Tech Interview Practice for Mandarin Speakers (US)
Practise the questions a software engineer interview commonly asks, and see where your English needs work before the real interview. Built for people who moved from China and Taiwan and are interviewing in the US.
What a software engineer interview asks
Employers often ask these questions. You can practise any of them out loud, with feedback.
- Walk me through a system or feature you built. What did you decide, and why?
- Tell me about a technical trade-off you made and what it cost you.
- Describe a bug that took you a long time to find. How did you find it?
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision on your team.
- How do you explain a technical problem to somebody who is not technical?
What Mandarin Chinese speakers commonly say in English
These are habits, not mistakes about intelligence — your first language works differently, and it shows through under interview pressure.
Tense aspect drift
Often said: Last year I'm working on it.
Instead: Last year I worked on it.
Article dropping
Often said: I managed project.
Instead: I managed the project.
Missing 'is/are'
Often said: I responsible for sales.
Instead: I am responsible for sales.
Number-noun agreement
Often said: Three year experience.
Instead: Three years of experience.
Hedging overuse
Often said: Maybe I think possibly we could.
Instead: I think we could.
How interviews run in the US
Talking about your own work
"Selling yourself" is expected. Confidence and enthusiasm are strengths.
What interviewers here tend to value
- Initiative
- Results-orientation
- Enthusiasm
- Leadership potential
- Cultural fit
What catches people out
- Being too modest
- Not sending thank-you email
- Not negotiating salary
- Underselling achievements
What is expected of your English
How much English a job needs depends on the role and the employer. Frontline adverts often ask for basic or working English, for example so you can follow safety instructions, and office roles often ask for more. The job advert is the best place to check. You do not need to sound like a local speaker.
An accent is normal. What helps most is making what you did, and the result, easy to hear in every answer.
Preparing for interviews in the US
General guidance from published sources, not a confirmed process at your employer. Use what fits your role and stage.
- Guidance published by the large US screening vendors tells candidates to answer in structure: situation, task, action, result. Lead with the result, then explain how you got there, and include the number wherever you have one. Source: hirevue.com
- Volume hiring often starts with a recorded, AI-led video interview: roughly half a minute to prepare and a few minutes to answer, with no person on the call. Nothing nods or interrupts, so keep the answer self-contained and steady. Source: hirevue.com, greenhouse.com
Phrases that carry weight here
- My contribution was [what I actually did]. The team's contribution was [what others did].
- The decision was [decision]. My part in it was [actual role]. We considered [alternative].
- The outcome was [what happened]. I know this because [evidence]. What remains uncertain is [limit].
Where this pairing usually stumbles
- Check that your example answers the question and matches a requirement of this role.
- Keep team credit accurate. Do not turn 'we did' into 'I led' unless you actually led.
- Use known facts. If you do not know a number or outcome, say what you know and what is uncertain.
- Ask the recruiter about the format, timing and any access arrangements you need.
Questions worth asking them
- What would good progress look like in the first three months?
- What support would help someone succeed in this role?
- What should I prepare for the next interview stage?
Asked about local experience?
Many interviewers in the US ask if you have local work experience. Type the job you did in China and Taiwan. See job titles an interviewer here may use for it, three points for your CV, and a short answer you can practise. Explain your overseas experience (free tool)
Reading about it only takes you so far
Answer a few of these out loud. You will see where your English needs work, and what to fix first. A first look takes about a minute. The full check is 3-5 questions, about 12-20 minutes. Free, and you do not need a card.