From Code to Confidence: Mastering Tech Interviews with Clear Communication

[sahej-hira]

Talk title

from Code to Confidence

Short talk description

Struggling to explain your Python code in interviews or freezing under pressure? This talk shares practical strategies to boost your communication skills and manage anxiety, tailored for students and early-career devs. Learn how to articulate your ideas, ace mock interviews, and stay calm in high-stakes moments. Key takeaways: 3 actionable techniques to shine in tech interviews, from explaining list comprehensions to handling behavioral questions. Perfect for Python enthusiasts aiming for their dream job!

Long talk description

In today’s tech world, coding skills alone aren’t enough—70% of job rejections stem from poor communication or interview anxiety, especially for students and fresh grads navigating FAANG or startup roles. This talk dives into the art of blending technical prowess with confident communication, offering a playbook for Python developers to stand out in interviews, open-source contributions, or even PyDelhi meetups. Drawing from real-world insights, we’ll explore why non-native English speakers and anxious coders often struggle to explain their code or ideas, and how to overcome these barriers with practical, repeatable techniques. Attendees will walk through three key strategies: fluency drills to nail code explanations (e.g., “describe a Python function in 30 seconds”), mock interview hacks for tech and HR rounds, and anxiety-busting tools like mindfulness anchors for high-pressure moments. With a live demo, relatable stories, and data from 500+ professionals, this session equips students and early-career devs to transform nerves into confidence and land their next role. No fluff—just tools you can use tomorrow.

What format do you have in mind?

Talk (20-25 minutes + Q&A)

Talk outline / Agenda

Intro: The Communication Gap in Tech (4 mins)
Why Python devs struggle to explain code or handle interviews (e.g., 70% rejection stat).

Core Problem: Why Words Fail Us (6 mins)
Common pitfalls for students/non-native speakers (e.g., “ums” when explaining Django logic).

Solution: 3 Practical Strategies (12 mins)
Fluency Drills (4 mins): Live demo—explain a list comprehension in 30 seconds, with audience try-along.
Mock Interview Hacks (5 mins): Walk through a Python dev interview question (e.g., “Pitch a Flask app”). Share anonymized success story of a student landing a role.
Anxiety Tools (3 mins): Quick breathing anchor exercise to calm nerves before a coding round.

Wrap-Up & Action Steps (3 mins)
Recap: How these tools apply to internships, jobs, or open-source pitches.
Encourage one small practice step (e.g., record yourself explaining code daily).

Q&A (5-10 mins)

Key takeaways

How to explain technical concepts (e.g., Python algorithms) clearly and concisely in interviews.
A structured approach to mock interviews, tackling both tech and behavioral questions.
Simple, science-backed anxiety management techniques to stay calm under pressure.
Confidence to pitch ideas at meetups, PyCon, or open-source projects.

What domain would you say your talk falls under?

Careers and Community

Duration (including Q&A)

2025 mins

Prerequisites and preparation

No prior prep needed; suitable for all levels (students to early-career devs).
Basic familiarity with Python (e.g., writing simple scripts) is helpful but not required.

Resources and references

https://speakub.qzz.io/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2024/02/08/communication-hits-no1-spot-as-in-demand-skill-in-2024-says-linkedin/
https://www.thehindu.com/education/the-need-to-address-early-career-anxiety-among-students/article69813399.ece
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/indias-graduate-skill-index-2025-employability-gap-one-saurabh-anand-t22oe/
https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/soft-skills-gap-indian-engineering-graduates-employability-2799643-2025-10-08
https://www.expresshealthcare.in/news/anxiety-affects-32-of-young-professionals-in-india-reveals-medibuddy/448802/

Link to slides/demos (if available)

No response

Twitter/X handle (optional)

No response

LinkedIn profile (optional)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahej-hira-47834021b/

Profile picture URL (optional)

No response

Speaker bio

the founder of Speakub, a platform empowering students and professionals to ace tech interviews through communication and confidence training. With a background in Tech, she's seen firsthand how fluency and anxiety barriers derail careers. Passionate about helping devs shine, they blend data-driven insights with practical tools to turn nerves into wins.

Availability

08/11/2025

Accessibility & special requirements

A projector and a microphone

Speaker checklist

• I have read and understood the PyDelhi guidelines for submitting proposals and giving talks
• I will make my talk accessible to all attendees and will proactively ask for any accommodations or special requirements I might need
• I agree to share slides, code snippets, and other materials used during the talk with the community
• I will follow PyDelhi's Code of Conduct and maintain a welcoming, inclusive environment throughout my participation
• I understand that PyDelhi meetups are community-centric events focused on learning, knowledge sharing, and networking, and I will respect this ethos by not using this platform for self-promotion or hiring pitches during my presentation, unless explicitly invited to do so by means of a sponsorship or similar arrangement
• If the talk is recorded by the PyDelhi team, I grant permission to release the video on PyDelhi's YouTube channel under the CC-BY-4.0 license, or a different license of my choosing if I am specifying it in my proposal or with the materials I share

Additional comments

This talk is designed to empower PyDelhi’s student-heavy audience with tools to bridge the gap between coding skills and career success. It’s not about selling a product but sharing a proven framework to help attendees shine in interviews and beyond.

[Animesh-Ghosh]

Hey @sahej-hira, thanks for the proposal.

Fyi, we're planning on getting the upcoming meetup have more professionals show up. So the session would have to be tailored accordingly.

We'd also want you to share the slides for you session before we decide on moving forward with this. We cannot have the session be a sales pitch.

That said, feel free to pitch during our hiring and pitching session, which happens after we're done with most of our talks & workshops.

Thanks!

[Daksh777]

I agree with @Animesh-Ghosh on this.
It would be great for us to have more tech talks as opposed to soft skills/non-tech.

Feel free to pitch this in the hiring and pitching session at the end of the event, just give us a heads up of the content you'd be presenting!

[rpsmaini]

Hi @sahej-hira , as per the discussion, we have decided to keep your pitch in our hiring/pitching slots. It's an open stage where one can showcase their venture, share open roles within the organization. At maximum, we can give you 5 minutes for pitching. Rest, you can network and connect with professionals at the event. We have lots of attendees in this event.
Also, we would require you to share your pitch deck, which ensures us the content aligns with the CoC of our community. You can share with us the draft version of the pitch deck if the final version is not available right now.
However, I really liked your proposal. You have mentioned your agenda properly, content is well defined. But unfortunately, we cannot assign you a full slot. Since we are more focused on tech. Maybe for next time, you can focus more on topics such as developer productivity, it's the best of both worlds.
I hope you will take this feedback constructively and will improve on it. Kindly confirm your availability on 8th November, 2025