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