As an IT hiring manager, your time is valuable and finding the right technical talent is crucial. When making technical interview for applicants for an open developer or engineer position, you need to determine not just their coding abilities but whether they will thrive in your company culture. The ideal applicant should demonstrate a passion for solving complex problems, staying up-to-date with technologies, and building innovative solutions. They ask thoughtful questions, have a proven track record of learning new skills, and show a collaborative mindset.
Know What to Look For: Key Technical Skills and Expertise
Look for Relevant Technical Skills and Expertise
When interviewing applicants for a technical role, focus on key skills and experience that match the position. For software engineering roles, look for proficiency in languages like Java, C++, SQL and Python, as well as expertise in software engineering methodologies. For IT infrastructure roles, examine knowledge of networking, virtualization, storage, and security technologies.
Ask open-ended questions to assess the depth of a candidate’s skills and experience. For example, have them walk you through the steps to troubleshoot a complex technical issue or build a basic application. Look for candidates that can clearly explain technical concepts and give detailed answers.
Pay attention to soft skills as well. Strong communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities are important for any technical role. Ask situation-based questions to evaluate how candidates approach challenges and interact with colleagues or clients.
For junior roles, passion and enthusiasm for learning can make up for some lack of direct experience. Look for candidates that proactively build their skills through courses, tutorials and personal projects. With the right mindset, they have the potential to become highly proficient and productive.
In the end, the ideal candidate will have a combination of relevant technical expertise, essential soft skills, and a growth mindset. They will be passionate about their work and able to contribute to your team’s success immediately, while continuing to strengthen their knowledge and skills over time. Focus on these attributes during technical interview, and you’ll find an applicant worth hiring.
Assess Problem Solving Abilities With Realistic Scenarios
To determine how well a candidate can think on their feet and resolve issues, present them with realistic scenarios they may encounter on the job.
Ask open-ended questions about how they would troubleshoot technical problems or debug software issues. For example, describe a situation where an application is malfunctioning for some users but not others. Have them walk you through how they would isolate the problem and fix it. Look for answers that show a methodical, logical approach, not just trial and error.
Present a scenario where they have to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical colleague or client. See if they can break down the idea in a simple, easy to understand manner. The ability to communicate technical details to a layperson is crucial.
Inquire about a time they had to meet a tight deadline or resolve an emergency issue. Ask what steps they took to prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and ensure on-time completion. Search for candidates who remain calm under pressure, can think on their feet, and adapt to change.
Discuss a situation where they had to make a difficult choice between two less-than-ideal options. Find out how they evaluated the pros and cons and justified their decision. Look for evidence of strong critical thinking and judgment skills.
By presenting realistic on-the-job scenarios, you gain valuable insight into a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, adaptability, communication skills, and work ethic. The ideal applicant will demonstrate a methodical and logical approach, remain calm under duress, think critically about options, and justify their decisions. Carefully evaluating responses to scenario-based questions can help determine if a candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, problem-solving environment.
Gage Communication Skills Through Open-Ended Questions
Gaging a candidate’s communication skills during a technical interview is crucial. Open-ended questions that encourage detailed responses are an ideal way to assess how well they can articulate complex ideas.
Ask About Challenging Projects
Inquire about the most challenging technical project they’ve worked on. Request they walk you through how they approached and overcame obstacles. Listen for explanations that are coherent, logical and convey a systematic problem-solving process. Candidates with strong communication skills will discuss technical details at an appropriate level for their audience and give specific examples to illustrate key points.
Discuss New Technologies
Ask the applicants to describe an emerging technology they’re excited about and how they think it could be applied. Look for responses that contain a balanced, well-reasoned analysis of the pros and cons. Watch out for candidates that simply hype the technology without considering potential limitations or obstacles to adoption. Strong communicators will explore the technology from multiple angles and discuss how it could impact various stakeholders.
Present a hypothetical scenario
Provide a hypothetical technical scenario or challenge during the technical interview and ask the candidate how they would address it. For example, describe an application outage and ask them to walk you through the troubleshooting steps. Evaluate how coherently and thoroughly they work through the problem. Do they ask clarifying questions? Can they explain technical processes in a clear, logical manner? Candidates who can knowledgeably discuss solutions to open-ended hypotheticals demonstrate a firm grasp of subject matter and ability to communicate in a professional context.
