How technical interview questions helps you screen candidates

The use of technical interview questions is an essential component of any hiring process. Before inviting a candidate in for an in-person interview, you should use these technical interview questions to gauge whether they may be a suitable match for the available position.

To save time and limit down the field of candidates, try a pre-screening phone interview.

The ideal duration for a phone screen interview is fifteen to thirty minutes. The interviewer should leave the meeting with a solid sense of whether or not to proceed with the in-person interview after reviewing the applicant’s application. Keep reading to see why it’s crucial to inquire about relevant experience and skills throughout the pre-screening process. While researching the most effective technical writer interview questions to ask a competent applicant.

What is a screening interview?

When an applicant first meets with a recruiting manager in person, it is for a screening interview.

The purpose of this initial meeting is to learn about the candidate’s background, explore their career aspirations, and determine if their values are compatible with those of your organization.

On the other hand, potential employees may find out more about your business! Also, don’t forget to let them know what they love most about working with you.

The goal of every hiring manager’s interview process is to determine if a candidate merits further consideration.

In contrast to a bad screening interview, which may cause your leadership teams to lose valuable time, a successful screening interview moves qualified individuals on to the next round of the screening process.

What is a technical interview?

A technical interview is a type of interview tailored to a particular sector or profession and used to evaluate a candidate's technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and general knowledge. Positions requiring strong technical knowledge, such as software engineers, data scientists, and network administrators, often use it to evaluate candidates. In a normal interview, candidates are asked technical interview questions designed to test their understanding of various programming languages, algorithms, data structures, and other job-related technical topics. Depending on the role and the needs of the organization, technical interview questions might be simple or complex. Some technical interviews involve applicants answering issues on a whiteboard, while others take place online, including versions where participants work together to develop code. As an additional component of the evaluation process, firms may utilize technical tests, coding challenges, or take-home projects alongside interviews.

Who uses technical interviews?

Technical interviews are surprisingly not limited to the IT industry. As a standard component of the employment process, practical exercises are often included in interviews by recruiters in many sectors. Companies in the technology sector that may use task-based interviews include those specializing in software development and SaaS, hardware manufacturers, cyber security and advisory agencies, and new ventures.

The goal of any good technical interview is to find out how well a candidate can carry out the duties of the position. During this phase, it is also helpful to identify the applicants’ current skill sets and the information they will need for the interview and the new position.

Key characteristics of a technical interview include:

• Problem-Solving Tasks: Candidates are frequently asked to tackle hypothetical or real-life technological problems utilizing various tools such as computers, whiteboards, or paper and pencil. The capacity to think critically and use one's technical knowledge in real-world contexts are both tested by these tasks.
• Code Reviews: A typical part of software engineering roles. Potential hires may be required to improve an algorithm or create code to address a specific issue, demonstrating coding ability, attention to detail, and the capacity to produce efficient, well-organized code.
• System/architecture design: For senior positions, candidates may be asked about complex systems, architecture, or database design, demonstrating an understanding of scalability, performance, and security while making broad design decisions.
• Behavioral questions: Technical interviews tend to center around technical abilities, but they could also incorporate behavioral questions to gauge a candidate's ability to work in a team, integrate with company culture, and communicate effectively.

When is a technical interview important?

A technical interview is a must when filling positions requiring highly specialized technical knowledge or abilities. In particular:

• When filling roles that call for specialized technical expertise, such as data science, engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and network administration.
• When employers want to evaluate candidates' problem-solving, practical, and technical talents to see if the candidate is up to the challenge of the job.
• When hiring managers need to evaluate analytical and problem-solving skills against difficult technical challenges or elaborate systems.
• When companies need candidates to provide evidence supporting the technical claims made on their resume.
• As a screening tool to reduce a large candidate pool down to people with the right set of technical skills and knowledge.
• When determining if a candidate will be a suitable match for a role's technical demands as well as the company's culture, teamwork skills, and communication abilities.
• For high-risk projects or products, where a corporation must secure the best technical personnel to make the initiative a success.
• For senior-level or specialized positions that need a great deal of knowledge and skill.
• When testing problem-solving abilities specifically, to see how candidates think critically and come up with innovative solutions.
• For tech organizations and startups that rely on technical interviews to find employees who can thrive in fast-paced, ever-changing workplaces.

