Many candidates focus only on technical skills when applying for tech roles. But recruiters often look for communication, ownership, and problem-solving just as much. If you’ve interviewed recently, what was one question that surprised you? I’d love to hear what caught you off guard.

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I was recently asked if I could be an animal, what animal would I be and why? It really threw me for a loop. I have no idea what kind of answer they were even looking for with that.

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Ahahah maybe they wanted to see how you reacted to weird situations, I don't think it is very professional though

I once got asked how I handle ownership when something breaks in production. That one really tests mindset more than coding.

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That is important but I wonder how can one answer incorrectly about that one, is it that common? I guess even if someone is a slacker and waits for someone else to fix, he won't say it

When I hear “you obviously have a lot of experience and know the job…” I already know the interview is over and I will soon receive a rejection letter in my inbox. There is no pivot or strategic move to counter ageism.

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oooof its so sad but often true

I was recently asked about customer service skills, which threw me for a loop. Why would I care about customer service as an engineer? But I tried to come up with something lol.

hmmm you know that now especially in product focused companies there is the "customer obsession" mantra? The "right" answer should be about being able to understand how the product should be shaped depending on user feedback, data and analytics. Being emphatic and putting yourself in the customer shoes and its pain points. Hope it helps!

Both matter, but soft skills often become the differentiator once the technical bar is met. Communication, ownership, and how someone approaches ambiguous problems tend to show up a lot during interviews. That’s often what separates two technically capable candidates.

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Can i get any clarification about this Would i get offer letter before that joining date or else they have gone with other candidate?

Thanks in advance

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Hi Sharks,

I am done with the L1 round this Monday (26th Sep) and got a response next day over email with the Subject line "Interview Feedback for L1 Interview", in the email it was mentioned that we will get in touch with you shortly.

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Additional Posts in Ask A Recruiter - Tech

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