> Kept the conversation light hearted and mostly focused on general technology trends relevant to the job. Same as if you were at a meetup or something and had

> Kept the conversation light hearted and mostly focused on general technology trends relevant to the job. Same as if you were at a meetup or something and had just met someone new. I like your phrasing. I'm not in tech and don't interview folks for tech jobs, but do interview plenty of people for technical roles in financial services (for me: insurance industry). There are lots of ways to dig into their technical skills - white-boarding, take-homes, etc. but I am often digging instead for fit. By fit I don't mean whether a candidate has the skills. I ask questions about interests. What does the person do with their free time? Is there something they are obsessed with? What would their friends tell me they talk about way too much? What topics eat at their brains at all hours regardless of time of day. What do they do to feed their interests? Have had the most success with candidates who come alive (or more alive) answering those types of questions. They show their drive and passion with their hand motions, facial expressions, tone, and more. It's awesome, but importantly, it IS a discussion. It's no longer Q&A to me. And if those folks fit my other needs (e.g. tech skills, requirements for job), I hire them.