What do you do if your software crashes during an interview?

1 Stay Calm

When your software crashes during an interview, your first step is to remain calm. Panicking can cloud your judgment and exacerbate the situation. Take a deep breath and remember that interviewers are interested in your problem-solving skills, which includes dealing with unexpected issues like a crash. Communicate the issue to the interviewer calmly and assure them you’re working on a solution. This demonstrates your ability to stay composed under pressure, a valuable trait in any software engineering role.

2 Assess Quickly

After maintaining composure, quickly assess what might have caused the crash. Check the error messages or logs if available, as they often provide clues. If it's a coding interview and your code caused the crash, scan it for any obvious mistakes like syntax errors or infinite loops. If the issue is not immediately apparent, consider what recent changes you made that could have triggered the problem. This quick assessment phase is critical as it shows your analytical skills and your proficiency in debugging.

3 Communicate Clearly

Clear communication is key in this scenario. Explain to the interviewer what you think went wrong and how you plan to address it. Avoid using overly technical language if it's not appropriate for the audience. Your ability to explain technical problems in an understandable way is just as important as your technical skills. This also provides insight into how you would communicate with team members in a real-world work environment.

5 Learn and Adapt

Whether you solve the crash quickly or not, use this as a learning experience. Reflect on what caused the issue and how you could prevent it in the future. Perhaps there's a need for better error handling or more thorough testing before demonstrations. Show the interviewer that you can learn from mistakes and adapt; this resilience is an essential aspect of software engineering.

6 Follow Up

Lastly, after the interview, consider following up with the interviewer. If the crash was due to an issue with your code, and you've found a solution post-interview, it might be beneficial to share this with them. It shows initiative and dedication to your craft. However, do this judiciously; ensure it adds value to your interview and doesn't come off as making excuses for a mistake.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?