What did I learn from my first coding interview? It all began when I was 18 years old, still in high school, and trying to teach myself programming. I took courses on Udemy, read resources from websites like W3Schools, and slowly built up my skills. I learned how to create static HTML websites and style them with CSS and SASS. JavaScript was my next step, and I took a 40-hour course taught by Jonas Schmedtmann, a German instructor on Udemy. Completing that course was a huge milestone for me. Following that, I dived into learning React through a course by Maximilian, nearly finishing it before I decided to start applying for jobs.
By the time I began job hunting, I had already built a few applications—three or four, to be exact. This gave me the confidence to enter the freelance world. I signed up on Upwork, offering my services as a front-end developer for €10 per hour. It was here that I had my very first interview.
The First Interview
The interview didn’t go as planned. To begin with, I didn’t have a webcam set up, and the interviewers were surprised. They wanted to see me face-to-face, so I quickly grabbed my iPad to let them see me for a few minutes before I switched back to my desktop for the coding part of the interview. That was awkward, but I figured I could manage.
What really tripped me up was when they asked me how to handle authorization on the front end, specifically how to pass a bearer token. At that time, I had only worked directly with Firebase and REST APIs, where I passed the ID token in the URL. I had no idea that the correct method was to pass it in the headers. I remember trying to convince the interviewer that putting the token in the URL was the right way—looking back now, I can see how wrong I was!
A follow-up interview was scheduled with their main front-end developer from Russia, and a week later, I had another chance.
Learning from Mistakes
In the second interview, I faced more technical questions. One that stood out was about where to define a function in a React component. At the time, I used useCallback to prevent unnecessary re-renders but learned that a better practice is often to define functions inside useEffect. Another eye-opener was a question on Redux Saga—something I had never even heard of. I also finally learned the correct method of passing the authorization token in the headers, not the URL.
Although I didn’t pass the interview, I gained valuable knowledge that helped me grow as a developer. At only 18, it was tough to feel like I had failed, but I didn’t let it stop me.
Freelancing: A New Direction
Instead of being discouraged, I turned my focus to freelancing. I created a profile on Fiverr and started taking on small projects, charging €5 or €10 for work that was worth much more. One of my first projects was creating OBS extensions. I built an app that pulled Facebook comments from live streams and displayed them on-screen, allowing users to respond to comments in real-time. I also worked on an extension that made emojis sent by viewers pop up on the screen during streams, adding a fun, interactive element to the experience.
The Biggest Lesson: Don’t Give Up
What I learned from this journey is that failure is not the end. It’s an opportunity to learn and grow. I didn’t pass my first interview, but I came out of it with new insights that made me a better developer. I learned that no one knows everything, and when you think you do, that’s often when you’re proven wrong.
For anyone just starting out in coding, my advice is simple: don’t give up. You’ll face challenges, and you won’t always get things right the first time. But if you keep pushing, you’ll get there. If you don’t succeed at first, adjust your focus. And most importantly, stay curious and willing to learn.
Fast Forward to Now
I’m 22 now, and looking back, I’m glad I didn’t have to go through many interviews. After my first interview experience, I transitioned from freelancing into my current job without a formal interview process. My journey shows that it’s not always about acing every interview; sometimes, the right path will find you if you keep working and improving your skills.
In interviews or job situations, it’s not just about showing what you know. It’s about demonstrating that you understand the work and can be responsible for it. Trust and authenticity matter. Don’t be afraid to show your human side—ask questions, crack a joke, and smile. Those qualities will take you far, not just technical knowledge.
A Note to Beginners: Focus on Learning
I never expected freelancing on Fiverr to turn into something big. I just worked, hoping I wouldn’t have to take a part-time job in my city for €4 an hour. I would have preferred to work for less but gain valuable experience in my field. And that’s a lesson I want to pass on to other beginners: your job isn’t to make money at first; it’s to learn. Building your knowledge and experience now will pay off in the long run. It’s better to work for no pay in your chosen industry than to earn a minimum wage somewhere else, because the knowledge you gain will open up much greater opportunities in the future.
So, if you’re just starting out, remember: every step is a lesson. Stay focused, keep learning, and eventually, success will follow.
