How to think in system design interviews
A step-by-step way to approach any system design problem, from clarifying requirements to trade‑offs.
About me
A bit about who I am, what I do, and how I like to help.
I’m Jay Tiwari — a hands-on technology leader, career coach, and mentor with 15+ years of experience building and scaling distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and large-scale products across world-class engineering teams. I currently lead engineering at Amazon Ads, where my teams drive mission-critical systems that serve millions of users and handle massive traffic with real-world performance demands. Over the years I’ve helped hundreds of engineers get ready for FAANG-level interviews, technical career growth, and leadership readiness by combining deep technical expertise with practical hiring insights. I’ve personally interviewed 1500+ technical candidates, giving me a unique perspective on what top companies truly look for — and how you can confidently demonstrate your strengths. 
I focus on:
- System design that scales
- Career acceleration & interview readiness
- Problem-solving frameworks that get results
- Personalized coaching that meets you where you are
What my mentees repeatedly tell me is that my feedback isn’t just theoretical — it’s actionable, real-world, and tailored to their goals. Whether you’re preparing for coding, design, leadership, or behavioral interviews, my mentoring sessions are structured to give you the confidence and clarity to succeed.
On the mentorship side, I work with engineers who want to break into top tech companies, level up their system design thinking, or get unstuck in their careers. Sessions are direct, friendly, and focused on clear next steps rather than generic advice.
- Who I work best with: SDEs/SDMs/TPMs preparing for FAANG interviews, system design, or senior-level behavioral interviews.
- What you can expect: Mock interviews, Resume reviews, Honest feedback, Practical examples, and a concrete action plan.
- Format: online 1:1 video calls and async/email support where needed.
Blogs
Sample topics I write and speak about. Link these to your actual posts later.
Fixing the most common FAANG interview mistakes
The patterns I see repeatedly in mock interviews and how to avoid them in your own prep.
Designing a scalable notifications system
Walking through a real-world style system design question, including trade‑offs and back‑of‑the‑envelope math.
Turning your resume into a signal, not noise
How to present your experience so hiring managers immediately understand your impact.
Mentorship
1:1 sessions inspired by what works best for candidates I’ve mentored so far.
System design mock
Resume review
Interview readiness
Career guidance
System design mock interview
We pick a real FAANG‑style system design question, go through it end‑to‑end, and then spend time on targeted feedback: structure, depth, trade‑offs, and communication.
Senior / Mid-level SDE
FAANG / Tier‑1 product companies
Resume review
We go through your resume line by line to highlight impact, reduce fluff, and align it with the roles and companies you’re targeting.
ATS-friendly
Outcome focused
Interview readiness & prep plan
We map your current level, upcoming timelines, and weak areas, then create a focused plan across DSA, system design, and behavioral interviews.
Custom roadmap
Accountability
Ask me anything (AMA)
Use this for quick decisions: offer choices, career moves, switching stacks, or how to approach a specific interview or opportunity.
Fast clarity
No fluff
To book a session, drop me a note at your.email@example.com with a short summary of your background and what you want to focus on.
References
Books, tools, and resources I often recommend to candidates and mentees.
System design & architecture
Classic system design books, curated articles, and question banks that help you build strong intuition, not just memorise templates.
Scalability
Distributed systems
DSA & coding interviews
A short list of platforms and problem sets I recommend for targeted practice rather than endless grinding.
Patterns
Focused lists
Career & communication
Resources that improve how you communicate your work, negotiate offers, and make better long‑term career decisions.
Storytelling
Negotiation
Tools I like
A small collection of tools for notes, diagrams, and tracking interview prep that keeps things simple and effective.
Notes
Diagrams
Planning
I’ll keep this section updated as I discover new resources that are genuinely helpful, not just popular.