The React interview mistake I made (and how you can avoid it) 😅

Last month, I bombed a React interview. Not because I didn’t know the technical stuff, but because I treated it like a coding quiz instead of a conversation.

The interviewer asked: “How would you handle state management in a large React app?”

My brain immediately went: Redux! Context API! Zustand! And I started rattling off solutions like I was reading from documentation.

The interviewer stopped me and said, “That’s great, but why would you choose one over another?”

I froze. I knew the tools but hadn’t thought about the reasoning behind choosing them.
Here’s what I learned from that humbling experience:
Interviews aren’t about proving you’re a walking React encyclopedia. They want to see how you think through real problems that teams face every day.

Now when I get asked the same question, I approach it differently:
“It depends on the team and project needs. If it’s a small team building an internal tool, I might start with React’s built-in useState and useContext to keep things simple. But if we’re dealing with complex user flows, frequent state updates, and a larger team that needs predictable patterns, I’d lean toward something like Redux Toolkit for better debugging and collaboration.”

The difference? I’m not just listing technologies. I’m showing I understand the human side of development - team dynamics, project constraints, and long-term maintenance.

The best React developers aren’t just code wizards. They’re problem-solvers who consider the people behind the keyboards.

To anyone else job hunting right now:
Remember that the interviewer isn’t trying to stump you. They’re trying to imagine working with you on their team. Show them not just what you know, but how you think.

We’ve got this! 💪

Currently looking for my next React opportunity - feel free to connect if you know of any openings or just want to share interview war stories.