Assess cooldown and plan interview strategy

Does a one-year interview cooldown after rejection necessarily indicate poor performance? What alternative explanations could account for such a cooldown (e.g., headcount or role changes), and how would you seek actionable feedback from the recruiter? Given three back-to-back rounds—a 30-minute behavioral interview, a 25-minute low-level design exercise, and a 5-minute Q&A—how would you prepare, manage time, and structure your answers to maximize signal? If coding questions are not asked, how would you showcase technical rigor (e.g., clear APIs, trade-offs, and time/space complexity) in an LLD-focused round?