Most IT interview advice focuses on what to do. Study these topics. Practice these questions. Prepare these stories.

That’s useful, but incomplete. Because here’s what hiring managers won’t tell you directly: they’re often not rejecting candidates for lack of skills—they’re rejecting them for specific, avoidable behaviors during the interview itself. A Hired.com survey found that 43% of candidates are rejected for insufficient technical demonstration, but not because they lacked foundational knowledge. They failed to show it effectively.

This guide covers the interview mistakes that kill otherwise promising candidacies. Not the obvious stuff like showing up late or badmouthing former employers. The subtle errors that technical candidates make because they assume competence speaks for itself. (For IT newcomers, see our entry-level IT jobs guide for role-specific preparation.)

It doesn’t.

Mistake #1: Going Silent During Technical Challenges

This is the single most frustrating thing hiring managers experience with IT candidates.

You’re given a troubleshooting scenario or coding problem. You understand what needs to happen. You start working through it in your head. And from the interviewer’s perspective… nothing. Silence. They have no idea whether you’re stuck, processing, or completely lost.

“In technical pair programming interviews, the biggest frustration is candidates developing their solution without communicating their thought process,” notes PowerToFly’s interview guide. “Regardless of whether the code works or not, this makes it more challenging to gauge the candidate’s technical aptitude.”

Here’s what you need to understand: interviewers cannot read your mind. A brilliant solution delivered in silence looks identical to confused flailing from their perspective. And they only have a limited window to evaluate you.

What to do instead:

  • Verbalize your thought process. “I’m thinking this could be a DNS issue, so first I’d check…”
  • Reread problem statements out loud
  • Ask clarifying questions early (“Can I assume the user has admin access?”)
  • Explain potential approaches before picking one
  • Narrate when you’re stuck: “I’m not seeing the issue yet—let me check the logs”

Even if your final answer is wrong, an interviewer who followed your logical process can see you think like an IT professional. That often matters more than getting the exact right answer. (For deeper exploration of technical interview dynamics, see our coding interview truths article.)

Mistake #2: Jumping Into Solutions Without Asking Questions

Eager candidates dive straight into solving problems. It seems proactive. It isn’t.

Consider this help desk scenario: “A user reports their computer is running slowly.”

A weak candidate immediately starts rattling off solutions: check RAM, clear temp files, scan for malware, defrag the hard drive.

A strong candidate asks: “How long has this been happening? Did they install anything new recently? Is it slow during specific applications or everything? Is anyone else on the network experiencing the same issue?”

“One of the simplest mistakes you can make during a technical interview is to not ask clarifying questions early,” explains Columbia University’s Career Education resource. “Remember that the interviewer wants you to succeed, but cannot read your mind.”

Starting too quickly gets candidates into trouble when they could have prevented confusion by asking a few simple questions. The best troubleshooters aren’t the ones who memorize the most solutions—they’re the ones who diagnose accurately before prescribing.

What to do instead:

  • Treat interview scenarios like real tickets: gather information first
  • Ask at least 2-3 clarifying questions before proposing any solution
  • Confirm your understanding: “So what I’m hearing is…”
  • Check in if you feel uncertain mid-solution

This applies to system design interviews too. You should spend the first few minutes clarifying requirements, not diving into architecture.

Mistake #3: Treating Technical Skills as Everything

Here’s an uncomfortable truth about 2026 IT hiring: technical skills alone are no longer enough.

According to HR Dive’s hiring manager survey, 62% of hiring managers say hard skills and soft skills are equally valuable—while 24% say soft skills actually matter more. Only 14% prioritize hard skills above all else.

The candidates who think “I just need to know my stuff” are increasingly getting passed over for candidates who know their stuff and communicate well.

“Your technical skills might get you the interview,” notes the HR Dive report, “but your soft skills will get you the job—and help you keep it.”

This matters even more in 2026 because AI is rapidly commoditizing technical knowledge. TestGorilla’s research found that 60% of employers say soft skills are more important now than five years ago. The things machines can’t replicate—communication, critical thinking, adaptability—are becoming the true differentiators.

What IT soft skills hiring managers prioritize:

  1. Communication (especially explaining technical concepts to non-technical people)
  2. Problem-solving approach (not just getting answers, but how you get them)
  3. Time management and accountability
  4. Resilience under pressure
  5. Collaboration

If you’re only preparing technical questions and ignoring behavioral ones, you’re studying for half the test. Check our soft skills for developers guide for a deeper dive.

Mistake #4: Ignoring AI in Your Answers (or Over-Relying on It)

2026 has a new interview landmine: the AI question.

Employers now have higher expectations of AI literacy among candidates, even for entry-level roles. According to IEEE-USA InSight, “It’s not just about whether a job applicant can code, but how they are integrating AI into their work and using it to enable their role.”

