I FAILED Multiple Coding Interviews Until I Learned THIS

It wasn’t my code that was broken — it was my mindset.

I FAILED Multiple Coding Interviews Until I Learned THIS

I still remember walking out of the third interview in a row, completely deflated.
It was another FAANG dream that ended with:
“Sorry, we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates.”

It wasn’t the first rejection — and definitely not the last.

At one point, I started questioning everything:
Was I even cut out for tech? Did I choose the wrong career?
How could I love coding so much but still bomb every technical interview?

Turns out, it wasn’t my love for code or my intelligence holding me back.
It was something else — something almost no one talks about enough.

The Wake-Up Call: It’s Not About Solving the Problem

Let me be brutally honest with you.

I used to think interviews were about solving the coding problem correctly.
You know: input goes in, output comes out — done.

But I was dead wrong.

In reality, interviews are about demonstrating how you think — out loud.
It’s about communication, clarity, and collaboration — not just correctness.

My Mistakes (Maybe You’re Making Them Too?)

Here’s how I was tanking my chances without realizing it:

Coding in silence like it was an exam

I’d read the question and start hammering code instantly, thinking speed = skill.
I never explained my approach or clarified edge cases. Interviewers were left guessing what I was even doing.

Jumping to code without thinking aloud

Even if I figured out the right logic, I didn’t walk the interviewer through it.
This made me look unsure, even when I knew exactly what I was doing.

Panicking at small mistakes

A wrong loop or an off-by-one error, and I’d spiral into self-doubt.
Instead of recovering gracefully, I’d rush, fumble, and end up making more errors.

The Shift: Learn to Talk While You Think

It wasn’t some fancy algorithm or secret LeetCode pattern that changed my game.
It was learning to think out loud — like a teammate, not a test-taker.

Here’s what I started doing instead:

Clarify the problem upfront

I’d repeat the question in my own words and ask clarifying questions like:

“So, if the array is empty, should I return 0 or -1?”
“Are duplicates allowed in the input?”

That immediately showed I was thoughtful and collaborative.

Talk through my plan before coding

Even something simple like:

“I’m thinking of a hash map here to track the counts — should be O(n). Let me sketch it out.”

It created a natural flow and made interviewers feel included in my process.

Code slowly, narrating as I go

Instead of racing to the finish line, I explained my logic like I was teaching:

“I’ll loop through the array once and store each number in the map… then on the second pass…”

Even if I made a mistake, the interviewer could see my thinking was solid.

Bonus Tip: Stop Grinding 300 LeetCode Questions

If you’ve been solving question after question hoping to “get good enough” — I get it.
But here’s the truth:

Practicing mindlessly doesn’t help if your interviewing skills aren’t improving.

After a point, more LeetCode isn’t the answer.
Practicing real mock interviews — even just with friends or in front of a mirror — is what makes the difference.

Record yourself. Watch how you explain. Catch your filler words.
It’s uncomfortable, but it works.

The Thing I Learned (That Changed Everything)

Interviews aren’t tests of perfection. They’re auditions for how you think and work under pressure.
And the only way to shine is to make your thinking visible.

Once I embraced that, I stopped fearing interviews — and finally started passing them.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve failed interviews — you’re not alone.
And you’re definitely not doomed.

Every failure taught me something. But this one lesson — thinking out loud, like a teammate — flipped the script for me.

I went from feeling like an imposter to feeling in control.

And you can too.

Have you struggled with interviews?
Drop a comment or share your “aha!” moment — we’ve all been there, and your story might help someone else.

Follow me for more honest takes on coding, careers, and everything in between.