Why it feels impossible to pass your interview

Summary

The video reveals key mistakes people make during technical interviews and provides valuable tips on how to approach them successfully. The speaker emphasizes that solving problems isn't just about knowing the right answers, but about demonstrating critical thinking, problem-solving under pressure, and collaboration. They explain how focusing too much on memorizing solutions, rather than showing your process, can backfire. The video also highlights the importance of system design knowledge, soft skills, and building rapport with interviewers to increase your chances of success.

Takeaways

• 💡 Knowing all the technical answers doesn't guarantee passing an interview.
• ❌ Many candidates make repeated mistakes despite being fully qualified.
• 🧠 Interviewers assess how candidates approach problems under pressure and ambiguity.
• ⚡ Memorizing problems from platforms like LeetCode is less valuable than showing problem-solving ability.
• 📊 System design knowledge is crucial for software engineers at all levels, including handling scalability and infrastructure.
• 🌐 Candidates should avoid regurgitating solutions they've memorized and focus on collaboration during interviews.
• 🔑 The best interview prep involves mastering core skills and using adaptive learning to focus on weaknesses.
• 🎯 Personalized platforms like Formation offer tailored mock interviews, mentorship, and skills benchmarking.
• 👥 Interviewers are human and biased; forming a good rapport can improve interview outcomes.
• 📝 A structured approach, like the '15 10 10 5 rule,' helps manage time, clarify problems, and improve interview performance.

Q & A

What is the main point of the speaker's message regarding technical interviews?

The speaker emphasizes that knowing the answers to technical questions alone does not guarantee success in interviews. Interviewers are more interested in seeing how candidates approach and solve problems, especially when faced with unfamiliar challenges.

Why does the speaker say it’s important to show the step-by-step process of problem-solving?

The speaker explains that interviewers want to see how candidates think through problems, even if they've seen similar problems before. It's important to demonstrate how you arrived at the solution, as this shows your problem-solving ability.

What is the biggest mistake people make when preparing for technical interviews?

The biggest mistake is overstudying and memorizing problems without leaving room for handling new, unfamiliar ones. This prevents candidates from showing how they can approach a novel problem under pressure, which is a key part of the interview.

What role does system design play in technical interviews according to the speaker?

The speaker stresses that system design is critical for software engineers, regardless of experience level. It involves understanding various factors like scalability, database choices, load balancing, and more, all of which are essential for modern engineering roles.

Why should you avoid regurgitating solutions from resources like YouTube in system design interviews?

Regurgitating a design seen online without understanding the nuances makes it clear to interviewers that you haven’t internalized the concepts. It’s important to demonstrate original thinking and adaptability when discussing system design.

How can platforms like 'formation' help with interview preparation?

Platforms like 'formation' offer personalized skill development, mock interviews, and mentorship to help candidates prepare more efficiently. They focus on identifying key areas of improvement and guiding users to close knowledge gaps rather than over-preparing on unnecessary topics.

What advice does the speaker give for handling the behavioral and interpersonal aspects of an interview?

The speaker advises being personable and treating the interview as a collaboration rather than a test. Asking thoughtful questions and showing curiosity about the interviewer helps establish rapport, which can leave a lasting positive impression.

What is the '15-10-10-5' rule mentioned in the script?

The '15-10-10-5' rule is a structured approach to handling technical interviews: 15 minutes to clarify the problem, 10 minutes for writing pseudo-code, 10 minutes for coding, and the final 5 minutes for asking the interviewer questions to leave a good impression.

Why does the speaker suggest asking the interviewer questions at the end of the interview?

Asking questions about the interviewer or the company can help salvage a bad interview and leave a positive final impression. It shows that you are interested in them as future colleagues and are not purely focused on technical skills.

What mindset does the speaker recommend for technical interviews?

The speaker recommends approaching technical interviews with a mindset of collaboration. Rather than treating the interview like a test, you should focus on solving problems together with the interviewer, which demonstrates teamwork and adaptability.