Without good questions, there would be no good answers. A good interview question probes surface-level knowledge and a deeper understanding of a subject area. An open question invites a person to reveal their depth of comprehension and extent of experience. When used properly, structured questions can help engineering hiring managers and recruiters weed through unqualified technical candidates quicker and build a highly qualified team.
Here are several technical assessment example questions you can ask candidates in your next technical interview.
These questions are designed to probe technical expertise and gauge behavior and interpersonal skills. Often, unqualified applicants will give surface-level answers in contrast with qualified candidates who share personal perspectives in the context of past experiences.
Combined with real-world assessments, where candidates are asked to code and build realistic solutions closely related to what they would be doing on the job, asking these questions helps to see beyond first impressions and probe candidates’ qualifications:
This question uncovers competency and experience, preferably on a relevant project. It also allows interviewers to understand how the candidate contributes to a project's success.
This question explores emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Interviewers can also steer the conversation to learn more about the candidate’s work style in a team setting.
Behavioral questions like these help interviewers evaluate whether a candidate fits within a particular company culture.
Situational questions reveal a candidate's problem-solving approach to unanticipated workplace challenges. Interviewers can also ask candidates to share a similar experience at their previous job.
This question helps interviewers assess candidates’ preparedness to tackle difficulties that might come up at work. It can also help reveal candidates’ communication styles and problem-solving skills.
Technology is always changing, and technical workers need to stay up-to-date with the latest development and breakthroughs. Asking this question probes a candidate’s investment in their vocation through self-education and lifelong learning. It also indicates their desire for continued professional training, which may be necessary for some job roles.
Education and technical training questions let candidates explain how they have been prepared to take on a specific job role. Keep in mind that not all candidates have qualifications in formal degrees or certificates. Some will have built their skill on the ground or through unorthodox training and work experience.
Check if candidates can use more than one programming language according to the job role’s requirements.
Interviewers can also ask candidates to rank coding languages where they are most comfortable.
Ask about systems and tools that the candidate will likely work with in the role they are applying for.
Asking candidates how they would explain core technology concepts to non-technical colleagues or business leaders will help interviewers assess communication skills. It also helps demonstrate candidates' comprehension of major subject areas.
Asking about jargon and well-known acronyms lets interviewers see if candidates can demonstrate specific knowledge. Interviewers can also probe how candidates use tools or platforms in their desired job role.
This question lets interviewers peer through candidates' eyes regarding major work projects in their field of specialty. Additionally, this question could be extended to projects the candidate is expected to undertake in the prospective role.
Asking about a relevant system and how they are used in related scenarios can show how well a candidate understands core systems in real-world settings. It also brings out related job experiences the candidate might have had in their previous role.
Ask about job-specific tasks to see if candidates understand the pros and cons of a certain decision or project direction.
Structured questions help team leaders objectively compare candidates for a job role. Asking 'nuts and bolts' questions lets interviewers probe skill depth and compare what candidates bring to the table. Using behavioral questions also helps team leaders and interviewers gauge candidates’ compatibility with a company’s culture. Asking situational questions lets candidates demonstrate their problem-solving approach and interpersonal skills. Education and knowledge-based questions further verify candidates’ qualifications for the job role.
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