Technical interviews are broken. After going through dozens of them myself and watching friends struggle with the same challenges, I decided to build something to fix it.
The Problem I Kept Seeing
Every developer I know has the same story: they're great at their job, but freeze up in interviews. Why? Because:
- No realistic practice - Reading interview questions online isn't the same as answering them out loud
- Generic advice - "Just use the STAR method" doesn't help when you're panicking
- Expensive coaching - Good mock interviews cost $100-300/hour
- Scheduling headaches - Finding time to practice with friends who are also busy
I spent months preparing for interviews the "traditional" way - grinding LeetCode, memorizing behavioral questions, doing awkward practice sessions with friends. It worked, but it was painful and inefficient.
What I Built
I created MockIF, an AI-powered mock interview platform. The idea is simple: upload your resume and the job description you're targeting, and get personalized interview practice that actually matches what you'll face.
Here's what makes it different:
Resume-Based Personalization
The AI reads your actual experience and asks follow-up questions about YOUR projects. No more generic "tell me about a time when..." questions that don't connect to your background.
Real-Time Adaptation
Like a real interviewer, it listens to your answers and asks relevant follow-ups. If you mention leading a team, it might dig into your leadership style. If you talk about a technical challenge, it explores your problem-solving process.
Instant Feedback
After each answer, you get specific feedback on:
- Structure (did you actually answer the question?)
- Depth (enough detail? too much?)
- Relevance (did you connect it to the role?)
STAR Method Guidance
Instead of just telling you to "use STAR," it actually helps you structure your answers in real-time, pointing out when you're missing the Situation setup or jumping straight to Results without explaining your Actions.
What I Learned Building This
1. Practice beats preparation
The biggest insight: doing 10 mock interviews is worth more than reading 100 interview tips. There's something about speaking your answers out loud that activates a different part of your brain.
2. Personalization matters more than volume
Generic practice isn't very useful. Practicing with questions tailored to your background and target role is 10x more effective.
3. Feedback loops accelerate learning
Knowing what you did wrong immediately after you do it - that's where the real learning happens. Waiting days for feedback from a human coach means you've already forgotten the context.
For Developers Preparing for Interviews
If you're currently prepping for interviews, here's my advice:
Practice out loud - Even if you don't use any tool, say your answers out loud. It's completely different from thinking them.
Record yourself - Painful but effective. You'll catch verbal tics, rambling, and unclear explanations.
Focus on YOUR stories - Don't memorize generic examples. Dig into your own experience and find 5-7 strong stories that can flex to different questions.
Get comfortable with silence - It's okay to pause and think. Better than saying "um" for 30 seconds.
Structure, then details - Start with a clear structure ("I'll walk you through the situation, what I did, and the outcome"), then fill in the details.
Try It Out
If you want to give MockIF a try, there's a free tier where you can practice common interview questions. I'd love feedback from the dev.to community on what would make it more useful.
What's your experience with technical interview prep? Any tips that worked for you? Drop a comment below - always looking to learn from others who've been through the process.
Building in public and sharing what I learn. Follow for more posts about AI, developer tools, and career growth.
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