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In this blog, you will find simple and actionable tips and tricks for conducting tech interviews, designing and preparing the tech interview process and developing a great candidate experience. Follow us on LinkedIn for daily interviewing best practices.

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Kat has prepared 350+ interviews, and has conducted more than 600 technical interviews herself. She leads technical interviewer trainings for hiring manager and in-house tech team members who will be the ones interviewing their future colleagues. She was the CTO of 2 startups after having a decade-long career in Machine Learning and software engineering.

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Blog Author and Principal Tech Interviewer

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Here is how to help a nervous candidate relax during the interview

Posted by Kat Stam | June 6, 2024

How to help candidates relaxed when nervous during an interview

Candidates often get nervous during interview.

The problem then is that it becomes difficult for them to think straight and this may affect their performance.

We, the interviewers, do not want that. We aim at creating the best environment so the interview feels like a conversation rather than an interrogation.

Here is a list of proven things any tech interview can use to help their candidate loosen up their nerves.

Interviewer Soft Skills

  • be patient
  • use humour
  • act friendly
  • do not interrogate
  • allow thinking time
  • avoid gloating if you know more than the candidate

    Practical Advice


    • clarify the question (provide context)
    • offer a 3 minute break
    • encourage the candidate
    • avoid asking misleading questions
    • offer small talk (great for distraction)
    • offer options for answers
    • focus on the strengths of the candidate
    • do a warm-up - start with the easy questions
    • focus on the strengths the candidate exhibits
    • share a goofy work experience of your own ("π‘Œπ‘œπ‘’ π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€, π‘œπ‘›π‘π‘’ π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜, ...")
    • normalise the feeling "𝐼 π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘›π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘£π‘œπ‘’π‘ , 𝐼 π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ 𝑏𝑒 π‘‘π‘œπ‘œ, 𝑏𝑒𝑑 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑖𝑠 π‘›π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘¦ π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘’π‘‘."
    (a misleading irrelevant question) Don't you think JavaScript is better than Python for web development?

    Positive Reinforcement


    • say "πΊπ‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘" when they say something that is correct
    • nod in encouragement (this one makes sure wonders happen ❀️)
    • say "𝐼𝑑 𝑖𝑠 π‘œπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ π‘Žπ‘› π‘Žπ‘›π‘ π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘‘π‘œ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘¦ π‘žπ‘’π‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›, 𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑓 π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘œπ‘› π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ 𝑖𝑑, π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘ π‘Žπ‘¦?"

    Provide the answer the candidate struggles with. THey will learn something during their interview and will never forget the amazing candidate experience you created for them.

    This is how I would answer the question. I would use a heap to find the median of a sequence of numbers. The reason behind this is ...

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