Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Tech Interviews

After taking 75 Software Engineer interviews at Google in < 7 months, I’ve seen a range of mistakes all of us make in coding interviews. Here’s a compiled list to help you (and me) avoid these pitfalls in our future interviews! 1️⃣ Not Clarifying Requirements > Many candidates jump straight into coding. Often without fully understanding the problem. This can waste time and lead to errors. Tip: Always ask clarifying questions. To ensure you get the requirements. Confirm edge cases and input constraints early on. 2️⃣ Overcomplicating Solutions > In the heat of the moment, it is easy to overthink a problem. And this complicates the solution, both for you and your interviewer. Tip: Start with a brute-force approach (just explain it), then iterate towards optimization (code it up). Easy-to-understand solutions get bonus points. 3️⃣ Under-Communication > Interviews are not just about coding. They’re also about conveying your thought process. Silence takes away the only help you have during the interview—your interviewer. Tip: Think out loud! Explain your reasoning and approach as you code. This helps the interviewers understand you and even guide you if needed. 4️⃣ Ignoring Edge Cases > Many candidates create a working solution. But fail to consider edge cases. This can lead to catastrophic failures. Tip: After arriving at a solution, always discuss potential edge cases. Explain how your code handles them. This shows your thoroughness. 5️⃣ Neglecting to Optimize > Even if your solution works, failing to consider optimization can cost you points. Tip: After solving the problem, re-read your solution and discuss ways to improve time and space complexity. No micro-optimizations. Interviewers appreciate candidates who think about efficiency in big-oh notation. 6️⃣ Skipping Dry Runs > 80%+ candidates skip the dry run of their code, leading to overlooked mistakes. Tip: Walk through your code with sample inputs. This helps catch errors early and makes you look proactive. 7️⃣ Getting Flustered > Interviews are stressful. And it is easy to panic if you hit a roadblock. Tip: If you’re stuck, ask for a minute or 2 to gather your thoughts. Ask for hints if necessary—interviewers appreciate candidates who are willing to seek help. Those were my 2 cents on how to tackle coding interviews. But believe it or not, the best way to realize your interview mistakes would be to start taking interviews (even mock ones). After conducting so many interviews at Google, I realized how I often fell into the same traps as everyone. Like going completely silent or forgetting to do a dry run for the interviewer. Taking interviews altered my perspective, and now I advise everyone preparing for interviews to take a couple of them first. Total game changer! #codingInterviews #jobPrep #softwareEngineering #Google #interviewTips

4 common mistakes to avoid in job interviews 💡 I’ve interviewed 100+ candidates in big tech (both legal and non-legal roles). Here are a few key pitfalls I see and what to do instead. 1️⃣ NOT DOING TARGETED PREP You’ve spent hours poring over your resume and value proposition. But before an interview, you need to shift focus to the company and interviewer. Start your research “audience backwards”. Read the company’s recent press releases, external news commentary and interviewers’ LinkedIn profiles. Then write down your key messages that you want to land on them. Finally, craft more detailed talking points, anticipate tricky questions, and bring thoughtful, insightful questions of your own. 2️⃣ GOING OFF ON A TANGENT You are being assessed for your ability to handle colleagues, senior leaders, key clients. Interviewers want to see that you can “read the room”. So it’s a yellow flag if they ask a question and the candidate is seen to ramble, miss the point of the question, or overshare. I’ve seen candidates speak so much that interviewers can’t get their questions in! Listen carefully and clarify the intent of the question if needed. Respond in a clear, structured manner. Then stop talking. 3️⃣ NOT HAVING A CONVINCING “WHY” Candidates will say they want to join your company because they’re excited about your culture and products. But they can’t provide details or draw a link to how their personal interest/ skills match the role. This is more than just answering a question well. Humans think in narratives and need a persuasive “story” on why you want this role. Perhaps you’re switching industries because of the ability to drive impact in a rising field. Maybe you’ve been yearning for more international exposure and this job fits the bill. Managers want to picture you thriving in the role, and a narrative helps them do that. 4️⃣ SPEAKING IN GENERALIZATIONS When asked “What’s your approach to challenging stakeholder interactions?”, don’t answer with something high level like “I believe in getting along with my colleagues, but I will stand my ground if needed.” Help the interviewer picture how you would actually perform in the role by giving them specific examples of how you navigated a tricky situation. Demonstrate that you can overcome complexity and nuance to produce positive outcomes. If in doubt, use the STAR method - Situation, Task, Action Result. Read more about this technique here: https://lnkd.in/gcjqu7G6 Over to you - any other tips from hiring managers or candidates? What were the top learnings from your recent interviews? Help job seekers by commenting below 👇