By incorporating open-ended questions into your technical interview, you’ll gain valuable insight into a candidate’s communication abilities, technical skills and mindset. Look for applicants that can articulate their knowledge and opinions in a balanced, well-reasoned manner appropriate for both technical and non-technical audiences. These traits are hallmarks of a candidate poised to thrive in a collaborative, professional environment.
Observe How Applicants Approach Unknown Problems or Tech
When interviewing candidates for a technical position, observing how they approach unknown problems or unfamiliar technology can reveal a lot about their potential.
Do they ask clarifying questions?
The ideal applicant will ask questions to gain a better understanding of the problem before attempting a solution. They will want to clarify the objectives and constraints to determine the best approach. Someone who rushes into solving a problem without fully grasping the requirements often ends up wasting time by going down the wrong path or making incorrect assumptions.
How do they research and explore options?
With access to search engines and vast amounts of data, research skills are essential. Look for candidates who know how to find reliable information from authoritative sources. They should explore various options by investigating different methods, tools, frameworks or programming languages that could be applied. The top applicant will weigh the pros and cons of alternatives before selecting an approach.
Do they think through the solution systematically?
For technical challenges, there are usually logical steps that need to be followed to develop an optimal solution. The ideal candidate will be able to map out the key stages of a solution in a coherent manner. They can outline a high-level solution, then break it down into a sequence of concrete actions to achieve it. They understand how to evaluate, test and refine the solution to meet the stated objectives.
Are they transparent in their thinking?
The best applicants will openly share their thoughts on how they are evaluating options and progressing toward a solution. They will describe any obstacles or uncertainties they encounter along the way. Someone who keeps their thinking opaque or only presents the final solution makes it difficult to assess how they really tackle problems. Look for transparency and a willingness to discuss both successful and unsuccessful attempts.
Using these techniques, you can gain valuable insight into how a candidate will approach the types of complex challenges they would face on the job. Their problem-solving skills and logic can be just as important as their technical qualifications. Watching them in action as they work to resolve an unfamiliar problem is the best way to spot the ideal applicant.
Evaluate Cultural Fit and Soft Skills Alongside Hard Skills
When evaluating candidates for a technical role, it’s important to assess not just their hard skills, but also their cultural fit and soft skills. While a candidate may excel in their technical abilities, they still need to work cohesively within a team and communicate effectively.
Look for candidates who demonstrate strong interpersonal skills in the interview. Do they make eye contact, smile, and appear engaged? Are their responses clear and articulate? Do they ask thoughtful questions about the role, team, and company? Strong communicators will be better able to understand project requirements, describe technical issues to non-technical colleagues, and mentor other team members.
Evaluate a candidate’s adaptability and problem-solving skills. The tech industry moves fast, and they may frequently encounter unexpected challenges or setbacks. Look for examples of how they navigated change or overcame obstacles in previous roles. Ask situational questions to assess how they would troubleshoot issues or pivot in response to new demands. Flexible, creative thinkers will thrive even as technologies and priorities shift.
Consider the candidate’s cultural values and whether they align with your organization’s mission and goals. For example, if your company prioritizes diversity, inclusion and work-life balance, look for candidates who demonstrate those same values in their technical interview responses and career choices. Shared values and priorities will make for a better long-term fit.
While technical talent is essential for any IT role, soft skills and cultural fit are equally important for success and job satisfaction. By evaluating communication, critical thinking, adaptability, and shared values alongside a candidate’s hard skills, you’ll hire an applicant truly poised to excel in your organization. The ideal candidate will have the whole package: technical expertise paired with a capacity for growth, collaboration, and meaningful work.
Technical Interview Conclusion
As you prepare for and conduct technical interviews, keep these insights in mind. Look for candidates demonstrating not just technical skills but also soft skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Ask questions that reveal how candidates think on their feet and approach complex challenges. Pay attention to how they communicate and interact, not just what they say. The ideal candidate will be passionate and eager to learn, with a growth mindset. They will ask good questions that show their enthusiasm and curiosity.
While technical skills are important, they can be taught. The intrinsic qualities that make a candidate a great long-term fit are harder to come by. With the right mindset and soft skills, a new hire has the potential to become a key contributor and leader. The time you invest in finding the right person will pay off substantially. When all signs point to a candidate with strong potential for growth and excellence, you’ll know you’ve found someone worth an offer. The opportunity to help shape and develop that talent will be very rewarding.
