Tech pros on the job hunt should understand that the interview process is anything but standard. Different companies rely on a mix of formats—from live coding challenges to AI-driven screenings—and each requires a different approach.
Recognizing the type of technical interview can help candidates better showcase their skills and adapt to the environment, including now-common virtual interviews, which come with their own set of challenges.
Coding interviews: Clarity and problem-solving
Coding interviews remain a common filter, particularly for software engineering roles. They assess not just technical skills but also reasoning and communication.
Ezequiel Ruiz, Vice President of Talent Acquisition at BairesDev, stresses the importance of explaining your logic as you proceed.
“When answering a technical question, explain what you did and why you did it. Highlight your reasoning as much as the result,” he says.
Heidi Barnett, President of Talent Acquisition at isolved, says she agrees that storytelling is key, explaining that when presenting coding demos, it’s helpful to frame each project around the problem that sparked it.
Ask yourself: What challenge was being solved? What tools or languages were used, and why? What impact did the solution have?
“That structure shows both technical competence and the ability to translate complex work into understandable narratives,” she says.
Behavioral interviews: Soft skills and self-awareness
While technical skills dominate IT interviews, behavioral interviews play an equally important role. Recruiters use these conversations to assess collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving in real-world situations.
“Whether in person or virtual, it can feel intimidating to talk about all the positive things a candidate has done without sounding arrogant,” she says. “My advice is to not be afraid to brag a little.”
Candidates should practice describing past experiences with a simple structure—challenge, action, outcome. This makes answers concise, impactful, and easy for hiring managers to follow.
“The strongest candidates showcase their value by emphasizing how their unique abilities, expertise, and attitude played a key role in achieving real results,” Barnett adds.
AI-driven interview screenings: Prepare like it’s live
As more companies turn to AI and automation to manage high volumes of applicants, candidates increasingly face recorded video responses or automated screenings. Ruiz suggests treating these like any other interview.
“Speak clearly, keep answers concise but detailed, and make sure you’re addressing the core question,” he says. “Keywords matter, so include key terms from the job description in your responses.”
Barnett points out that behind every AI tool is still a human decision-maker. AI-driven interview or not, a candidate’s job is to make the hiring manager see why they are the top choice. She emphasizes clarity and authenticity over stuffing answers with buzzwords.
“Most AI platforms assess clarity, tone, and how directly the candidate answers the question,” she says.
John Bambenek, President of Bambenek Consulting, cautions against letting the format dull your energy, pointing out that AI-led interviews can be circular and certainly feel impersonal. He says candidates should feel free to take a moment to collect their thoughts.
“It’s easy to emotionally check out when talking to a computer, especially one that gives you canned affirmations with every response,” he says.
Multi-stage interview processes: Pacing and preparation
For senior roles or positions at large technology firms, multi-stage interview processes are common. These can stretch across weeks or even take the form of long “loop” interviews in a single day. Bambenek recommends that candidates break the process into manageable parts.
“The key is to research the hiring process of the company you are interviewing for and focus on one step at a time,” he says.
For companies that do lengthy loop interviews, he recommends have a break in the middle to unplug to prevent burning out towards the end.
Researching your interviewers can also provide an edge. Checking their LinkedIn profiles to identify shared interests or overlapping technical expertise can help you find connection points and tailor your responses.
Portfolios and virtual demos: Bringing work to life
When interviews happen virtually, the presentation of portfolios or coding demos becomes even more important. Ruiz advises candidates to think about flow and clarity.
Step one: Organize projects so they’re quick to load, easy to follow, and visually clean. For coding demos, be ready with your sample data and code comments.
“Plan ahead how you will explain your logic,” he advises.
Barnett suggests going beyond code to show impact, arguing that showcasing a portfolio is as much about demonstrating how a candidate thinks or solves problems as it is about technical skills.
Visuals such as screenshots or videos can help bring projects to life in ways that screen shares alone cannot.
Professionalism in video interviews
In an era where many first rounds happen over video, candidates must be intentional about presentation--small details matter.
“A clean background, good lighting, and steady eye contact show professionalism and preparedness,” Ruiz says.
Barnett champions the need for practice, self-confidence, and focus.
“Don’t look around the room, use filler words like ‘um,’ read from a script, or speak softly,” she cautions.
From her perspective, the most polished responses often come from those who’ve practiced out loud and worked through a flexible outline.
Candidates who stand out are those who treat the format not as a barrier, but as another opportunity to lead with clarity, structure, and impact.
Following up: The hidden differentiator
All three experts agree that what happens after the interview can be just as important as the conversation itself
“A thoughtful follow-up shows that you’re genuinely interested and that you paid attention to the conversation,” Ruiz says.
Sending a thoughtful note directly to the hiring manager shows you follow through--that leaves a lasting impression.
No matter the type—coding, behavioral, AI-driven, or multi-stage—technical interviews ultimately aim to assess both hard and soft skills. Technical acumen may open the door, but communication, preparation, and follow-through determine who gets the offer.
As Bambenek puts it, hiring managers are not just seeking someone who can code, but “future leaders or future expert-level individual contributors.”