Sharing the Optimal Level of Detail
One of the most common pain points echoed in engineering circles is: “How do I balance giving enough detail, without giving too much detail?”
The reality? There’s no “one-size-fits-all” framework.
Here’s your number one takeaway: different interviewers have different opinions on the right balance to strike. Some interviewers prefer lean, 15–60 second answers; others expect rich detail up front—so they don’t need to ask follow-up questions.
The best strategy is to adjust to your interviewer’s preference in real-time.
The problem with the status quo
Advice on how much detail to give in behavioral interviews is wildly inconsistent.
Some interviewers highly value a five-minute answer. Others mentally check out within 30 seconds.
That’s why you can’t rely too heavily on a script. A tightly scripted answer might be ideal for one interviewer, but fall flat with another who prefers a different level of detail.
Don’t leave your success to random chance. Instead, follow a middle-of-the-road strategy.
Our recommended approach
Step 1. Ask for their preference upfront
At the beginning of the interview, ask your interviewer whether they prefer concise or detailed responses.
You could say something like:
“To make the most of our time, do you prefer lean answers? Or would you prefer answers optimized for detail upfront?”
Step 2. Confirm and align out loud
Once they respond, acknowledge it out loud and align your approach.
You can say something like:
“You like details. Okay, I’ll go deep on this first one, and then based on your response, I’ll iterate from there.”
Step 3. Evaluate how your answer landed
Pay attention to how the interviewer reacts to your first answer. Look for signs of:
- Engagement signals are nodding, and asking follow-up questions.
- Disengagement signals are interruptions and a glazed-over look.
Use this as feedback to calibrate your next response.
One of the clearest signals for how engaged your interviewer is latency; the pause between when you stop speaking and when they respond.
- Shorter latency usually suggests stronger engagement.
- Longer latency usually suggests weaker engagement.
Step 4. Iterate to find the right balance
As the interview progresses, keep iterating your detail level based on how each answer lands. Your goal is to dial in the optimal balance for this specific interviewer.
There’s no specific formula—simply use your social instincts, and try stuff until it seems the conversation has a natural rhythm.
Much of the advice on design problems—from Design Your Life—by two engineers (and Stanford professors), applies to our method of adjusting to your interviewer:
“When you have a desired outcome (a truly portable laptop computer) but no clear solution in sight, that’s when you brainstorm, try crazy stuff, improvise, and keep ‘building your way forward’ until you come up with something that works. You know it when you see it. A great design comes together in a way that can’t be solved with equations and spreadsheets and data analysis. It has a look and feel all of its own; a beautiful aesthetic that speaks to you.”
Other helpful tactics
Here are a few practical tactics we recommend to strike the right balance in your answers:
- Most people talk too much
After speaking with 100+ FAANG interviewers, one theme stands out—rambling is a very common deal breaker. It’s rare that a candidate does poorly because their answers are too short (though it can happen). Don’t ramble!
- Provide optionality
Sometimes, a single question can lead to multiple strong answers. When that happens, ask your interviewer which route they prefer. This shows adaptability and keeping your response relevant.
For example, if their follow-up question inquires about more implementation details, you could say something like:
“I could tell you about the biggest ‘gotcha’ on this project, or I could focus on how I coordinated across teams to drive the cross-functional aspect of this implementation.”
- Start where you end
If you’ve ever recorded yourself answering an interview question, you might notice a pattern. People often spend too long on setup, and their strongest point doesn't land until the very end.
Your goal is to unearth those strongest points, and practice delivering them quicker. Don’t bury the lede—bring them to the very front to amplify your strengths.
Key takeaways
There’s no silver bullet for one of the age-old challenges in engineering: How do I balance giving enough detail, without oversharing?
Our solution is simple: Be direct with your interviewer. Ask what they prefer, read their cues, and adjust until it feels right. You’ll know it when it clicks.
Until then, don’t monologue. Offer options. Lead with your strongest points.