Remember that you are evaluating the company you are applying for a job at as well as them vetting you. Did you talk to the people you would be working with an

Remember that you are evaluating the company you are applying for a job at as well as them vetting you. Did you talk to the people you would be working with and have a bunch of questions ready to ask them? Part of the evaluation of your fitness for a job should be HR asking the people you'd be working with if they'd get along with you and what their impression was. Making a good impression with those people can mean more than passing some artificial test. Also, if you provided a resume then they should know what you are good at. If they gave you a test that was outside those boundaries they are probably testing your adaptability. So just do your best in those circumstances. Aside from trying to learn every aspect of programming (which used to be possible, but no longer is) all you can do to prepare yourself is to be open minded and ready to try new things. If you feel you messed up in some particular test, discuss that with them and explain why. If they are reasonable people they will likely give you another chance if that test was important to them. It's no longer the case that companies have all the power in this relationship, there is a shortage of potential employees so failing one test out of many is not necessarily a problem as long as you show overall capability. Assemble a portfolio of code examples, diagrams of projects you've worked on (ask for an NDA to discuss them if they are proprietary), graphic screen captures, etc. as evidence to support your abilities and make your case. Having those materials gives you something to talk about also. If they are so focused on that one test that they won't hire you, then maybe you're not a good fit for the company or they for you. It's not a defeat, it was a mutual evaluation, and didn't work out. Move on to the next interview. On the other hand, if you inflated your resume and got caught on that (which happens pretty often, I've seen people with a little web building experience try to apply for scientific research positions that require really tough skills, though I'm not implying that was the case here, I just don't know) then stop lying and your success rate is likely to go up.