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

This might be the most important post you read before your next interview. I’ve sat on both sides of the interview table ✅ As a candidate ✅ As a recruiter ✅ As an HR professional with over 6 years of experience And I can tell you something most people never admit: It’s not always the smartest or most qualified candidate who gets the job. It’s often the one who understands how NOT to mess it up. So here are 8 painfully honest avoidable job interview mistakes that have cost brilliant candidates real opportunities: 1. Don’t Show Up Unresearched You cannot afford to walk into an interview clueless about the company. “I just wanted to hear from you” is not an answer. Google them. Check LinkedIn. Understand what they do, how they make money, their culture, and the role you’re applying for. Lack of research = lack of seriousness. 2. Don’t Over-Talk or Under-Talk This is not a podcast. It’s also not a police interrogation. Too much talk? You lose them. Too little? You leave gaps. Practice clear, confident storytelling with a start, middle, and result. Structure wins. Every time. 3. Don’t Downplay Yourself Saying “I don’t have much experience” or “I’m just a beginner” is not humility, it’s self-sabotage. Speak with confidence about the little you know. Frame your past, even if small, as proof of potential. If you don’t believe in your value, neither will they. 4. Don’t Talk Like ChatGPT No one wants to hear robotic answers like: “My greatest strength is adaptability and my weakness is perfectionism.” Be human. Be specific. Use real stories, not recycled robotic cliches. 5. Don’t Show Up Late to a Virtual Interview This one stings because it happens too often. Being only 5 minutes late to a virtual call already tells the recruiter: You didn’t test your tech. You don’t value my time. You’re not interview-ready. Log in 10 minutes early. No excuses. 6. Don’t Speak Negatively About Past Employers No matter how bad your ex-manager was, don’t drag them in. It shows lack of emotional intelligence and professionalism. Instead, talk about challenges with what you learned from them. Be honest, not bitter. 7. Don’t Oversell Skills You Can’t Defend Saying “I’m an expert in Excel” is cool until you’re asked to do a pivot table live. Overselling will get you into interviews. But it will also expose you in them. Be honest. Be ready to prove what you claim. 8. Don’t Leave Without Reaffirming Your Interest Don’t assume they know you want the job. Say it. End your interview like this: “Thank you for your time today. I’m genuinely excited about this opportunity, and I’d love to bring my experience to your team.” Leave confidence ringing in their ears, not confusion. 💼 Save this. Share this. Send it to someone preparing for an interview. It might be the post that gets them the job.

I’ve been a hiring manager for +10 years. I've sat in 100's of interviews. Here are 10 'Off Limits' topics that I've seen cost candidates the job ↓ To be more specific - getting into these discussions would likely result in the hiring team moving to the next candidate (based on my own experience). And before you ask, No. There isn’t a good reason for these to come up in an interview, but yet... Each of them has.   Let's dive in:   1. Talking Poorly About Your Spouse or Partner ↳ Maybe not what you expected at the top of this list, but this says a lot about your character, and how you treat the people close to you. 2. Complaining About Past Managers or Co-workers ↳ It signals bitterness, lack of professionalism, or inability to resolve conflict constructively. 3. Politics or Polarizing Opinions ↳ Even if the interviewer agrees with you, it introduces unnecessary risk and discomfort into the conversation. 4. Personal Drama or Life Struggles ↳ Oversharing about divorces, financial troubles, or health issues can shift focus away from your professional capabilities. 5. Lack of Interest in the Role or Company ↳ Saying things like “I’m applying everywhere” or “I just need a job” kills momentum fast. 6. Consistently Blaming Others – Victim Mentality ↳ Take ownership. Take responsibility. Focus on what you can control and influence. 7. Inappropriate Humor at Others' Expense ↳ Making inappropriate jokes or creating humor that puts others down is never the right call in an interview. 8. Sharing Proprietary or Confidential Information ↳ Instantly shows a lack of awareness. Sharing this info creates all kinds of problems. 9. Exaggerating or Lying ↳ If you get caught bluffing (even subtly), credibility is lost, trust is gone. Would be hard to recover from this. 10. Not comfortable discussing failures or mistakes ↳ Failure is part of life. It's part of professional growth. Openly and authentically discussing past mistakes signals a lot about character and maturity. Do your best to avoid the temptation of walking into these topics. Yes - interviews are discussions, but not with your friends or family. Keep it professional. Always be respectful. Your character is on display the entire time. What would you add to my list?

