Use these questions to identify a candidate’s technical knowledge and abilities
Use these questions to determine how a candidate handled situations in the past
Use these questions to assess a candidate’s personal traits and cognitive skills
Why this matters:
All software engineering candidates should be in the habit of regularly reviewing their work to ensure its quality. If they spot a bug, they must know how to fix it without affecting the rest of their code. Attention to detail is critical in this role, since even the smallest errors can lead to major issues.
What to listen for:
- An ideal answer to this question will demonstrate a wide breadth of knowledge and an understanding of what it takes to write quality code.
- Look for references to test-driven development (DTT) techniques and debugging tools.
Why this matters:
Users demand a lot from their applications. If an application is buggy, slow to load, or prone to crashing, there’s a good chance that they’ll give up on it and turn to one of your competitors’ apps instead. It’s essential for your software developments to take many attributes into account to ensure a happy user.
What to listen for:
- Listen for answers that mention attributes like reliability, stability, performance, and integration.
- The best responses will be thoughtful and thorough, delving into specific strategies for testing these attributes and markers for success.
Why this matters:
An effective workflow not only helps software engineers stay productive, but makes it easier for others to find the right piece of code when they need it. There’s no single right way of organizing code though, so long as your new hire doesn’t leave all their code and assets in a hodgepodge, they will hopefully be adaptable to your team’s method of organizing code.
What to listen for:
- Listen for answers that mention methods like creating separate folders and naming them clearly and consistently.
- Some templates make it harder to organize files like this, so candidates may mention that they use code refactoring to organize code the way they like.
Why this matters:
Software engineering is a highly collaborative career choice even though the bulk of the new hire’s daily duties will be done on their own. This career requires working with a number of teams and clients, all with different personalities and leadership styles, to identify, solve, and fix software issues.
What to listen for:
- Listen for signs that the candidate can take charge to ensure key deadlines are met.
- Rather than complaining about the other person, a strong answer will focus on what the candidate did to find a solution to the problem.
Why this matters:
No one is perfect, and not every project will be a walk in the park. The best software engineers are able to identify their shortcomings and take steps to overcome them. If they have a sense of humor about the challenges they’ve faced, they may also be better equipped to handle the stresses of the job.
What to listen for:
- Candidates should acknowledge their weaknesses, rather than laying the blame solely on outside factors.
- Look for signs that they apply the lessons they’ve learned to avoid similar problems in the future.
Why this matters:
It’s always frustrating when someone disagrees with you, especially in a field as specialized as software engineering. To handle these situations gracefully and steer projects toward success, it's important that a candidate knows how to be diplomatic while still relying on their logic and analytical skills.
What to listen for:
- Look for answers that show the candidates listened to the client’s perspective, clearly and calmly explained their own, and managed to reach a viable solution.
- A calm and thoughtful demeanor when answering is preferable.
Why this matters:
This question can help you screen for both communication and teamwork skills. Would they identify the right people on the project and speak to them privately to share their idea? Would they feel resentful if they didn’t get credit, or would they just be happy to help their coworkers succeed? You can also take this question a step further by asking what they would do if their idea was dismissed.
What to listen for:
- Answers should reveal that the candidate is not afraid to speak up when their insight could benefit the company.
- A strong answer will show that the candidate understands the importance of being tactful.
Why this matters:
You want to know whether your candidate will work well with the existing team and feel at home in your company culture. Does the interviewee mention traits that support the work, like critical thinking, flexibility, and an eye for detail? Or are they more concerned about traits like empathy and strong interpersonal skills that can help a team get along?
What to listen for:
- Consider which core values your company prioritizes and listen for answers that reflect those values.
- A strong answer will indicate that the candidate sees the value of being surrounded by many different personalities.
Why this matters:
This question is an indirect way of asking whether the interviewee is actively pursuing professional development, and it can tell you whether they have a continuous learning mindset. To keep up with the rapidly developing field, the best software engineers are tapped into the trends of the industry at large and actively seek to enhance their knowledge and skills.
What to listen for:
- Candidates may mention steps like attending conferences and boot camps, taking online courses, following specific message boards, and joining professional groups.
- Top answers will include details of specific steps the candidate has taken and why they were beneficial.
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