7 types of technical interview questions

Technical interview questions can include a broad variety of topics, depending on the role and sector, generally falling into these categories:

• Computer code and programs: Tests the ability to produce code and solve problems in languages such as Python, Java, C++, or JavaScript, including coding puzzles, algorithmic problems, or constructing data structures.
• Developing the system: Reveals how well a candidate handles the design and architecture of complex systems, focusing on performance, scalability, reliability, and trade-offs.
• Algorithms and data structures: Covers trees, graphs, stacks, linked lists, sorting, searching, traversals, and dynamic programming, including time and spatial complexity analysis.
• SQL and databases: Assesses knowledge of database management systems, SQL queries, and database architecture fundamentals, including structure building and query optimization.
• System design: Focuses on the structure and components of a system, including scalability, security, cloud computing, distributed systems, and networking.
• Examining and fixing: Assesses the ability to identify and fix code issues, plus the candidate's grasp of software testing concepts and methodologies.
• Developing the web: Covers browser compatibility, RESTful APIs, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks such as Angular and React, including experience with web application creation, optimization, and debugging.

Stages of the technical interview

The three main components of a technical interview are:

Stage 1: Screening through phone

The employer is interested in learning more about the individual after selecting their résumé. In this step, the hiring employer gets in touch with the candidate to let them know about the portion of their resume and gauge their level of enthusiasm for moving forward to the interview stages.

Step 2: Delegation and remote coding

Before moving forward with the in-person interview, employers should do a skill test. As a first step in the hiring process, the organization will give the candidate a business-related task or test to complete. The applicant would have to complete the assignment all at once and send it into the business. To administer the test, employers might use specialized online or in-house resources.

Step 3: On-site interview and whiteboard challenge

The third round of technical interviews is what employers refer to as the “real” round. At this point, a whiteboard interviewer will contact the applicant for a one-on-one meeting and present them with a coding assignment to complete.

A few additional practices strengthen these stages: make sure the job description is thorough before you start, since a precise description of duties and required skills helps you tailor better screening and coding tasks. It's also worth asking candidates for examples of their prior work (portfolios) once you have a shortlist, since past projects give a good sense of ability and expertise before committing to an on-site round. Finally, after the whiteboard challenge, take time to consider how the candidate's personality and technical abilities might mesh with your specific team and role, not just whether they can solve the problem.

How to prepare for the technical interview?

Here are certain abilities that applicants should work on to ace good technical interview questions, as stated by IT companies.

Think about the equipment and abilities that are must-haves for the position.

Candidates are expected to concentrate on the essential duties of the role by employers. To do this, employers need to draft a precise and comprehensive job description. This will allow candidates to fully grasp the duties and obligations associated with the position. Data structures, business intelligence tools, and programming languages are just a few examples of the kinds of details that might be included in the description.

If a candidate has extensive knowledge and comprehension, they will be better able to answer all of the questions on the application. The applicants are expected by employers to make a suitable outline of the materials that they will need to study or refer to. Candidates may brush up on their technical skills and remember the fundamentals in this way, which will help them get a better score on the job assessment.

Consult reference materials and online journals

Candidates are expected to thoroughly research the work at hand by consulting various books and digital media to prepare for the technical interview. Once individuals have a clear understanding of what they should be concentrating on, they may choose the appropriate resources to achieve their goals. These resources may take the form of digital directories, books, or online course materials. Since the company would be able to recruit someone with this level of expertise, it is clear that this level of knowledge is beneficial to all parties involved.

• Reviewing course materials online is a part of taking classes online; doing so can help with grasping both the theoretical and practical aspects of the material.
• Reading up on management systems and programming, in general, might help you prepare for interviews by expanding your expertise in these areas.
• Electronic journals: The candidate’s expertise may be enhanced and they could be apprised of the most recent technological developments pertinent to the company by perusing the numerous online journals. Employers will be able to get more out of candidates in technical interviews if they do this.

