If you want to hire a software engineer, you need to make sure they have the technical skills needed for the job. That’s why it’s important to have a list of questions ready for each interview.
But you can’t focus on just the skills needed for the role. Other questions, like ones about their behavior, will get to the bottom of whether they will stay for a long time.
Because engineers have more power and there aren’t many qualified people working in this field, it’s also a good idea to make sure that the candidate will be happy and willing to stay.
Below, you’ll find our complete list of software engineer interview questions. These are perfect for assessing communication skills, technical expertise, fit as a culture add, and more.
Preparing for a software engineering interview can feel intimidating. You know you’ll have to answer technical questions about programming languages, data structures, algorithms, systems design, and development methodologies. You’ll also need to talk about your education, skills, and experience.
To help you get ready, here are the top 20 software engineer interview questions you should prepare to answer:
Technical Questions
-
Why did you decide to become a software engineer? This gives you a chance to talk about what excites you about the field Share what first sparked your interest and how your passion has grown
-
Which programming languages do you know the most? List any languages you’ve used for work or projects in the past. Be ready to talk about your experience level with each one.
-
What’s your preferred programming paradigm (object-oriented, functional, procedural etc.) and why? There are pros and cons to each approach. Discuss which one works best for you and why it fits your style.
-
How do you stay up-to-date on the latest programming languages, frameworks, and tools? Employers want to see you’re committed to continually learning. Mention online courses, books, blogs, conferences, and other resources you use.
-
When you’re making a new system, what do you think about? Talk about the functional and non-functional requirements, the system architecture, security, scalability, and performance.
-
Explain your experience with coding standards and code reviews. Share how you incorporate standards into your own code. Discuss the value of peer reviews and your process for giving/receiving feedback.
-
What types of testing are important for ensuring quality code? Testing strategies could include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, user acceptance testing, and others. Pick 2-3 and explain why they matter.
-
How do you optimize web applications for maximum speed and scalability? Solutions may involve front-end and back-end caching, efficient databases, compression, minimizing HTTP requests, using a CDN, and more. Pick a few optimization techniques to discuss.
-
What are some ways that SQL and NoSQL databases are different? How does the relational model of SQL compare to the flexibility of NoSQL? Think about the pros and cons of each one in terms of things like structure, scalability, and support for big data.
-
Describe your experience with software design patterns. Talk through one or two patterns you’ve used like MVC, MVP, MVVM, Singleton, Factory, Observer, Decorator, or others. Discuss pros/cons.
Behavioral Questions
-
Tell me about a challenging technical problem you faced and how you solved it. Pick an example that highlights your problem-solving process and coding skills. Explain the problem, actions you took, and results.
-
Describe a time when you had to work closely with other developers. How did you ensure effective collaboration? Share a story that shows your teamwork and communication abilities. Discuss the project, your role, and how you interacted with others.
-
Talk about a new technology, language, or tool you adopted. How did you teach yourself? Employers value a commitment to learning. Discuss the gap the new skill filled, resources/methods used to learn it, and how you applied it.
-
Give an example of when you had to be flexible and adapt to change on a project. Software projects often change direction. Share how you adjusted your approach while staying focused on goals.
-
Tell me about a mistake you made and how you handled it. Everyone makes mistakes. Be honest, take responsibility, and show what you learned. Also discuss prevention for the future.
-
How do you prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects and deadlines? Share your time management process. Tips may involve prioritizing by business value, estimating timelines, splitting tasks, getting feedback, and more.
-
Describe a time you provided a solution that exceeded a client’s expectations. Choose an example that shows both technical and customer service skills. Discuss the problem, your solution, and positive impact on the client.
Questions for You
-
What are some challenges facing your development teams right now? Look for pain points they want help with like old systems, tech debt, bottlenecks, outdated practices, etc.
-
What are the top skills and qualities you look for in engineers? Take note for areas to highlight your fit. Technical abilities, communication, teamwork and others may be key.
-
Where do you see the role of software engineering going in the company over the next 5 years? Listen for growth opportunities and future needs you can potentially help fill.
Preparing responses for questions like these will help you walk into your interview confident and ready to showcase your abilities. With practice and research about the company’s needs, you’ll be equipped to ace the interview and launch your software engineering career.
Software development questions for project management
Another key area for software engineers and developers is project management. This list of interview questions will help you learn how software developers and engineers set priorities and organize work for team projects.
- What systems do you usually use to keep track of projects and to-do lists?
- What is the best way to decide which tasks to do first when you have more than one due date?
- What do you do to make sure the project goes as planned when you’re releasing a new product or app?
- Tell me about a project you worked on that wasn’t handled well. What would you do differently?.
- Agile, Scrum, XP, PRINCE2, Lean. Have you ever used any of these project management styles? Which one do you like best, and why?
- What do you believe is the most important thing for a project to do well?
Software engineer interview questions for communication skills
When it comes to collaboration, managing teams, and working remotely, communication is one of the most important factors. Use this combination of standard and behavioral-based interview questions to assess your software engineer candidate’s communication skills.
- What are your favorite ways to communicate, and how have you used them well in the past?
- Just tell me about a time when you were working on a software project and communication went wrong. What would you have done differently if given the chance?.
- Tell me about an application error that your team had that turned into a “fire drill” emergency. What did you and your team do to work together well during that time? Is there something you would have done differently if you had chance?
- Tell me about a time when you were in charge of a development project. What was the project, and how did you make sure everyone on the team worked together to finish on time?
- Explain a technical project to people who aren’t technical about a time when you had to do that. How did you communicate so that everyone could understand?.
- How do you make sure that you fully understand all the requirements for a task that a manager or project leader gives you?
- Tell me about a time when at least two people on your team didn’t agree. What did you do to fix this? If you could do it again, what would you change?
- Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an employee who was bad for the team or the workplace. What did you say to the employee to let him know that his behavior or attitude wasn’t okay?
SOFTWARE ENGINEER Interview Questions & TOP SCORING ANSWERS!
FAQ
What type of questions are asked in a software engineering interview?
What questions do interviewers ask a software engineer?
Interviewers ask this question to gauge your understanding of secure coding practices and your commitment to keeping user data and company assets safe from threats. Example: “As a software engineer, my role in ensuring application security is multifaceted and starts from the initial stages of development.
How do I prepare for a software engineering interview?
It’s important to review your software engineering knowledge ahead of time so you can answer interview questions about your experience and abilities. Practicing with sample interview questions can help you confidently express yourself during the interview and study important software engineering concepts that could arise in conversation.
What is a senior software engineer interview question?
Senior software engineer interview questions often aim to discover what you’ve learned from your experiences and how you may use that to add value to the company. This question helps your interviewer learn how you use technology to meet organizational challenges. Feel free to talk about: The high-level objective the project addressed.
How do you answer a software engineer opinion question?
When answering opinion questions, consider putting yourself in the answer to help the interviewer get to know more about you and your personal philosophy. Sample answer: “I think a good software engineer is focused, adaptable and keeps things simple.
