Why You’re Getting Rejected in the First Interview and How to Change That

In one minute

First interviews are often decided by fit and communication more than by technical skill.
Fit means values and ways of working. You can show both, if you prepare.
Research the company, rehearse three stories with numbers, bring three questions.
Adapt to the format: in person, video or phone.
Be yourself, prepared. Interviewers can tell when it is an act.
Interview them too. You are choosing as well.

The hires I doubted

Of all the interviews I have conducted, the people I hired while unsure about their ability to integrate into the existing team ended up failing to do so. It was not a question of skills or dedication. But they were like a fish out of water.

That is why I take the first impression seriously. I have personally hired and interviewed hundreds of people, and the adage holds: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. We are not always at our best, and I sometimes give candidates the benefit of the doubt. Still, humans evolved over millennia to make almost instant, subconscious judgments about others. We cannot avoid it. Because it is subconscious, we cannot always explain what makes us like or dislike someone. Sometimes there is an immediate connection. Sometimes there is an aversion.

It is also a hard moment to be a candidate. After the post-pandemic layoffs, many experienced professionals are looking for tech roles, and even with years of solid experience, getting an interview is difficult and getting past the first stage is harder. In some companies that first filter is not even a person. It can be a resume-screening tool or a recorded video you answer alone. So what is going on? Are knowledge and technical skills no longer valued? Not exactly. At this stage, the question being answered is different: can this person work well with us?

Cultural fit, in plain words

Take a colleague who, in every meeting, uses complex expressions and creates a lot of entropy, while the team prefers direct, objective communication. At first it may impress. Over time, the difference in style will create barriers and hinder integration.

Or take a gamer who loves story-heavy RPGs, which demand hours of concentration and solo exploration. Put that person in a company that plays Call of Duty or League of Legends, where what counts is quick communication and constant coordination. They may be brilliant, but they will struggle in a completely different game (and the reverse is also true).

“Vibes mismatch” is the informal name for that sense of incompatibility. In an interview it shows up as a subtle disconnect in communication, energy or values. In more technical terms, cultural fit is the compatibility between your values, beliefs and behaviors and the culture of an organization. When it exists, the odds of success and job satisfaction rise significantly.

Daniel Coyle, author of The Culture Code, writes that successful teams build psychological safety, where members feel comfortable being authentic and collaborative. That trust is tied to fit. When people share values, communication flows more naturally and collaboration works better.

Does that mean people with different backgrounds cannot work together? Quite the contrary. A soccer team needs different players: forwards and defenders, faster ones and more strategic ones, creative ones and steadier ones. It takes a manager who can use the best of each person and make sure everyone has a voice.

The same logic works for you. A recruiter wants someone aligned with the group. You also want to join a group where you can express yourself and feel at home after a while.

The risk hidden in “fit”

There is a trap here, and it is important to name it. When “fit” quietly means “someone like me”, it filters out the people who would make the team better. The impression an interviewer forms is also shaped by their personality, mood and past experiences, which is how unconscious bias gets in.

A more useful question is “what will this person add?”. Some teams call it culture add: shared values and ways of working, plus a new perspective.

As a candidate, you cannot control the bias in the room. You can make your values and your way of working explicit, with concrete examples, so the interviewer does not have to guess.

How your communication affects the interview

In a short interview, a recruiter has to judge from the way you express your thoughts whether you can work well with the existing group. Some of what follows is not entirely your responsibility, but you should keep it in mind.

Disconnected communication. You and the interviewer have different styles and struggle to find common ground.
Mismatched energy. Your enthusiasm does not match what the interviewer expects, and it reads as disinterest.
Misaligned values. You express values that do not match the company’s, which raises doubts about the long term.
Subjective impressions. The interviewer’s mood and experiences color what they see.

So, do you have to be a different person? No. Adapting to a company’s culture matters, but authenticity and transparency matter more, and a recruiter can tell when you are putting on an act.

Preparation makes the real you easier to read.

Checklists

Before the interview

Research. Read about the company, its culture and the role. A candidate who arrives with in-depth knowledge of the company’s work and market is easy to tell apart from one with superficial questions.
Practice. Rehearse answers to common questions (“Tell me about yourself”, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”). Simulate the interview with someone you trust or with AI, since there are several tools available.
Prepare three stories with a concrete result each (see the examples below).
Prepare three questions for the interviewer (see further down).