Practice

Math must underpin your technical interviews. Various analytical aspects of technical interview questions, like homework or problem-solving, might be better prepared for using this information. All the necessary logical question sequences for the job may be properly practiced by the applicants. You will also be able to evaluate candidates more effectively with this. If the interviewer wants to know how a candidate thinks, they need to figure it out. Mathematical and logical reasoning questions are good indicators of a candidate’s intelligence.

You should include targeted coding questions in the recruiting process to evaluate a candidate’s knowledge and abilities in the field. To prepare for the technical writer interview questions, you might have the applicants look up answers to code problems online and practice on their own. Both you and they will benefit from the technical interview if they are well-prepared for it.

Inquire further

Candidates should feel comfortable enough to open up and ask questions during the technical interview questions if they have any concerns or need clarification on the coding challenge. Indeed, evaluating the candidate’s interpersonal and communicative abilities is crucial. Choosing the correct one is easy because it meets all the requirements for the task.

Interviews may be more productive and conversational if candidates study up on industry-related topics before the interview. Accordingly, this may determine the interview’s final verdict. You may use this information to better determine the kind of applicant you require and the qualifications they should possess for the job.

During the interview, prompt the applicant to ask questions that would reveal their level of expertise and ability to tackle the coding problems on the whiteboard.

Allot sufficient time

Neither the recruiters nor the applicants should ever make it seem like they are in a rush when answering questions during technical interview questions. You are free to take all the time you need. Interviews are often given sufficient time by hiring managers and recruiters. Therefore, candidates should not rush through the conversation. They need not rush through it to make a good impression on the interviewer. More errors will be made on the exam as a result. Before submitting your final work, make sure to review it and assess your results.

Tips for answering technical interview questions (candidate-facing)

1. Share your reasoning behind it.

If someone were to ask about the methods you employed, the resources you consulted, or a hypothetical scenario, go above and beyond to explain how you arrived at your response. This is a great opportunity to show off your analytical skills while giving the interviewer a glimpse into your character. Example: "Before deciding to study R or Python, I did some reading on the subject. Since I hope to make a career change into statistical analysis in the future, I understood I would have to study both. But at first, Python's widespread popularity made it seem like the best choice for a beginner like me."

2. Call attention to associated software or resources.

Never claim you don't know how to use a tool; instead, highlight a comparable tool you are familiar with whenever feasible. Example: "While I have some experience with Figma thanks to my design pals, I have mostly worked using Sketch in my past positions. Their commonalities, particularly in real-time cooperation, make me confident that I could easily switch to Figma."

3. Show initiative.

Don't let a lack of information deter you just because you don't know the solution. Describe how you would get up to speed and ask for clarification. Example: "I have self-taught proficiency in Hootsuite and Buffer, two social media management tools, which will serve me well as I go into content management and study your content management system. As part of the onboarding process, do you provide any opportunities for in-house training?"

Best questions to ask in a technical interview

1. why do you want this job?

This is the most basic question, yet it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture and become bogged down in the specifics.

Evaluate the applicant based on their capacity to pause, step back, and take in the broader view. You might be as astounded by their honesty as you would be if they were unable to answer your question directly.

2. how are your special abilities a fit for the role?

You can tell if a candidate is interested in working for your firm by how carefully they read the job advertisement.

In their pursuit of employment, some may flood the field with resumes. I get it; people are desperate sometimes. But being willing to work for anything isn’t the same as being enthusiastic and devoted to your job.

Verify if the abilities they listed match the ones listed in the job offering.

3. where do you get your tech news?

There is no shortage of sources for business news, some of which are more reliable than others. There’s no one correct response to this question; but, it does provide insight into the candidate’s internal workings.

Does Bloomberg or AdWeek still include stodgy, outmoded viewpoints, or are they in tune with the current events?

