How to Stay Calm During Technical Interviews

I’ve interviewed thousands of people at every level throughout my career in tech. Here’s one tip I’d like to pass along: If someone asks you a question that requires you to think a bit deeper it’s ok to take a couple moments to pause before speaking. People think that if you don’t respond quickly to questions in interviews you will be judged as not smart. 🧠 But rushing into a half baked answer and speaking while your thoughts are catching up gives off a much worse impression. It’s alright to say “that’s a really interesting question - give me a second to think of a good example”. Pause. Think. Then speak. The silence is weirder for you than it is for me. What I want is your best answer. 🏆

Interviews are not an easy thing to handle. Especially when your future is on the line. That feeling when your mind goes blank in an interview? Every great engineer has been there. Including me. After coaching hundreds of senior engineers through tech interviews, I've found that even the most brilliant minds freeze under pressure. The solution isn't memorizing more algorithms. It's having a framework that works under stress. Here's the system that transforms interview performance: Prepare for the silence. When faced with a challenging question, don't rush to answer. Say: "That's an interesting problem. Let me think about it for a moment." This gives your brain the space it needs. Externalize your thinking. Use the whiteboard or paper not just for code, but for your actual thought process. This reduces cognitive load and shows interviewers how you approach problems. Start with what you know. Begin with the simplest solution, even if it's inefficient. Say: "Let me start with a basic approach we can optimize." This builds momentum and confidence. Remember, The 1% engineers aren't those who never get nervous. They're the ones who know how to perform despite it.

Raise your hand if you get super nervous before interviews 🙋♂️ I used to be a wreck before a big interview. Knees weak, arms heavy, Mom’s spaghetti — the works! It was such a confidence killer and it seriously impacted my performance. I’d be wiping sweat off my palms hoping the interviewer didn’t notice when I shook their hand. I’d immediately forget my talking points as soon as we got started. My answers had zero conviction and most of the time I ended up nervously rambling. I’d even lose my train of thought mid-answer! Then I discovered this little hack that helped make the nerves disappear: A 10 minute pre-interview meditation 🧘♂️ You don’t need to be religious, spiritual, or "zen" to benefit. Research shows that you can reduce stress and increase mental clarity in a single meditation session — even if you’ve never done it before. All you need to do is: 1. Arrive early to your interview and find a quiet spot (your car, a park bench, etc.) 2. Search for “10 minute meditation” on YouTube or Google “Box Breathing” 3. Breathe in, breathe out, relax, and repeat Give it a shot, I promise you’ll be a different (more confident) person walking into that interview.

Afraid of Freezing Up During a Job Interview? You’re Not Alone! In this video, I talk about one of the biggest fears job seekers have: going blank when asked a tough question. We’ve all been there, and it’s more common than you think! Tips: 1. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲. A short pause feels longer to you than it does to the interviewer. Take a moment to gather your thoughts — it’s okay! 2. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲. If you don’t know the answer, bridge to something similar in your experience. This way, you still showcase your relevant skills and help them feel confident you can overcome the gap. 3. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Ask for clarification or you repeat the question. It’s a great way to buy time and ensure you understand what they’re asking. 4. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲. Politely ask if you can share a related experience instead (e.g., an internal customer instead of an external one). 5. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝘁. It’s perfectly fine to say, “I can't think of a good example, can we circle back to that question later?” It gives your brain time to process, and they might not even return to it. Fear of freezing up doesn’t have to derail your interview. With these techniques, you can stay in control and keep the conversation moving forward. What’s your go-to strategy when you need a moment to gather your thoughts in an interview? Let me know in the comments! #jobinterviews #jobsearch #interview