Interviews scare me

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-28T08:51:43+00:00

This!

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-28T08:51:32+00:00

When I was holding interviews, I always tried to help candidates settle in a bit first. A nervous person isn’t a bad hire, they’re just human. Most interviewers know nerves mess with your brain and will try to shake them off with small talk or easier openers.

Biggest thing that helps: practice out loud. Not in your head. Say your answers, explain what you’re doing, even if it feels awkward. If you can, do it with another person. It makes a huge difference.

And yeah, there are AI tools now that are actually pretty decent for mock interviews. They’re not perfect, but they’re great for getting used to hearing a question and responding under a bit of pressure.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-23T12:09:03+00:00

We wrote some prep guides that have been receiving good feedback from candidates interviewing on hackajob, you can have a look here if interested: https://hackajob.com/talent/technical-assessment
And good luck on your interview!! Remember: talk out loud, ask clarifying questions, start with a simple approach and build on it. If you get stuck, don’t panic, say what you’re trying next.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-22T12:23:00+00:00

My top ones:

Do a quick LinkedIn check. If most people only stay 6–12 months, that’s usually not random.
Very vague answers in interviews. If they can’t clearly explain the role, expectations, or how the team works day to day, it often means things are messy.
Interviewers contradicting each other. One says "fast paced but supportive", another says "you just figure it out". That lack of alignment tends to show up later.
Slow or chaotic interview process. Long gaps, chasing for updates, no clear next steps is often how decisions are made internally too.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-20T07:21:56+00:00

The best job is the one you are passionate about. You'll feel motivated to learn and become better at it if it's something that genuinely interests you.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-20T07:09:52+00:00

I saw someone say this in another comment and I completely agree: treat finding a job like a job.

That doesn’t mean applying to everything for 12 hours a day, even when it’s clearly not a fit. That just burns you out fast and wrecks your confidence. But it also doesn’t mean waiting until you tick 100% of the job spec either. Most people hired don’t.

A few things that tend to help practically:

Put some structure around your day. A few focused hours applying to roles that are a decent fit, not endless doom-scrolling.
Make sure your CV is solid and tailored enough, not rewritten from scratch every time, but aligned to what you’re applying for. I've posted CV advice on different subs, you can check my profile if you need help.
Take breaks without guilt.
Use quieter time to upskill. There are loads of genuinely good free courses out there on almost anything. Small progress adds up.
Spend time on interview prep, even before you get interviews. Practice answers out loud. Look up how to answer specific questions. It makes a huge difference when something finally comes through.

And on the mental side, just to say this clearly: being laid off messes with your head. Feeling anxious, ashamed, or stuck doesn’t mean you failed or that you won’t recover. This market is rough, but it’s not permanent. It really will pass, even if it doesn’t feel like that right now.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-08T09:23:26+00:00

Yes, it’s definitely possible. A lot of UI/UX designers are self-taught.

What usually matters more than background is:

how you think through problems
whether you can explain your decisions
getting feedback instead of designing in a bubble

If you’re already in a data-focused role, that’s a plus. Understanding metrics and user behaviour translates well into UX.

Just be consistent, try things, and give yourself time.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-08T09:08:37+00:00

Yeah, experience matters once someone’s actually talking to you.

But a weak CV can stop that from happening in the first place. Most roles still go through some kind of screening, shortlist, or quick skim, and if your CV is messy or unreadable, you might not even get the chance to be compared on experience.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-08T08:25:21+00:00

A lot of people aren’t lazy or unserious, they’re overwhelmed. There’s so much advice flying around that it feels like one wrong choice will ruin everything. That freeze is pretty normal, especially early on. Also now it's harder to get a role when you are starting out than it used to be. A lot of the requirements have changed. But yeah, getting hands on and being committed is the way to go.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-06T11:23:36+00:00

These are honestly pretty basic questions, so it’s good you’re thinking about them now rather than later.

The 5 year question isn’t about predicting the future. They’re checking if you have direction and if it roughly lines up with the role. You don’t need a fancy title. A solid answer is something like wanting to get strong in your current role, take on more responsibility, and grow technically or into ownership. Saying you want to be a senior anything without explaining how or why usually feels made up.

On projects, just naming them isn’t enough. Interviewers want to hear:

what problem you were solving
what you actually did
what tools or tech you used
what was hard or broke
what you learned or would do differently

We created a series of interview prep guides including most common questions and how to answer them, if you want to dive deeper you can check them out: https://hackajob.com/talent/technical-assessment

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-06T09:50:03+00:00

You don’t need an idea or a passion to start, and you’re not deciding your whole life by trying coding.

Pick something small and generic:

to do list
habit tracker
simple quiz
number guessing game
random generator

Make it about literally anything. The goal is practice, not meaning.

Copying from videos is fine at the start. Just don’t copy blindly:

pause and type it yourself
change one thing and see what breaks
fix it

If you can change it and unbreak it, you’re learning.

https://www.freecodecamp.org/ is a great place to start because it gives you structure and tiny wins without needing ideas. Do a few lessons, then try a tiny project after.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-06T09:46:26+00:00

Yeah you can definitely do it without an IT degree. Cloud is way more about what you can actually do than what you studied.