4. what’s your favorite piece of technology, and why?

Let them brag about how well they know computers, software, and operating systems. Is it more fun for them to use as a coder or a user? Is the design, the interface, or the inner workings their primary concern?

You may learn a lot about the candidate’s priorities and problem-solving skills from their answers to these technical interview questions.

5. do you work best alone or as part of a team?

This is the kind of question that has to be customized for each job. You should expect a different response if you’re searching for a software engineer who will be working as part of a big team compared to a research scientist who will be working alone.

Focusing on teams, rather than individuals, is shown to significantly increase overall productivity in new research. Use that information as you see fit.

6. tell me what our product is for people who aren’t tech savvy.

Any typical firm role in this field—IT, HR, sales, customer service, etc.—requires the ability to translate technical jargon.

Consider every single one of your workers to be a walking billboard for your company at all times. They have the priceless technical talent of being able to explain the function and significance of the company’s product in simple terms. To gauge their proficiency in both “languages,” stage a simulated discussion in which you pose follow-up technical interview questions to a layperson.

7. what is the worst part of our product? How would you fix it?

The interviewer shouldn’t give the candidate an easy out by asking them to exaggerate their qualifications every time.

These may seem like intentionally difficult technical interview questions, but they’re very easy to answer. An employee is an investment in a company’s future issue solvers. Be sure they can see technological issues, know what to do about them, and, most importantly, be vocal about it.

8. outline the steps you take to ensure product quality.

Quality control objectives and methods will vary from one firm to the next. Inquire as to the candidate’s experience with these methods, noting which ones were successful and which ones they want to use moving forward.

You may gauge their ability to fulfill deadlines, their interaction with leaders, and the quality of their work based on this.

9. when you initially started programming, how did you learn the cords? Also, what did you code?

You aren’t evaluating the candidate’s programming skills here. Unless you want to know how seriously they take it.

Take note of the candidate’s pace, tone, and choice of information as they answer this question. When compared to new workers whose only motivation is to get a paycheck, individuals with enthusiasm for their work have a greater impact.

10. what caused you to resign from your previous position?

This is a crucial but often dreaded question in tech interviews. I realize it’s bad that they were dismissed for insubordination or drunkenness on the job, but you should know that they’re willing to tell you.

The openness of candidates on this issue frequently takes us by surprise. The success or failure of an interview hinges on how bravely you respond to this question.

More technical interview questions to ask:

11. Tell me about your technical background.

A good icebreaker before diving deeper. Look for a brief overview of the candidate's most impressive accomplishments and the projects that showcase their skills, told as a story rather than a recited resume.

12. Walk me through your problem-solving process.

Have the candidate describe the methodical way they handle difficult problems: how they collect data, analyze the issue, brainstorm potential solutions, and put a plan into action.

13. Explain a difficult project you have worked on.

Ask the candidate to describe a project where they encountered challenges, what they learned, and how they applied it to future work — this also reveals adaptability and how they absorb complex ideas.

14. How do you stay up to date on the latest tech trends?

Look for specifics: tech conferences attended, online classes taken, and sites they trust for tech news, which signals genuine curiosity rather than passing interest.

15. Describe a situation where you confronted a technical obstacle.

Gauges technical prowess and adaptability to novel situations. Have the candidate walk through the problem, their solution, and its implementation in both technical and layman's terms.

16. How do you collaborate with non-technical team members?

Cooperation with colleagues who lack technical expertise is crucial in most workplaces. Look for the candidate's ability to convey ideas clearly, their flexibility, and openness to feedback.

Technical interview questions for all careers (not every role uses the same question set — a product manager won't get the same questions as a software developer, but these five are common across most technical interviews):

17. How do you keep your technical skills up to date?

Look for whether the candidate goes above what's offered by the employer in terms of training and education, whether through formal courses, trade publications, or self-directed learning.

18. What resources do you use to help you do your job?

"Resources" covers more than software tools (project management tools, GitHub, Google Suite) — it also includes people, such as a mentor, supervisor, or preferred way of collaborating with teammates.

