As a senior engineer candidate sometimes I have good story about 4 years old. Is it ok to use it?
For example: During my first project as lead developer I missed something during development but my manger pointed out that helped me learn something and now using that learnings till now. (Critical Feedback ). Thanks
Prioritize recent work over older experiences. Recency matters for several reasons: it demonstrates your current skill level, shows you’re actively contributing meaningful work, and makes it easier for interviewers to assess how you’d perform in their organization today.
However, this isn’t a hard rule—it’s more of a continuum based on the age and quality of your story. A three-year-old project that perfectly showcases senior-level impact might be better than last month’s routine feature work. The trade-off depends on your seniority level and the strength of each story.
For early-career candidates, lean heavily toward recent work since you’re likely growing rapidly and your newest projects best represent your capabilities. For senior candidates, you have more flexibility—a standout project from two years ago that demonstrates exceptional leadership or technical depth can outweigh a more recent but less impressive example. If you’re unsure, use the {Menu Technique} to offer options to the interviewer. Remember to describe what the interviewer will get out of each story.
Hi Austen, Thank you for your inputs.
As a senior engineer candidate sometimes I have good story about 4 years old. Is it ok to use it?
For example: During my first project as lead developer I missed something during development but my manger pointed out that helped me learn something and now using that learnings till now. (Critical Feedback ). Thanks
One more note: Be careful with stories that showcase weaknesses. Check out https://thebehavioral.substack.com/p/thinking-defensively-in-behavioral
I extracted this section from my book:
Prioritize recent work over older experiences. Recency matters for several reasons: it demonstrates your current skill level, shows you’re actively contributing meaningful work, and makes it easier for interviewers to assess how you’d perform in their organization today.
However, this isn’t a hard rule—it’s more of a continuum based on the age and quality of your story. A three-year-old project that perfectly showcases senior-level impact might be better than last month’s routine feature work. The trade-off depends on your seniority level and the strength of each story.
For early-career candidates, lean heavily toward recent work since you’re likely growing rapidly and your newest projects best represent your capabilities. For senior candidates, you have more flexibility—a standout project from two years ago that demonstrates exceptional leadership or technical depth can outweigh a more recent but less impressive example. If you’re unsure, use the {Menu Technique} to offer options to the interviewer. Remember to describe what the interviewer will get out of each story.
Thank you for your quick reply