Why Smart People Go Blank in Interviews

Going blank in an interview is one of the most frustrating experiences. You prepare.You revise answers.You rehearse responses. And then

Going blank in an interview is one of the most frustrating experiences.

You prepare.
You revise answers.
You rehearse responses.

And then the question comes — and suddenly your mind feels empty.

This happens to many capable professionals, students, and job seekers in India. And it has very little to do with intelligence or preparation.

Why the blank happens

Interviews create a unique psychological situation:

  • You are being evaluated

  • Your future feels at stake

  • Your self-image feels exposed

The mind shifts from thinking to self-monitoring.

Instead of focusing on the question, attention moves to:

  • “Am I doing well?”

  • “Am I being judged?”

  • “What if I mess this up?”

That shift interrupts access to memory and clarity.

More preparation doesn’t always help

This is why preparing more sometimes increases anxiety.
The pressure to perform grows, and the blank becomes stronger.

What helps is understanding your response to evaluation, not fighting it.

When the inner pressure reduces, answers return on their own.

Clarity restores access to what you already know.

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