Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Tech Interviews

I have done more than 150 interviews and 300+ mock interviews in my career Most candidates make the same mistakes. Let me save you some time:  1. Keep your answers concise and clear. Frameworks like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) help you tell your story without losing focus. 2. You don’t need to memorize the company's history, but understanding their challenges and goals makes you stand out. 3. If you can’t explain why you want the job, they’ll move on to someone who can. Show them it’s more than “just another application.”  4. Interviewers don’t mind hearing about failures, they care about your growth. Show accountability and what you learned. 5. Numbers matter. Instead of “I improved processes,” say, “I improved processes, cutting turnaround time by 20%.” Specifics stick. 6. “Tell me about a time…” is coming. Prepare examples that show problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership. 7. If you don’t know the answer, think out loud. Interviewers often care more about how you think than whether you’re perfect. 8. You win bonus points when you answer “Tell Me About Yourself” well. Your answer sets the tone. Highlight your most relevant skills and why you’re the right fit. Don’t list your resume, be confident as you tell your story. 9. “Umm, no, I think you covered it” is the wrong answer. Prepare 2–3 good questions that show curiosity and engagement. 10. Interviewing is a skill. You can’t wing it and expect results. Practice with a friend, mentor, or mock interviewer, every round makes you sharper If you’d like to prepare for your next interview with an expert, let me know. Maybe I can help you. Share this post if you find it useful.

I've interviewed over 100 candidates at Google and another 50 at my previous company, BlueStacks. Over the years, I've seen a lot of common patterns of mistakes that candidates make. Here are the top ones: --Before the interview-- ❌ Not researching the interviewer or the company. You should always take the time to learn about the interviewer (Stalking them on LinkedIn?) and the company before your interview. This will help you understand the type of questions they might ask and the kind of solutions they're looking for. ❌ Not knowing the level you're interviewing for or the type of interview. This will help you prepare for the right kind of questions(e.g., design round, coding round, etc.). ❌ Overpreparing on the behavioral aspect for an early career position. For early career tech interviews, the focus is typically on coding and problem-solving skills. Leadership and behavioral questions become more important for more senior positions. --During the interview-- ❌ Not knowing the format of the interview. Clarify expectations with the interviewer or recruiter to ensure your time is optimized, preventing unexpected shifts. ❌ Jumping right into the code without asking clarifying questions. This is the biggest red flag from the interviewer's side. Take your time and spend some time understanding the problem ❌ Not explaining your thought process. Interviews are not about the end result but how you get there so think out LOUD. ❌ Not dry-running your code. The last thing you want is for the interviewer to find a bug in the code. ❌ Not mentioning the space-time complexity of your code. This shows the interviewer that you understand the performance implications of your code. ❌ Not proposing alternatives or improvements to your code or the problem itself. This shows the interviewer that you're able to think critically about your code and that you're always looking for ways to improve (Growth mindset). --On the code side-- ❌ Writing bad code and not using language features. For a 20 mins solution, it doesn't make sense to implement the Stack class yourself. ❌ Not using proper abstractions (the extra mile). Great programmers always encapsulate the logic behind interfaces and APIs. ❌ Not calling out potential design patterns, algorithms, and coding techniques. This shows the interviewer that you are SKILLED IN YOUR ART FORM, in other words, you have a deep understanding of computer science. If it's just the code that matters, why you should even talk about alternatives, call out patterns and time complexities, and think out loud? Answer: Programming can be thought of as an art form: Mastering algorithms, time complexity, and abstractions is akin to an artist's mastery of brushwork and color theory, which elevates your work from mere functionality (or drawing) to a well-written program (or craftsmanship), reflecting your dedication to coding's artistry. #programming #softwareengineering #codinginterviews #interviewersperspective #coding

🚀 After interviewing thousands of candidates at #Duolingo, I've noticed three pitfalls that many don't realize they're falling into. Avoid these common mistakes to make a stronger impression: 1. Answer What's Asked It's tempting to use prepared answers, but interviewers can tell. 🕵♀️  Avoid launching into unrelated presentations or over-prepared responses. Listen to the question asked and tailor your answer to it. And don't open up a slide deck in the middle of the interview that nobody asked for. If you really want to share additional material, send it to the recruiter post-interview. 2. Allow the Interviewer to Lead Interruptions can disrupt the flow of the conversation. Make sure to let the interviewer complete their questions. Keep your answers concise to allow time for more questions, which shows your respect for the dialogue. If unsure about the length of your response, it's perfectly okay to pause and ask if they'd like more detail. 3. Be Open to Feedback During Task-Based Interviews Duolingo’s task-based interviews are about how you approach problems and adapt to feedback, not just about the solutions you propose. 🧠 Show your flexibility and collaborative spirit by being open to revising your strategies based on the feedback received. Remember, the journey to the solution often holds more value than the solution itself. By steering clear of these common missteps, you can enhance your performance and stand out as a candidate. Let’s make your next interview your best one yet! 💪  #InterviewTips #CareerAdvice #JobSearch