19. How does working in an Agile setting compare to other types of workplaces?

Tests whether the candidate understands Agile's team-based, cross-department collaboration model versus a Waterfall approach where separate departments work in isolation.

20. Tell me about one of your side projects.

Reveals whether the candidate applies their technical talents outside of work, and whether they're driven by genuine passion for the field. A candidate without side projects isn't a red flag on its own — probe for why (family responsibilities, other interests) rather than penalizing the answer.

21. Is this your first time using our service or product?

Less about product knowledge and more about the candidate's research habits and motivation for seeking the role. Listen for genuine, specific feedback (including flaws) rather than generic praise.

What is a recruitment strategy?

A recruitment strategy is your company's detailed approach to finding, interviewing, and ultimately hiring new employees. It should lay out your company's overarching goals, staffing needs and skill shortages, budget, recruiting tactics, tools and technologies used, selection criteria, and succession plans. Technical interview questions used within that strategy should be achievable and easily communicated; the tactics can be adjusted, but the overarching goal should stay consistent.

Potential roadblocks when interviewing technology candidates

After being invited to a technical evaluation, candidates can disappear from a recruiter's pipeline — typically because the evaluation process runs too long. Because of remote work, it's worth keeping technical evaluations to no more than 60 minutes, or offering live tech assessments around the clock. All candidates should also be given the identical exam with the same questions, scored the same way, so evaluation stays consistent and standardized.

The recommendation phase that follows the technical evaluation determines whether applicants move on or are declined — this requires a clear understanding of the role and required abilities, or it becomes difficult for recruiters to make the call. Final interviews are often coordinated between technical recruiters, the hiring manager, and the engineering team, mixing behavioral and technical questions. Problems can arise when interviewers are unsure of their role in the process, so it helps for the interview team to meet beforehand to establish responsibilities and align on the questions being asked.

What is the difference between talent acquisition and recruiting?

There is significant overlap between the responsibilities of recruiters and talent acquisition specialists, but there are important distinctions. Recruiters are mostly concerned with finding people to fill open jobs, while talent acquisition managers and experts focus on longer-term strategies for the company's human resources function. Recruiters often fill positions requiring a more generic skill set, whereas talent acquisition experts help firms build a reputation that draws in highly specialized talent for leadership, specialist, and executive roles — common in fields like healthcare, law, banking, and technology.

Sample questions used to evaluate technical recruiters

When hiring for a technical recruiting role itself, useful questions include: how a candidate approaches and opens a conversation with a prospective hire; how they stay in touch with people after they're hired; how they deliver rejection news while keeping candidates engaged for future roles; how their recruiting approach has evolved over time; how they organize and track a candidate pipeline; which metrics they use to measure recruiting performance (e.g., time-to-fill, time-to-hire); how they stay current on technology-sector trends; their contract-to-full-time conversion rate; how they handle a candidate declining an offer; and how they'd improve an existing technical hiring process.

Tips for assessing candidates after a technical interview

To help choose the best applicant for the role, ask yourself the following after the interview:

• Were any applicants more inquisitive than the others? A candidate's eagerness to ask questions signals engagement with the interview process.
• What do you see in the long run? Look for a teammate who can commit to staying, based on their job history and their responses about work preferences.
• How many hours did they spend on your exercises? Candidates who go above and beyond demonstrate dedication to the role.
• Which candidate best meets your needs for this specific position? A candidate with more overall experience isn't automatically the better fit, weigh hands-on skills against the tasks in your job description.

In summary

You can’t find the best applicants for your company until you become an expert at screening interviews. Your recruiting process will be well-grounded if you familiarize yourself with the various inquiry kinds, develop behavior-based queries, and probe for necessary abilities.

Asking technical interview questions is only part of conducting a good interview; you must also listen, assess, and make conclusions based on what you hear. Carefully analyze the candidate’s cultural fit with your team as well as their technical abilities. You can now confidently screen candidates, put together the ideal team to propel your company forward, and use these abilities to your advantage.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)