛠️ Show tooling: mention how you'd use AI/copilots safely in real workflows (tests, reviews, security).
🔁 Keep momentum: 3–5 applications weekly, with at least 2 mock interviews and 1 systems practice each week.

PRO TIP

Build a short “AI in my workflow” story—how you use AI for spec drafts, tests, and code review—so you stand out in debriefs.

Blend fundamentals with AI-aware practice, keep a steady pipeline of interviews, and you'll be ready to ace SWE interviews in 2026. Good luck 🍀!

Table of contents

Intro Step 1: Fundamentals with CTCI + NeetCode Step 2: Practice with Grind75 + AI Final tips for 2026

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