But there’s a flip side. The same research warns that “an over-reliance on AI to write a resume and plan for an interview, and an inability to realize that AI can make mistakes and hallucinate, are among the biggest errors job applicants are making right now that recruiters are noticing.”

So you need to thread a needle:

  • Don’t pretend AI doesn’t exist. Hiring managers can tell when candidates are avoiding the topic to seem “authentic.”
  • Don’t present AI as doing your job for you. “I’d just ask ChatGPT” isn’t a troubleshooting strategy.
  • Do show thoughtful integration. “I use AI for initial research, but I validate everything against documentation” demonstrates mature judgment.

The candidates who impress right now are ones who treat AI as a tool they control rather than a crutch they depend on or a threat they ignore.

If you want to develop practical AI skills for IT work, see our AI skills for IT professionals guide.

Mistake #5: Failing to Explain Your Experience With Examples

“Tell me about your experience with Active Directory.”

“I’m very experienced with AD. I’ve managed users, groups, and GPOs in production environments.”

That answer tells the interviewer… almost nothing. What production environment? How many users? What specific challenges did you solve?

“One of the most frustrating mistakes interviewees make is not coming prepared to explain their technical experience with examples,” according to Monster’s tech interview guide. “Candidates must thoroughly read the job description and be prepared to explain their experience as it relates to the job, always sharing examples.”

The STAR method exists precisely for this: Situation, Task, Action, Result. But many IT candidates skip it because they think technical competence is self-evident.

It isn’t. Especially when every candidate claims the same general skills.

Better answer: “At my last company, we migrated 2,000 users from an on-prem AD environment to Azure AD hybrid. I was responsible for the group policy review—we had 150+ GPOs that needed auditing before migration. I identified 23 that were either redundant or conflicting, worked with department heads to consolidate them, and documented the changes for rollback if needed. The migration completed with zero user-facing downtime.”

That answer demonstrates scale, responsibility, judgment, documentation practice, and risk awareness. Same skill—completely different impression. If you want to practice AD skills to talk about, our Active Directory tutorial for beginners walks through setting up a home lab environment.

Mistake #6: Coming Across as Arrogant

This one stings because it’s often unintentional.

IT professionals spend years developing expertise. They solve problems others can’t. It’s natural to feel confident about technical abilities. But in interviews, that confidence frequently reads as arrogance—and it kills candidacies.

“Too many techies come across as arrogant in interviews,” warns Monster’s tech interview guidance. “‘A lot of techies are very talented, but what comes out is arrogance.’”

What triggers this perception:

  • Dismissing questions as “basic” or “simple”
  • Talking more about what you know than what you’d want to learn
  • One-upping the interviewer’s examples
  • Explaining things the interviewer already understands
  • Treating non-technical staff as less important than technical staff

Help desk and IT support roles are particularly vulnerable here. If you give any impression that helping frustrated users is “beneath you,” you’re done. The job literally is helping frustrated users. (See our guide on making the jump from help desk to sysadmin for more on how to position your experience positively.)

The reframe: Confidence is “I know how to solve this type of problem.” Arrogance is “I can’t believe this is even a question.”

Interviewers are evaluating whether they want to work with you for 40+ hours a week. Technical brilliance doesn’t compensate for being exhausting to deal with.

Mistake #7: Not Researching the Company or Role

Standard advice, but IT candidates still skip it constantly.

Yes, you’ve read the job posting. You know they need someone with Linux experience and networking skills. But do you know:

  • What specific systems or infrastructure they run?
  • Recent company news or technical initiatives?
  • The team structure you’d be joining?
  • Why this position is open?

Skillcrush’s interview guide emphasizes: “The biggest mistake all interviewees make is not tailoring their experiences to the job they’re applying to.”

This matters more than you think because it demonstrates motivation. Hiring managers know you’re applying to multiple jobs. The candidates who researched their specific company stand out—especially when they connect their experience to what the company actually needs.

Practical research checklist:

  1. Company LinkedIn for recent posts and team structure
  2. Glassdoor reviews (patterns, not individual complaints)
  3. Tech stack from job listing and any public information (GitHub, blog)
  4. News mentions from the past 6 months
  5. Any connection between your experience and their specific challenges

Then work this research into your answers naturally: “I noticed you recently migrated to AWS—at my current role, I led our S3 storage optimization project, so I’m curious about how you’re handling…”

Don’t have that kind of professional experience yet? Home lab projects provide concrete talking points that show initiative and hands-on learning.

Mistake #8: Not Closing the Interview

Technical candidates often let interviews “fade out.”

The conversation wraps up, the interviewer asks if you have questions, you ask a couple generic ones about team culture, and that’s it. You leave without reinforcing your interest or clarifying next steps.

“Techies often fail to close the interview,” notes Monster’s research. “Rather than emphasizing how much they would love to join the company or asking what the next step in the process will be, techies may let the interview ‘fade out’ and fail to sell themselves.”