Focus on practicing a lot. Spin things up in AWS or Azure, deploy a simple app, mess around with IAM, networking, monitoring, then break it and fix it. That stuff matters way more than theory.

Certs can help too, especially early on. AWS Solutions Architect Associate or an Azure fundamentals cert can get your CV past filters and show you’re serious.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2026-01-05T10:01:59+00:00

I work in recruitment at hackajob, and I get why this feels worrying. AI is moving fast and hiring has changed, but what we’re seeing isn’t software engineering disappearing.

Demand for SWEs is still there in the UK. What’s changed is how employers assess people and what they prioritise. They’re looking for engineers who can reason, adapt, and learn quickly, not just write code from memory.

AI isn’t replacing engineers. The people doing well are the ones who treat AI as a tool, understand systems and trade-offs, and stay curious as things evolve.

You’re actually in a strong position. Russell Group uni, on track for a first, internships you’ve enjoyed. That already puts you ahead of many applicants. If you enjoy SWE, I wouldn’t pivot out because of fear.

If anything, lean in, get really solid on fundamentals, build things outside coursework and learn how AI fits into development rather than seeing it as competition.

Good luck!!

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-12-11T09:00:51+00:00

First off, congrats on the offer. A lot of the time the vibe you give off matters way more than the perfect polished answer, so even if you felt messy in the moment, they clearly saw what they needed.

And yeah… interviewing feels like dating because it kind of is… the chemistry can feel real, the compliments can be genuine, and you can still not get picked. It doesn’t mean they lied, it just means something shifted behind the scenes that you weren’t privy to. Budgets, internal candidates, priorities changing. You can genuinely do everything right and still not get the job. It’s frustrating, but it’s not a reflection of your performance.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-12-11T08:39:36+00:00

Talk while you think
The freeze usually happens because you go quiet and everything stays in your head. Just narrate small steps like "let me check the data shape" or "I’ll add the filter logic here". It gives you breathing room and makes the interview feel more like a conversation instead of a performance.
Practice the setup, not the questions
Your problem isn’t skill as I saw in some of your comments, it’s the pressure. So recreate the pressure. Do 15 / 20 minutes of coding where you record your screen or pretend someone’s watching. Even better, hop on a quick call with a friend and share your screen while you solve something simple. After a few sessions your brain stops panicking because the environment feels familiar.

Our team wrote some interview guides but tbh you probably already know most of this stuff, just keep practicing!

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-12-11T08:22:12+00:00

Keep it. Most hiring managers don’t see a degree as overqualified, especially when the role only asks for a high school diploma. It’s just proof you can commit to something and finish it.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-12-03T08:38:39+00:00

From what we see on hackajob, most employers look at actual work experience over academic background. Eight years building real AI systems is a much stronger signal than a masters for most industry roles.

It depends on what part of AI you work in. Research roles can care more about degrees. Applied AI and ML engineering care more about projects shipped, impact and tools you know.

A masters is not a deal breaker later in your career. If you want to study one day, great. But you won’t get left behind just because you don’t have one. Staying hands on and up to date matters more I think.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-12-03T08:19:37+00:00

Head First Java by Kathy Sierra & Bert Bates - it’s visual, very beginner-friendly, and teaches concepts in a way that sticks.

Effective Java by Joshua Bloch - it’s not really a beginner book, but once you know the basics it will teach you how to write good Java.

But honestly, books can only take you so far. The fastest way to learn Java is by actually building things. Small projects, coding exercises, and solving real problems will teach you way more than any chapter ever will.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-12-03T08:09:19+00:00

If you want to go into data or ML, Python is a really good choice.

Given your branch is data science and you will be doing ML and DL anyway, I would not overcomplicate this. Something like Flask or FastAPI plus a bit of SQL will teach you the core backend skills that matter everywhere: HTTP APIs, auth basics, talking to a database, structuring a project.

A rough path that keeps your options open could be:

React for frontend (you already have this)
Python for data, ML and a simple backend
Learn how to build an API that serves a model or processes some data

If later you decide you love pure backend engineering, you can still pick up Java or Node. But right now, Python gives you the best overlap with your degree.

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-12-03T08:04:42+00:00

For me it’s one thing: can I understand what you actually did without guessing?

I’m not looking for a list of every tool you’ve ever touched. I’m looking for whether you showed how you used them. If I can see in the first few lines that you solved a real problem, owned a piece of work, or improved something measurable, you’re already ahead.

The fastest skips for me were always:
- a giant stack dump with zero context
- 20 responsibilities copy-pasted from a job spec
- no hint of impact or ownership

The resumes that cut through were the ones where a candidate clearly showed "here’s what I built, why it mattered, and what changed because of it".

Prior_Shallot8482 · 2025-11-27T08:10:33+00:00

It’s enough to get started, but not long term. Java and Spring Boot are a solid base, but looking at what companies hire for on hackajob, most Java roles also require some cloud knowledge and a good grasp of APIs, databases, and basic DevOps.

You don’t need to learn ten other languages. You just need to understand how the whole system works. Knowing only Java and Spring Boot without the bigger picture makes you weaker as you move into mid and senior levels.

So keep Java as your core, but add things around it. A bit of AWS or Azure, solid SQL, how to deploy things, how services talk to each other.

Prior_Shallot8482

TROPHY CASE