In a tech interview, a lot of the focus is understandably on technology itself; however, a big part of doing any tech job is having the necessary soft skills to navigate work environments and the nature of the job itself.
The following six questions dig into IT candidates’ soft skills that are extremely relevant in any tech job.
6 Questions to Ask Tech Candidates
1) How do you keep current?
IT professionals may use websites like Stack Exchange or GitHub to keep current, but a great deal of IT professionals will have their own websites, social media timelines and other resources that they use to stay current. Ultimately, this question can provide you with a sign of how the applicant engages with the IT zeitgeist.
The best IT candidates will also be taking online classes and working on personal projects. You should try gauge each candidate’s passion for their profession, in addition to their drive to grow as a professional.
2) What kind of work environment do you prefer?
This question can allow you to evaluate if an applicant will prosper in your company culture. It can also lead to a discussion about workplace culture, which can be very revealing. You and the applicant should come away from this question with good sense of whether this is a good fit.
3) What does a good work-life balance look like to you?
With on-call obligations and constant deadlines, some IT employees have a problem with the always-on tech culture. While you want devoted staff members, you ought to also seek candidates who understand how to take care of themselves.
Burnout is a massive problem in IT, and top candidates have positioned themselves in such a way to avoid it. After paying attention to the response, be sure to talk about what your organization does to support work-life balance.
4) Can you describe [technology relevant to the job] to me in basic terms?
The capability to communicate technical ideas in non-technical terms is a must. Broadly speaking, this question allows you to evaluate candidates’ communication abilities. Ideally, they will steer clear of obscure jargon and be able to explain intricate ideas in simple terms. Simple follow-up questions can help you get an even better sense of how they’d communicate to non-technical personnel.
5) What are the most important qualities for this position?
A question like this can indicate just how the candidate thinks about the job and what they might bring to it. Some applicants may concentrate on technical abilities, while others may talk broadly about resolving issues, teamwork, and other general job abilities. The best candidates provide a balance of both in their answers.
6) What are the pros and cons of an Agile environment?
Most IT teams work some kind of Agile environment, which involves many fast meetings and a continuous stream of information from staff members.
The response to this question can indicate their degree of knowledge of on this standard ecosystem, but also their opinion on teamwork and communication.
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