After interviewing 40+ Data Engineer Interns and New Grads at Amazon, I noticed the same three mistakes happening over and over... Not because candidates lacked technical skills. But because they forgot that interviews are conversations, not exams. Here's the thing: We both get the same 60 minutes. You're there to exhibit your skills. I'm there to capture and evaluate them. But if you don't show me your thinking, I can't capture what I can't see. The top 3 mistakes that make those 60 minutes harder for both of us: Mistake 1: Solving Problems in Your Head 🤐 I watch brilliant candidates work silently for 10 minutes, then present a solution. The problem? I have no idea how they got there. I can't evaluate what I can't see. 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: Problem-solving in interviews isn't about solving the problem – it's about showing HOW you solve problems. ✅ Fix: Think out loud. Say "I'm considering two approaches..." or "Let me walk through my logic..." Help me follow your journey, not just see the destination. Mistake 2: Diving Straight Into Code 💻 "Given a data pipeline problem..." Candidate immediately starts writing SQL..... Wait. What about the data volume? Format? Update frequency? Error tolerance? I can't assess if your solution fits if I don't know what problem you think you're solving. ✅ Fix: Start with questions and assumptions. "Can I assume the data is in JSON format?" "What's our daily volume?" "Is this real-time or batch?" This helps me understand your context-driven thinking. Mistake 3: Treating Assumptions as Weaknesses 🚫 Candidates hesitate to state assumptions, worried it shows gaps. Actually, it's the opposite – it shows maturity. ✅ Fix: Lay out your assumptions clearly. "I'm assuming we have 100GB daily data, so I'll design for distributed processing." This helps me evaluate your reasoning, not just your answer. The Secret? One of the best Data Engineers I ever hired didn't solve every problem perfectly. But she: - 𝘕𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 (𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨) - 𝘈𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵) - 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨) - 𝘈𝘥𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 (𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺) She made my job easy. I could clearly see how she thinks. 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: We're not looking for robots who compute answers. We're looking for future colleagues who can communicate, collaborate, and adapt. Help us see that in those 60 minutes. Share this with someone preparing for DE interviews #DataEngineering #AmazonJobs #EngineeringInterns #InterviewPrep

I’ve interviewed hundreds of candidates this year and one thing is clear: Unforced errors knock candidates out long before their talent ever gets considered. I’ve seen brilliant operators lose opportunities they were perfect for, not because of skill, but because of avoidable mistakes. Here are the errors that quietly take people out of the running: 1️⃣ 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 You don’t have to perform, but you 𝘥𝘰 have to show you want to be there. Energy = attitude. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Founders assume you work the way you interview. If you show up blind, they assume you execute blind too. 3️⃣ 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 The best operators ask sharp questions. Curiosity shows momentum and ownership. 4️⃣ 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 Unfair? Maybe, but it’s still true. If they struggle to see you, they’ll struggle to imagine you representing their company. 5️⃣ 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗳𝗶 If the call drops twice, the hiring manager starts imagining what will happen on customer calls. Test your setup. 6️⃣ 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Be on time. Lateness will disqualify you before you join the call, literally. 7️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 You’re not listing tasks, you’re communicating outcomes. Show the before, the after, and your role in making it happen. 8️⃣ 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 You’re turning up to an interview, so dress like it. If you show up scruffy, you’re signally a lack of respect. 9️⃣ 𝗡𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Startups hire people who run toward fires, not away from them. Bring clear examples of stepping up without being asked. 🔟 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱/𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗼 Use headphones to reduce echo. Take the call in a quiet, distraction free environment. Great people don’t lose interviews because they’re unqualified. They lose them because they’re unprepared. The good news? Every one of these mistakes is fixable, and fixing them puts you ahead of 95% of candidates. Hiring managers - what unforced errors knock people out for you? Drop them in the comments. 📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts. 👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists. ✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

