Bombed a pair programming round because I went silent for four minutes trying to look competent
The problem honestly wasn't hard. I just wanted to present a clean finished answer instead of a messy process, so I sat there thinking in silence while the interviewer watched a blank screen.
The feedback afterwards was almost entirely about communication. Not one line about whether the code worked.
Changed how I practise since. I now solve problems with a voice recorder running and force myself to narrate, wrong turns included. Feels ridiculous sitting alone in a room talking to yourself. It's still the single thing that's improved my interviews most.
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AnonymousAnon The reframe that helped me: they're not grading the answer, they're working out what you'd be like to sit next to for a year. Four minutes of silence gives them nothing to go on, even if what appears at the end is perfect.
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AnonymousAnon Talking to a recorder alone in a room is one of the least ridiculous things in this thread, honestly. It's the only way I know to build the narration habit without burning a real interview to do it.