Post-Interview Reflection

From a developer’s perspective, post-interview reflection is crucial for success in the upcoming interviews. Post-interview reflection can be your chance to identify areas of improvement, find knowledge gaps, and work on them. Here are some common areas I encountered where I was lacking and the lessons I learned from them:

1. Lack of Preparation

This doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of technical skills. The interview formats and questions asked can vary significantly between companies. The Lack of Preparation can be in the following ways:

• Limited Practice: Did you dedicate enough time to practicing coding challenges on platforms like w3wiki, LeetCode or HackerRank? These platforms have questions asked by the company and give you real interview like situations.
• Unfamiliarity with Company-Specific Questions: Did you research the company’s interview style and common questions they ask? Many companies lean towards specific areas like system design, object-oriented programming, or specific data structures.
• Knowledge Gaps in Core Algorithms and Data Structures: While you might have a general understanding, were there specific algorithms or data structures that tripped you up during the interview? Did you have a refresh plan in place to solidify these concepts?

Check Out: Learn Data Structures and Algorithms | DSA Tutorial

2. Overlooking Communication Skills

Coding interviews do not just judge your technical knowledge but also tests how well you can collaborate with others and express your ideas clearly. Weak communication skills can be a problem during your interviews in the following ways:

• Unclear Thought Process: Did you struggle to explain your thought process and reasoning behind your approach to the coding challenge? Interviewers want to see your problem-solving skills, not just the final code.
• Limited Communication During Problem Clarification: Did you ask clarifying questions to fully understand the problem statement before diving into solutions? This showcase your ability to fully analyze a situation and ensure you’re on the same page as the interviewer.
• One-Dimensional Communication: Did you solely focus on writing code without verbally discussing potential approaches or trade-offs between different solutions? Highlighting alternative options and explaining your thought process showcases your ability to think critically.

3. Cracking Under Pressure

Interviews can be stressful and it’s normal to feel anxious. However if you will let anxiety take over it might impede your performace. The interview pressure can ruin your performance in the following ways:

• Performance Anxiety Affecting Problem-Solving: The interview pressure impacted your problem solving and thinking ability, you went blank and were not able to come out with a solution.
• Difficulty Articulating Ideas Under Pressure: Nervousness make it difficult to clearly explain your thought process and coding solutions? You can practice meditation and breathing exercises to remain calm under pressure.
• Hesitation to Ask for Clarification: Many candidates hesitate to ask clarifying questions or request extra needed information due to fear of appearing unprepared? Remember, it’s better to ask for clarification than to proceed down the wrong path.

We’ve all been there. You spend weeks prepping, researching the company, and practicing your algorithms. Then, the dreaded email arrives: “Thank you for your interest…” It is a very saddening experience, but here’s the secret most developers won’t tell you: failing a coding interview is a valuable learning experience.

This article here isn’t to sugarcoat the disappointment. I know that rejection hurts. But by shifting our perspective, we can transform it into a powerful tool for growth.

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