Avoid applying for positions you are qualified for
Not take credit for your accomplishments
Doubt your abilities and perform poorly
Stressed and unhappy
Remember: You aren’t alone!
Aside: Stereotype Threat
Imposter syndrome often intersects with stereotype threat; the anxiety that your performance might confirm negative stereotypes about your demographic group.
In high-stakes environments like technical interviews, this creates two specific barriers:
Cognitive Load: Managing this anxiety consumes the working memory required for complex problem-solving.
Recognizing that this is an external, systemic pressure—not a reflection of your actual engineering ability—is essential for separating interview anxiety from your technical skills.
Growth Mindset
Example: Suppose a student gets an A+ on a test, she may think:
“I’m so good at math”; this is the fixed mindset11. Attributes success to natural ability or innate talent
“I worked really hard and earned this”; this is the growth mindset22. Attributes success to practice and hard work
The differences between the two mindsets are more pronounced when faced with failure:
“I’m no good at math” (fixed)
“I needed to work harder” (growth)
Evaluation
Things the interviewer may be checking about you:
Note: Soft Skills
Listening carefully
Comprehending questions
Asking correct questions
Any unchecked assumptions?
Hearing and heeding hints?
Note: Hard Skills
Finding multiple solutions before choosing the best one
Seeking new ideas and methods
Inventive and flexible
Open to new ideas
Can questioning move up to more complex problem solving?
Attributes success to natural ability or innate talent↩︎