Whiteboard Coding Tips

When asked about past projects, you have control over the narrative. Use this opportunity to highlight your strongest work.

Choosing Which Projects to Discuss

• Recent projects (last 2-3 years)
• Projects relevant to the role
• Projects where you had significant impact
• Projects with measurable outcomes
• Projects that showcase skills they're looking for

The Project Discussion Framework

1. Context (15%)

• What was the project goal?
• Why was it important to the business?
• What was your role?

2. Approach (30%)

• What technical decisions did you make?
• What alternatives did you consider?
• Why did you choose this approach?

3. Challenges (25%)

• What obstacles did you face?
• How did you overcome them?
• What was difficult about this project?

4. Results (20%)

• What was the outcome?
• How did you measure success?
• What was the business impact?

5. Learnings (10%)

• What would you do differently?
• What did you learn?

Handling Technical Deep Dives

• Be prepared to go into detail on any project you mention
• Know the architecture and design decisions
• Be ready to discuss trade-offs
• Have specific examples and numbers

If You're Asked About Something You Don't Know

• Be honest: "I didn't work on that part directly"
• Explain what you do know
• Show curiosity to learn
• Redirect to areas you can speak to

Common Mistakes

• Being too vague about your specific contribution
• Not being able to explain technical decisions
• Lacking quantifiable outcomes
• Not showing what you learned