I interviewed over 300 software engineers during my time at Turing, and here's the biggest mistake most of them made in the interview process: A complete lack of understanding of what the hiring manager needed. A business is not hiring for a JavaScript developer to increase their headcount. No. They have a pain, a business need, and they need someone to fix that business need. So don't do this in an interview: - I code with React - I code with JavaScript - I can write Go Do this instead: - Figure out exactly what problem the hiring manager is trying to solve, and who exactly they are looking for to solve that problem. Once you do, your entire manner of communication during the interview process changes. You begin to focus on their pain points. Example: Why are they looking for a backend engineer? From analysing the job description and learning a lot about the company, you learn that they are having a really hard time scaling their PostGRES database. So in the interview, your language changes to: - I helped Company X scale their database from 5,000 queries per minute to 25,000 queries per second. - I helped Company Y migrate their 10 TB database from Amazon to a dedicated server, saving them $90,000 a year. You're not in the business of learning technologies. You're in the business of solving problems.

After 16+ years of working in tech and interviewing 500+ candidates, I can say that the most technically skilled candidate often doesn’t get the job. In fact, I’ve seen the most technically brilliant person in the room lose the offer, more than once. Because once you’ve proven you can do the work, the question changes. The panel stops asking, “Can they code/design/ship? And starts asking: Do we actually want to work with this person every day? I’ve seen candidates talk down to interviewers, and brilliant minds fail to explain their ideas clearly. Every time, they didn’t get the offer. And then someone slightly less technical came in who was collaborative, clear, and easy to work with, and got the job. So here's what you should do to stand out. 1. Explain things simply If interviewers can’t follow your thinking, they won’t trust you to communicate in a team. Practice explaining your ideas as if you were talking to a smart friend outside your field. 2. Share credit, not just results Talk about how you worked with the designers, QAs, and the PMs. That signals you know how to play as part of a team. 3. Stay humble Panels don’t want a know-it-all. The best candidates say things like, “There are a couple of approaches here, and here’s how I’d weigh the trade-offs.” That shows maturity and openness, two traits teams trust. 4. Don’t underestimate likability This one decides more offers than you’d think. In debriefs, I’ve heard panels say, “I don’t know if they were the strongest technically, but I’d love to work with them.” This is the reality of hiring in modern product organizations. Competence gets you considered, but likability, communication, collaboration, and trust decide if you’re chosen. Repost this if it resonated. P.S. Follow me if you are a tech job seeker in the U.S. or Canada. I share real stories and proven strategies to help you land interviews at the top companies.

“I'm passing on this candidate. They’re just… not a great communicator.” I’ve heard this before. Many times. A candidate crushes the technical test… then completely fumbles the behaviorual interview. Why? Because they underestimated the one skill set that can make or break your career in tech: Soft skills. Here’s the reality: - 92% of hiring managers say soft skills are as important (if not MORE important) than hard skills. - Many managers would rather train a technically weaker candidate with great soft skills than hire a genius who can’t communicate. - Collaboration issues between IT and business teams actively slow projects down. In other words, if you can’t communicate, listen, and work well with others, you’re a liability, no matter how great your code is. So, how do you prove your soft skills in the hiring process? 1. Active listening > Rambling Let the interviewer finish. Then, paraphrase their question before answering. It shows clarity and engagement. 2. Keep answers concise Tech folks love going deep and going technical. But hiring managers/interviewers love clear, structured thinking. Use the STAR or CAR method 3. Show you’re a team player When discussing past projects, highlight HOW you worked with people, not just what you built. And if you really want to avoid career roadblocks? Keep these truths in mind: • Your skills get you in the door, but your attitude determines how long you stay. • People don’t just remember what you say. They remember how you make them feel. • Being right isn’t as valuable as being easy to work with. • A great idea means nothing if you can’t communicate it clearly. • No one promotes the person who drains the energy out of every meeting. • You can be the smartest in the room, but if no one likes working with you, it won’t matter. • Emotional intelligence often beats technical brilliance. •Trust is built through consistency, not grand gestures. • People follow leaders who listen, not just those who talk the loudest. • Humility opens more doors than arrogance ever will. • Be biased toward action. Remember this: Soft skills build careers and make you the obvious choice. They create trust, open doors, and make you someone people actually WANT to work with. But a lack of soft skills? That’s the fastest way to stall your career—no matter how talented you are. So if you’re serious about growth? Start with soft skills. Start with how you communicate. Start with how you empathize. Start with how you handle stress. That’s what sets apart great candidates from forgettable ones.