In every format

Be punctual. Arrive a little early, or join the call at the scheduled time.
Be clear and concise. Answer directly, in plain language, without jargon.
Show energy. Interest in the field and the role, in a lively and positive tone.
Listen actively. Pay attention, ask to clarify when you are unsure, and show you are processing what you hear.
Be honest and authentic. Show your personality and your values, with professionalism.
Remove distractions. Phone, television and anything else that can interrupt.

In person

Keep eye contact to show confidence and attention. Do not stare, and do not keep looking away.
Sit with a straight back and relaxed shoulders.
Use moderate gestures to emphasize key points. Avoid movements that signal nervousness.
Do not cross your arms. It can read as defensive or disinterested.
Lean slightly forward when you speak. It shows you are involved.
Smile when you greet and during the conversation.

Video call

Choose a quiet, well-lit place with little echo and a tidy, neutral background. (I am not a fan of virtual backgrounds, but I understand they are a fallback in many cases.)
Make sure your connection is stable and your device works.
Look at the camera, not at the screen, to keep eye contact.
Speak clearly and a little slowly. Adjust your volume and avoid talking over the interviewer.
Use headphones for good audio.
Know the platform before the day. Test your microphone and camera.
Turn off notifications and unnecessary programs.
Keep your posture and natural gestures, as in person.

Phone call

Have your resume, notes and questions at hand.
Charge the phone and find a quiet place.
Speak clearly, with an enthusiastic tone. Vary your tone to avoid monotony.
Pause so the interviewer can ask questions.
Use verbal cues like “yes” and “I understand” to show you are listening.
Take notes on the key points.

Answers that work

The difference between a forgettable answer and a memorable one is almost always a concrete example.

Without preparation: “Um… I don’t really know… I think I’m good at… teamwork, maybe…”

With preparation: “One of my strengths is working in a team. In a recent project, I led a group of 5 people…”

For designers, the strongest answers follow a simple shape: the situation, your role, the decision you made and why, and the result. Here is the same idea applied to a design story.

Vague: “I’m very collaborative and I care a lot about users.”

Concrete: “On a checkout redesign, most people dropped out at the payment step. My role was to lead the design work. I ran five usability sessions with the team watching, and we removed two fields. Completion went up [X]%. Next time I would test the new flow earlier.”

Story template

Situation: [project, problem, why it mattered]
My role: [what I was responsible for]
Decision: [what I chose, and the alternatives I dropped]
Result: [number or concrete outcome]
Learning: [what I would do differently]

The numbers in these examples are placeholders. Use only your own real results.

Interview them too

The job search is a two-way street. Good questions show interest and initiative, and they tell you whether you want the job.

Questions to ask

How would you describe the company culture?
What are the biggest challenges of this position?
What does success look like in the first six months?
How are decisions made when design, product and engineering disagree?
How is the work of this team measured?
Why is this role open?

Red flags to watch for

Vague answers about why the role is open, or about who left and why.
Nobody can explain how decisions get made.
Interviewers who are late, unprepared or only talk about themselves.
No clear definition of success for the role.
Pressure to accept quickly, before you have met the team.
Disrespect, even as a joke, toward other roles or former employees.

New formats: recorded interviews and AI screening

More and more first rounds happen without a human in the room. If you meet one of these formats, a few things help.

Ask in advance how the process works and who will see your answers.
Practice recording yourself. Use the same story template, and watch the clip once.
Keep your answers consistent with your resume, and use the language of the job post where it is true for you.
Treat the camera as a person. Energy and clarity matter even when no one answers back.

A note for interviewers

If you are on the other side of the table

Write down what “fit” means for your team, in terms of values and behaviors, not personality.
Ask every candidate the same structured questions.
Separate the gut feeling from the evidence, and note both.
Ask “what would this person add to the team?” before “will they fit in?”.

Preparation is a big part of success

The landscape of job interviews, especially in tech, has moved beyond technical skills. Cultural fit has become a determining factor, and candidates need to show not only their abilities, but also their compatibility with the company’s values and dynamics.

By understanding fit and mastering communication, you can raise your chances of passing the interview and land in a team where you feel valued and motivated. The job search is a two-way street: you find a company where you can thrive, and the company finds the right talent to drive its growth.