Tech interviews can feel like a different language. Coding tasks, system design discussions, behavioural deep-dives… and all under pressure.

But after supporting hundreds of engineers, data scientists and product specialists through the process, our Principal Consultant Connor has seen exactly what separates the candidates who land offers from the ones who fall short.

Here are his Top 5 Tips for making sure you walk into a tech interview prepared… and walk out with an offer.

1. Know the company’s technical story, not just the corporate one

Most candidates read the “About Us” page.
Top performers go deeper.

Before a tech interview, make sure you understand:

• What the company is building right now

• The architecture they use (AWS? GCP? Microservices? Monolith?)

• The problem their AI, product or engineering team is trying to solve

• Their latest releases, product updates or technical challenges

This instantly helps you tailor your answers and ask smarter, more meaningful questions.

2. Code clarity beats cleverness every time

When it comes to live coding or take-home tasks, Connor’s seen the same truth play out:
Clean, readable, logical code wins.

You don’t need the most elegant hack.
You need:

• Clear naming

• Easy-to-follow structure

• Good comments

• Sensible trade-off decisions

• Tests (when relevant)

Companies want engineers who write code teams can maintain, not magic tricks.

3. Always explain your reasoning out loud

Whether it’s system design, debugging, or a theoretical question, interviewers want to understand how you think.

Talk through:

• What assumptions you’re making

• Why you’re choosing one approach over another

• What trade-offs you see

• Where scalability, performance, or complexity come into play

Even if your final answer isn’t perfect, strong reasoning proves your technical maturity.

4. Prepare 2–3 “impact stories” from your past roles

Behavioural interviews often catch people off guard, especially engineers.

Connor suggests preparing a few strong examples where you:

• Solved a difficult technical problem

• Improved a system or workflow

• Made a trade-off under pressure

• Worked cross-functionally with product/AI/UX

• Learned something from a failure

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to stay structured.

5. Ask questions that show you’re thinking like a builder

Most candidates end with safe questions.

The best candidates ask questions that show ambition and product thinking.

Try questions like:

• “What’s the biggest technical bottleneck right now?”

• “How do you balance shipping quickly vs maintaining stability?”

• “What does success look like in the first 90 days?”

• “How do engineers here influence product direction?”

Hiring managers remember people who think beyond the task list.

Final thought from Connor

You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room to ace a tech interview.
You just need to be prepared, structured and clear in your thinking.
When you understand the company, communicate openly, and show real engineering maturity — you stand out instantly.

If you want help preparing for your next interview, or want to understand what top tech companies are looking for right now, the Tides team is always happy to chat.