mock interviews with friends always turned into small talk. so i built something that wouldn't let that happen.

every time i tried practicing for an interview with a friend, we'd start strong for like 5 minutes, then drift into catching up or joking around. i never got the honest feedback i actually needed.

i was prepping for a senior role last year and kept asking friends to run mock interviews with me. same story every time — we'd schedule it, they'd ask me one or two questions, then we'd end up talking about their weekend or some random work drama. nobody wanted to be the harsh interviewer. nobody wanted to tell me my answer was vague or that i rambled.

i realized the problem wasn't them. it's just hard to be critical with someone you actually like. so i started building nxtinterview — a tool that does mock interviews without the social buffer. you pick a role, it generates questions (including ones based on your resume if you upload it), and it actually gives you feedback that stings a little because it's honest.

it's not trying to replace human prep entirely. but it's consistent. it doesn't get tired. it won't let you off easy when your answer is weak. i've been using it myself before real interviews and the difference is night and day — i actually know where i'm shaky now instead of just hoping i sound okay.

still a work in progress, but it's live at nxtinterview.com if anyone else has the same problem i did.

full disclosure: i'm the founder (solo indie dev). built this because i needed it for myself. happy to answer questions if anyone's curious how it works or what's under the hood.