In this blog, we share 20 interview questions to consider when asking your next tech candidate.
So, to pick the right candidate for a tech role, you must first identify the specific skills the role demands and the type of questions you want to go for. You can ask yourself the following simple questions.
1. What are the required skills for this tech role?
Before conducting the interview, you must determine the key skills and qualifications needed for the IT role.
Moreover, this step will help you conduct more targeted and efficient questioning.
In brief, do your research. Make sure you have a good understanding of the skills this tech candidate must have.
Once you get that locked in, you can figure out the structure of your questions. Hence the second question:
2. What is the best structure of questions for this role?
- Role-specific questions: These will determine the tech candidate’s ability to do the job.
Behavioral questions: the type that allows the candidates to share examples of specific situations they’ve been in. - Situational questions: these types of questions reveal how you react to situations, such as challenges or conflicts.
- Technical questions: questions designed to evaluate your skills related to the technical aspects of a job.
20 interview questions to ask a tech candidate:
1. Tell me about yourself.
This question is a common opening in interviews across many industries, not just tech. It’s a broad and open question. It lets tech candidates introduce themselves professionally. And at the same time serves as an icebreaker.
2. How often do you work on projects in your spare time?
This can be particularly telling because it often reflects a candidate’s genuine interests and expertise in IT, which might be more aligned with innovative or future projects at your company.
3. Can you describe a challenging technical problem you solved?
This helps you evaluate the candidate’s problem-solving ability and creativity. Also, it reveals how they tackle complex issues, innovate under pressure, and how effective their solutions are. It also tests their communication skills, as they need to explain technical details and the importance of their results.
4. How do you stay updated with current technology trends?
This question assesses the candidate’s commitment to lifelong learning and staying relevant in tech. Moreover, it helps identify candidates who are proactive about their professional development and can bring new ideas and technologies to your team.
5. Tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure.
Insights into how candidates handle stress and tight deadlines are crucial for roles that may involve high-stakes situations. This question can reveal resilience, time management skills, and the ability to maintain performance when faced with challenges.
6. What is your experience with our technology stack? (if applicable)
This question is important because it allows you to understand a candidate’s familiarity and proficiency with the tools and technologies your company uses. It also can indicate how quickly they can contribute to ongoing projects and integrate with the team.
7. What do you think about the future of [ a specific technology]?
This tests the candidate’s industry insight and ability knowledge of the technological moves. Moreover, it reveals whether they are forward-thinking and strategically minded about the directions in which their field is heading.
8. Have you worked in an Agile environment? What do you see as the benefits and drawbacks?
As many tech companies adopt Agile methodologies, knowing a candidate’s experience with such frameworks suggests an ability to critique and suggest improvements.
10. Describe a time you had to learn a new tool or technology quickly.
This question tests a candidate’s learning agility.
Besides, the field often requires rapid upskilling, a tech candidate’s ability to grasp new tech is a valuable trait. It shows a capacity to keep up in the field.
11. What are your favorite and least favorite technology products, and why?
This allows candidates to demonstrate their analytical and evaluative skills by discussing the pros and cons of the tools they use.
It also helps interviewers understand how a candidate’s preferences and experiences align with the company’s tools and technologies.
12. Can you explain a complex technical issue to someone non-technical?
This question is essential to test communication skills.
Especially for roles that involve cross-departmental collaboration and client interactions – roles where technical information needs to be conveyed clearly to non-experts.
13. What roles have you played in team projects, and what was your contribution?
Insights into a candidate’s teamwork skills and role adaptability are crucial, especially in environments where collaboration is key to project success. This question helps assess their ability to work cohesively within diverse teams.
14. How do you handle disagreements or conflicts in a team?
Conflict resolution skills are vital in maintaining a harmonious work environment, this question also helps determine how a candidate navigates interpersonal conflicts.
15. What are the qualities of a successful team or project leader?
This question gauges the candidate’s understanding of leadership. It’s essential for identifying potential leaders who can take responsibility and drive projects forward, emphasizing the importance of leadership qualities such as organization, motivation, and communication.
16. What would you hope to achieve in the first six months after being hired?
Asking candidates about their goals for the first six months helps measure their understanding and expectations of the role.
Additionally, it reveals their ambition and initiative and shows how they plan to make an immediate impact.
17. What skills or characteristics make someone an effective remote worker?
In today’s remote work environments, this question helps determine if a candidate has key traits such as self-discipline, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work independently.
18. Have you had previous DEI training? How would you feel about attending DEI training?
This question allows you to understand the candidate’s experience and willingness to engage with equality and inclusion, It also indicates their ability to contribute to a diverse workplace culture.
19. What did you take away from our meeting today?
Asking candidates what they have taken away from the interview helps gauge their attentiveness and comprehension of the discussed topics, reflecting their engagement level and interest in the position.
20. Do you have any questions for us?
Finally, this lets candidates show their interest in the role and the company. It’s also a chance to see what parts of the job or organization they care about most, this indicates their enthusiasm and thorough preparation.
In conclusion, effective tech hiring goes past technical skill examination.
Most tech roles necessitate technical skills anyway. But the other type of questions offer a different perspective to the candidate and reveal more of their potential.
