Technical Hiring Managers Ask These 15 Questions during Interviews
Are you nervous about an upcoming technical interview? If so, this post can make things a little easier for you. Here are 15 interview questions that technical hiring managers from different companies love asking their candidates and their rationale behind each of their questions:
- Could you tell us about a time you failed?
Starting with this question might come as a surprise for many. But, according to Megan Gray, team operations manager at Marxrent, this helps the interviewer analyze how the person overcame their past failures. He says: “Employees who hide behind failures waste time and cause confusion.” A true professional will admit to their mistakes, and more importantly, learn from them and move ahead. - How does the Internet work?
“While this may sound like a straightforward question, the answer can tell you a lot about the candidate,” says Robert Gibbons, the CTO of Datto. For example, some candidates may choose to explain it as: “It’s like a post office. You send a letter and get a response back. Others will start with intrinsic details, like defining IP addresses, DNS servers, and so on. And thus, the answer gives the interviewer an insight into the candidate’s areas of focus.“ - What qualities do you want in your manager or leader?
According to Margaret Freel, a recruiter at Tech Smith, this unorthodox question helps interviewers understand what management or leadership style is ideal for a particular candidate. This question also helps to identify if the candidate is self-aware and engaged in the job. Moreover, the interviewer can assess whether the company’s leadership aligns with the candidate’s expectations. After all, it’s the leadership that motivates employees to do their jobs effectively. - What are the recent exciting challenges you’ve overcome?
Tim Julien, VP of Engineering at Bonobos, says that this question can help calm down an otherwise nervous candidate. As the interviewer asks about the candidate’s problem, the latter controls what they say and reveal, making them more comfortable. Julien adds that the interviewer should dig deeper and learn more about the challenge faced by the candidate and not just the gist of it.
