What I Learned from Interviewing at 8 Companies for Entry-Level Backend Roles

From the second half of last year through this month, I interviewed for entry-level backend positions at eight companies. I got offers from two and was rejected by the rest. I'm writing this down in case it helps others who are preparing, even a little.

1. Technical questions ultimately come down to depth. Rather than listing many things you know broadly, it was much more important to explain why you used one thing a certain way. I once answered simply that I used JPA, got completely grilled in the second interview, and afterward went back to study the persistence context and lazy loading again.

2. Many people pass the coding test but fall apart in live coding. I was one of them. Solving problems quietly alone and solving them while sharing your screen and explaining are completely different skills. Practicing by actually talking through problems as I solved them helped.

3. Project questions always dig into the "why." Why you chose this technology, why this structure, what you would do if traffic increased. I prepared these points as a story in advance, and it made things much easier.

• Try using the company's service before applying (it makes a bigger difference than you'd think)
• Say you don't know when you don't, and explain how you'd find out
• Start salary negotiations only after you have at least one offer

The biggest takeaway was this: even if you get rejected, the company wasn't judging you as a person—it was checking whether you were the right fit for that role. Good luck, everyone.