I Interviewed 5 Candidates for a Technical Role

I interviewed five candidates for a frontend role last week.

They had different backgrounds and different skills. By the end of day two, I saw the same patterns. These patterns were not about code. They were about communication and how they handled pressure.

I want you to be better prepared. These are problems you can fix.

  1. Filler words hide your knowledge

One candidate explained async/await. They used words like "so," "like," and "um" constantly. They understood the concept. However, the noise buried the signal.

Filler words make you look disorganized. They signal that you lack confidence.

The fix is silence. Use a three second pause before you speak. A pause shows composure. Filler words show unpreparedness.

  1. Stop looping

Some candidates repeat the same sentence four times using different words. This happens when anxiety rises. Your brain gets stuck because progress feels risky.

Looping tells the interviewer you do not know when your answer ends.

If you catch yourself looping, stop. Say, "Let me reframe that." Then use this structure:

  • Define the concept.
  • Explain the difference.
  • Give an example.
  1. Speaking more is not saying more

A long monologue does not make you look smart. It makes you look less confident. A structured 45 second answer beats a three minute ramble.

Use this formula:

  • Answer the question in one sentence.
  • Explain the reasoning.
  • Give one example.
  • Stop.
  1. The overconfidence gap

Many tutorials tell you that you are job ready after a few hours. This creates a false sense of confidence.

Personal projects are not production experience. You cannot learn how to handle a live system crash from a video.

The best candidates show humility. They say things like, "I think this is how it works, but I want to verify it." That self-awareness is rare. It is worth more than fake confidence.

How to improve:

• Record yourself during mock interviews. • Practice the pause. • Build something for real users. • Treat humility as a technical skill.

The tech industry is patient with skill gaps. It is not patient with attitude gaps. Be honest about what you do not know. That gets you noticed.

Source: https://dev.to/samareshdas/i-interviewed-5-candidates-for-a-technical-role-heres-what-nobody-tells-freshers-2hgf