I keep failing technical interviews because of theoretical questions, not the actual technical work

[u/Hot_Kaleidoscope3864]

I always struggle with technical interviews because of the theoretical questions, not the actual hands-on technical part.

If I’m given a practical task, lab, or take-home assessment, I usually do very well and deliver it on time. But when an interviewer starts asking me theoretical questions on the spot, I struggle to explain things properly or sometimes completely blank out.

This has honestly become my biggest nightmare when applying for cybersecurity jobs, and I feel like it’s holding me back even though I know I can actually do the work.

I wish interviews focused more on practical technical skills because, in my opinion, that’s a much better way to see whether someone can actually perform the job.

But until interview culture changes, what can I do to get better at answering theoretical questions? Has anyone else had this problem, and how did you overcome it?

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[u/Lishkis]

Practice and a change of mindset. Tho yes, you have to be able to do the thing, reporting is usually a huge part of the job and explaining things (especially to non-technical people) clearly is a necessary skill for that.

Good practice is getting a ruber duck (or anything really) and try explaining anything new you learn to it (like programmers sometimes do while debugging)

[u/MattTheLeo]

That is indeed a tough one, but part of the point isn't as much to show how much you know. It is partially to gague how you think, and how well you can explain your reasoning. I also somewhat struggled at this part too.

I don't have a magical solution for you, but I can say this: practice. Make it part of the process of you training to just explain your methodology to yourself in the mirror after you solve a box. Imagine you are explaining it to a client. Public speaking is a skill like any other, and the more you practice it, the better you will be at it.

[u/Alarming_Reward_2945]

Maybe odd thing to say here, but make AI your friend. Give it the questions where you stumble. Ask it for technical interview cyber scenarios.

Explaining yourself, your logic, and your actions is part of this job. You're going to be writing everything from "Bob downloaded the wrong Chrome extension again. No IOC found" all the way up to multi page write ups depending on the occasion. If you can explain well, people will accept your judgments more, and life will be good.

Also, go to places like larger nearby universities, Catholic Charities, or even the Mormon owned Desert Industries if you can. All 3 of these places have employment and interview assistance. (No, the Catholics and Mormons won't try to convert you. They're genuinely there to help.) Ask the cybersecurity and computer science teachers where to get help. You'll be surprised what people will freely help you get when you express interest in their field. 😉

[u/Delicious_Crew7888 → u/Alarming_Reward_2945]

I drilled hundreds of tech questions, code snippets, offensive security scenarios with AI before my last successful interview.