How do I know I failed my interview?

While it’s not always possible to know immediately if you’ve failed an interview, there are some signs that might indicate things didn’t go as well as hoped. However, it’s important to remember that interviews can be unpredictable, and even if you think you didn't perform well, the outcome might be different. Here are some signs that could suggest you didn't pass the interview:

1. Lack of Engagement from the Interviewer

If the interviewer seems disengaged, disinterested, or isn’t asking follow-up questions, it could be a sign that they aren't impressed. However, this might also be due to factors unrelated to your performance, like a busy schedule.

Signs of Lack of Engagement:

• Short, perfunctory responses or a lack of follow-up questions.
• Interviewer seems distracted or doesn’t offer much feedback during the conversation.
• Minimal interaction or conversation beyond the standard questions.

2. Struggling with Key Questions

If you had difficulty answering a significant portion of the questions—especially technical or role-specific ones—it may indicate that you didn’t meet the expectations for the role.

Key Signs:

• Getting stuck on coding problems without reaching a solution.
• Needing too much help or prompting from the interviewer to complete a task.
• Inability to explain your approach or thought process clearly.

3. Negative or Neutral Feedback

If the interviewer provides feedback during or after the interview that is neutral or somewhat negative, it could be an indication that you didn’t perform as well as expected.

Examples of Feedback:

• “Thanks for trying, but let’s move on to the next question.”
• “It looks like you’re struggling with this concept.”
• If the interviewer doesn’t provide any positive reinforcement like “Good job!” or “That’s the right direction,” it might suggest that they weren’t satisfied with your answers.

4. Running Out of Time on Questions

If you run out of time before completing a coding problem or design question, it could indicate that your pace was too slow or that you struggled to solve the problem efficiently.

Signs:

• You didn’t finish the problem within the allotted time.
• The interviewer had to cut off your solution to move to the next question.
• You spent too much time on one part of the problem, leaving no time for follow-ups or optimizations.

5. No Discussion of Next Steps

If the interviewer doesn’t discuss next steps or the timeline for follow-up at the end of the interview, it could be a sign that they aren’t planning to move forward with you.

What to Look For:

• No mention of next steps in the process.
• The interviewer quickly ends the conversation without discussing what happens next.
• You don’t hear from the recruiter soon after the interview to discuss progress.

6. Awkward Silence or Confusion

If there was a lot of awkward silence, confusion, or miscommunication during the interview, it might indicate that your performance wasn’t what they were expecting.

Examples:

• You struggled to explain your solutions, leading to long pauses or confusion.
• You misunderstood key parts of the problem, and the interviewer had to correct you multiple times.
• Your approach to a problem was drastically different from what the interviewer was expecting, leading to confusion.

7. Behavioral Interview Struggles

In behavioral interviews, if you had trouble providing clear examples of your experiences or struggled to relate your past work to the role, it could suggest that you didn’t present yourself in the best light.

Common Signs:

• Difficulty answering common behavioral questions like “Tell me about a time when…”
• Rambling or providing unclear examples that don’t align with the question.
• Not being able to demonstrate leadership, collaboration, or problem-solving skills.

8. Gut Feeling

Sometimes, you simply have a gut feeling that the interview didn’t go well. While this can be influenced by nerves or self-doubt, if you leave the interview feeling uncertain or unsatisfied with your performance, it could be a sign that it didn’t go as planned.

Trust Your Instincts:

• Reflect on how you felt during the interview. Did you feel confident and comfortable, or were you constantly second-guessing yourself?
• If you feel unsure about your answers or performance, it’s possible that the interview didn’t go well, but it's not always conclusive.

9. No Response or Delayed Feedback

If you don’t hear back from the company for an extended period after the interview, it might be an indicator that you didn’t pass. However, keep in mind that delays can also happen for other reasons, like internal processes or additional candidate interviews.

Signs to Watch:

• If the recruiter promised to follow up within a certain time and you haven’t heard back.
• If others who interviewed around the same time as you have already received responses.

Conclusion

While these signs can sometimes suggest that you may not have passed the interview, it's important to remember that interviews can be unpredictable, and you might have done better than you think. Even if you didn’t pass, every interview is a learning experience, and you can use the feedback and experience to improve for the next one.

If you’re preparing for future interviews, focus on improving your weak areas through practice. Platforms like LeetCode or structured courses like Grokking the Coding Interview can help you improve your problem-solving and coding skills for your next attempt.