I had my first interview of the year recently. It was for a mid-level backend role. Here's what happened and what I'm taking from it.
How I got there
I'd seen the job post and shared a project I'd built (REEN) with the CEO. He was interested and asked for my LinkedIn and resume. That led to the interview. A couple of days before, I asked if there was anything he'd recommend I prepare. He said initial interviews are mainly about testing your understanding. I assumed most questions would be about my project, so I geared my preparation that way.
What actually happened
The interview was scheduled for 30 minutes; he'd said that if I made it to the end, I'd move to the next stage. I didn't—I only lasted about 15 minutes. The CEO and COO were professional and serious. I admired that. The CEO in particular came across as someone who's not only into software but also hardware; I noticed some robotics setup in the background. I think I felt a bit intimidated, and that showed.
One thing I noticed was my communication. My voice was breaking when I started speaking, and when I realized I wasn't getting my points across clearly, it got worse. The questions themselves weren't unfair or trick questions. They were the kind of questions someone who can build and explain why they're building that way could answer. That's where I fell short.
There was a systems-style question near the end—something about different payment services with different setups and how you'd implement that in a project. My answer showed I didn't have the depth they were looking for. Before that question, he was clear that I hadn't been doing well so far, and that after this one they'd decide whether to move forward with me. I didn't advance. I don't blame them. I left knowing there's a lot of work to do on my side.
What I'd do differently
Prepare for the interview, not just the project. I over-indexed on REEN and under-indexed on general understanding: NestJS, backend design, and "why this instead of that." For early-stage interviews, understanding matters as much as (or more than) walking through one project.
Go deeper on the "why." I can build things, but my weak spot is the reasoning: why this approach, this library, this architecture. That's the gap. I need to focus more on how things work and why we choose one option over another—systems thinking, core CS, and tradeoffs. That's what I'll work on. With AI able to write a lot of code, the value is in knowing what you're doing and why. That's what I want to get better at.
Work on communication under pressure. The voice breaking and the spiral when I felt I wasn't being clear—that's something to practice: explaining concepts out loud, in a time box, without a script.
Where I'm at now
I reached out afterward to thank them for the opportunity and to ask for any advice or suggestions. I'd like to stay in touch. Regardless of how that goes, I'm treating this as a clear signal: more depth on fundamentals, clearer communication, and better interview prep. I'll keep improving and looking for the next opportunity. Hopefully the next one comes soon—and I'll be ready for it.