Lately I have noticed a few patterns during interviews. Here are the two that stand out: Poor attitude and scripted answers. Here Are 10 Ways I’d Prepare to Not Just Get Through the Interview Loop—But Stand Out: 1. Do your research. Know the company’s mission, recent news, and products. Understand the role and how your experience connects to it. If you know your interviewers’ names, look them up on LinkedIn. If there’s a shared interest or experience, bring it up early to build rapport. Interviews are conversations—starting with curiosity sets the tone. 2. Practice with intention. Amazon interviews (like many others) go beyond the basics. It’s not just “Tell me about a project.” They’re looking for: • Did you own it? • Did you think ahead? • Did you drive real outcomes? Build a story bank: • 3 strong projects • 1 launch • 1 blocker you overcame • 1 failure you learned from Each story should reflect clear ownership and align with the company’s leadership principles or values. 3. Go deep, not wide. Choose stories that show real depth. • What decisions did you make? • What tradeoffs did you weigh? • What metrics did you move? If you didn’t drive the outcome, don’t use the example. 4. Use the XYZ format. Frame accomplishments like this: “Did X in Y time, which resulted in Z.” Example: Launched a new internal tool in 6 weeks, saving 15 hours/week for the support team. 5. Use “I” statements. Unless the question is about collaboration or team dynamics, focus on your individual contributions. Use action verbs like “I optimized,” “I led,” “I implemented.” 6. Prepare for follow-ups. Practice high-pressure questions. Ask clarifying questions before you respond to make sure you fully understand. Example: “Tell me about a time you got pushback from leadership.” Interviewers want to see how you stay composed under pressure. 7. Use the STAR(T) method. Structure answers clearly: • Situation • Task • Action • Result • Takeaway This helps you communicate clearly and keep your answers on track. 8. Mirror your interviewer. Pay attention to your interviewer’s tone, pace, and energy. Some are direct and fast-paced, others are more conversational. Adjust your communication style to match theirs and build connection. 9. Be respectful, always. Kindness, curiosity, and professionalism go a long way. Don’t try to prove you’re the smartest person in the room. Focus on being the most thoughtful. 10. Interview them, too. You're not just being evaluated—you’re evaluating them. Ask smart questions to learn more about the role, team, and company culture. Avoid HR-related questions (like time off or salary) in early rounds unless prompted. Resumes get you in the door. The way you communicate, connect, and own your story—that’s what gets you the offer. Don’t aim to sound perfect. Aim to sound prepared, thoughtful, and real. What’s one thing you always do before an interview? Would love to hear how you prep.

I have done 500+ mock interviews and these are the top 3 things they do that stops them from getting an offer👇 1️⃣ Not sharing experience relevant to the job Interviewers are trying to assess whether you’d be a great fit for the role and the team. A lot of people share accomplishments and stories that show great impact… but it’s not as relevant to the role they are interviewing for. For example, I’ve coached PMs who apply to customer facing PM roles - they have had great impact in their teams, but in their stories they never talk about customers, or involving engineering in their decision making process. ⭐️ Share stories that highlight your skills relevant to the job you are interviewing for. Don’t focus only on the impact of your accomplishment. 2️⃣ Not understanding that frameworks are tools Many interviewees (aspiring and experienced PMs) obsess about making sure they don’t miss a single step in a framework, especially when the framework is an acronym. Most of them fear that they will fail an interview because they didn’t prioritized this or that, or that they will fail because the question is slightly different from what they practiced and they try to force the framework into the answer. In reality, frameworks are tools that you should use to help you in an interview - what’s more important is to understand what’s behind the framework - next time you are practicing for interviews, ask yourself these questions: - why do we have to choose a goal? - why are we segmenting users? - why do we prioritize this over that? - … question every step of the framework. Which framework you use doesn’t matter as long as it reflects what PMs do in our day to day ⭐️ Don’t obsess about making a framework fit an answer. Instead, see it as a tool that is flexible - it’s more important to show how you are thinking the answer than the specific framework you use. 3️⃣ Not being concise and structured Sharing stories in an interview is not an easy task. You are trying to consolidate months or years of experience in 3~5 minutes. The stories that become irrelevant in an interview share the same things: - too much about the context, too little about what you did - going in circles in the story without structure - not going deep enough into the story (share what you did in detail, not just “I worked with X to solve the problem”) You can be a great fit for a role and team, but if you don’t share enough evidence with them that you can do the job, they may not be willing to extend an offer. ⭐️ if you use STAR framework, spend most of your time going in detail on the Action part of it. ——— 🚀 Need help with your interviews? Check out my comment below! #productmanagement