You’ve spent 45 minutes demonstrating competence. The last two minutes should reinforce that you actually want the job. Interviewers evaluate enthusiasm alongside capability—especially when comparing multiple qualified candidates.

Strong closing moves:

  • “Based on our conversation, this seems like exactly the kind of environment I want to work in. What are the next steps?”
  • “I’m genuinely excited about [specific thing you discussed]. Is there anything else I can tell you about my experience with that?”
  • “Is there anything about my background that gives you hesitation? I’d love the chance to address it.”

That last question is bold but effective. It surfaces objections you can handle in person rather than leaving them as unaddressed doubts after you leave.

Mistake #9: Technical Preparation Without Equipment Preparation

Remote interviews have been standard since 2020. Yet candidates still show up with:

  • Camera at awkward angles
  • Poor lighting making them hard to see
  • Audio that cuts in and out
  • Backgrounds that distract or look unprofessional
  • Unfamiliar platform setups causing fumbling

“One of the more frustrating mistakes interviewees make during technical interviews is not testing out equipment ahead of time,” explains PowerToFly’s interview guide. “Making sure ahead of time that your computer is able to run these applications without technical issues goes a long way in showing us that you’re prepared.”

For IT candidates specifically, this mistake is damaging because it undermines your credibility. You’re interviewing for a technology job. If you can’t handle a video call smoothly, what does that suggest about your technical competence?

Pre-interview technical checklist:

  • Test camera, mic, and speakers (not just that they work—that they work well)
  • Check your internet connection stability
  • Install and test the specific platform they’re using (Zoom, Teams, Meet)
  • Find a quiet space with good lighting
  • Have a backup plan if technology fails (phone number to call)
  • Close unnecessary applications to prevent notifications

If your home setup isn’t reliable, find somewhere that is. Libraries, coworking spaces, even a friend’s office. The investment in setup reflects the investment you’d bring to the job. This applies doubly if you’re pursuing remote IT positions—demonstrating remote work competence in the interview matters.

The Interview Mindset Shift That Matters

Most interview preparation focuses on demonstrating competence. That’s necessary but not sufficient.

The candidates who consistently win offers do something different: they make it easy for the interviewer to advocate for them.

Your interviewer probably isn’t making the final hiring decision alone. They’re gathering information to present to others—their manager, a hiring committee, HR. If they can clearly articulate why you’re the right choice, you advance. If their impression is vaguely positive but unfocused, stronger candidates win.

This means:

  • Give memorable examples they can repeat to others
  • Connect your experience explicitly to their needs
  • Ask questions that show you’re thinking about their problems
  • Leave with clear enthusiasm so they’re confident you’ll accept an offer

The technical bar still matters. You need the foundational skills for the role—and we have resources on IT certifications including CompTIA A+ preparation, technical interview practice, and building lab experience that will help.

But beyond the baseline, interviews are won by candidates who communicate effectively, demonstrate genuine interest, and make hiring managers confident in their recommendation.

The mistakes in this guide have one thing in common: they’re all fixable with awareness and practice. Which means your next interview can be meaningfully better than your last.

If you’re breaking into IT without a traditional background, these interview principles still apply—see our guides on career changing to IT without a degree and the 2026 IT career outlook for broader context on what employers are looking for.

FAQ

What’s the most common reason IT candidates get rejected?

According to Hired.com research, 43% of candidates are rejected for insufficient technical skills—but the issue is usually failing to demonstrate those skills effectively, not actually lacking them. Going silent during problem-solving, skipping clarifying questions, and giving generic answers without examples all make competent candidates look less qualified than they are.

How important are soft skills compared to technical skills in IT interviews?

HR Dive’s 2026 hiring survey found that 62% of hiring managers rate soft skills and hard skills equally important, while 24% say soft skills matter more. Communication skills rank as the top soft skill hiring managers look for, followed by problem-solving approach, accountability, and resilience.

Should I mention AI tools in interviews?

Yes, but strategically. IEEE-USA research shows that employers expect AI literacy even from entry-level candidates. The best approach is demonstrating thoughtful integration—using AI as a productivity tool while maintaining independent judgment—rather than avoiding the topic or over-relying on it.

How do I recover if I make a mistake during a technical question?

Acknowledge it quickly and correct course rather than trying to hide errors. Interviewers expect mistakes—they’re evaluating how you handle them. Saying “Actually, wait—let me reconsider that approach” demonstrates exactly the kind of self-correction that matters in real IT work.

What should I ask at the end of an IT interview?

Ask questions that demonstrate you’re thinking about their specific challenges: team structure, current projects, technology stack decisions, growth opportunities. Avoid generic questions you could ask any company. And always clarify next steps before leaving—it shows genuine interest and helps you plan follow-up appropriately.