Interviews are intimidating.

I should know. In the past year, after the startup I had worked for had to dissolve suddenly, I interviewed with 10s of companies over the course of a few days before I settled on my new role.

It was a tough, exhausting process and even after going through the interview process multiple times in such a short time span, I still felt nervous before each and every interview.

However, thankfully I was able to land multiple offers after just a few days.

Through this experience, I’ve been able to figure out what are some of the more commonly asked interview questions and how best to tackle them.

Here’s what I’ve learned from my many interviews with a range of tech companies over the span of a few days, and how you can use these findings to ace your next tech interview.

Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them

Question 1: Explain Your Experience with [Specific Programming Language or Technology]

This question is a staple of tech interviews and serves two primary purposes.

Firstly, it allows interviewers to evaluate your familiarity and competence with specific technologies that are crucial to the role.

Secondly, it offers an opportunity to understand your ability to articulate complex concepts and experiences, a key aspect of effective team communication.

With questions like this, honesty is the best policy.

If you have extensive experience with the technology in question, provide a short but detailed overview of your background. Discuss the projects where you’ve used this technology.

For instance, if asked about Python, you might say, “In my previous role at XYZ Corp, I developed a data aggregation tool using Python. It involved working with APIs, handling large data sets, and ultimately presenting the data in a user-friendly format.”

If your experience with the technology is limited, be open about it. You might not have used it in a professional setting, but perhaps you’ve undertaken relevant courses or personal projects.

Share these details and express your willingness to learn and adapt.

Question 2: How Would You Handle a Bug You Can’t Replicate?

Bugs that can’t be replicated consistently are notoriously tricky.

When presented with this question, your interviewer is seeking to understand your problem-solving skills, your familiarity with debugging tools, and your ability to persevere in the face of challenging situations.

To address this question effectively, explain the steps you would take to isolate and identify the issue. Discuss how you would go about using debugging tools such as loggers, linters or IDE debuggers, and working with other team members to get a fresh perspective on the problem.

For example, you could answer, “First, I’d carefully examine the bug report to understand the issue. Then, I’d try to replicate the bug across various environments and configurations. I’d also utilise logging extensively throughout the code to trace the error, enabling any debug logs if needed. Also, discussing the issue with teammates can often bring a fresh perspective that could lead to a solution.”

Throughout your response, emphasise the importance of maintaining clear communication. This includes keeping team members updated on your progress and managing stakeholder expectations appropriately.

Project managers want someone who will keep them updated on progress.

Question 3: Describe a Challenging Project or Task and How You Handled It

This question gives interviewers insight into your problem-solving abilities and how you handle pressure. It also allows you to demonstrate both your technical abilities and soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and resilience.

When answering this question, it’s beneficial to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Describe the Situation you were in and the Task you were faced with. Then discuss the Actions you took to address the situation, and conclude with the Result of your efforts.

For example, “At my previous role, our team was faced with a demanding project with a tight deadline (Situation). I was tasked with developing a new feature that was crucial for the project (Task). Given the timeline, I had to quickly come up with an effective plan. I broke down the feature into smaller, manageable tasks and used agile methods to manage the workflow. I also stayed in close communication with my team, ensuring that everyone was aligned and that any roadblocks were addressed promptly (Action). As a result, we were able to deliver the feature ahead of schedule, contributing significantly to the successful completion of the project (Result).”

Question 4: How Do You Keep Up-to-Date with Industry Trends and New Technologies?

Staying current with emerging technologies and industry trends is vital for every software developer. The technology landscape is constantly evolving, and demonstrating a commitment to learning is a positive signal to potential employers.

When answering this question, discuss the specific resources that help you stay informed.

These can range from tech newsletters to blogs and podcasts.

An example answer would be, “I regularly attend tech webinars and conferences, both to expand my knowledge and to network with other professionals. I am also an avid reader of ‘W’ and ‘X’ for broader industry trends. I’m also currently working through the ‘Y’ online course to expand my knowledge of ‘Z’.

Question 5: Can You Describe Your Workflow When You Get a New Feature to Develop?

With this question, interviewers want to understand your approach to handling new tasks, your familiarity with software development life cycles (SDLC), and whether your work style will fit well within their team.

Discuss each step of your process from when you are first given a new feature to develop.

This could include:

• requirement gathering and analysis

• designing

• coding

• testing

• deployment.

Also, mention any project management methodologies you follow, like Scrum, Kanban, etc.

For example, “Once I receive a new feature to develop, I first spend time understanding the requirements and the desired end-user experience. I’ll ask clarifying questions to our product owner if something is not clear. Next, I design the feature, using sketches, architecture diagrams and pseudo-code if applicable. I then move into the coding phase, where I implement Test-Driven Development to make sure that any bugs are caught early and the code is thoroughly tested. Throughout this process, I adhere to Agile principles, and maintain constant communication with my team.”

Question 6: How Do You Test Your Code?

Code testing is a crucial part of software development. The ability to effectively test code for functionality, performance, and security is a valuable skill.

Discuss the specific testing methodologies you follow. Mention whether you do Test-Driven Development (TDD), the types of tests you run (unit tests, integration tests, system tests, etc.), and any specific tools you use, like JUnit for Java or Mocha for JavaScript.

You could respond, “I’m a strong advocate of Test-Driven Development. I usually start by writing unit tests using Jest to validate the functionality at the smallest level. After the unit tests, I write integration tests to ensure the different units of the code work well together. For automating the tests and ensuring they run at every build, I use continuous integration tools like Jenkins.”

Question 7: Can You Explain [Insert Specific Algorithm/Database/Design Pattern]?

This question once again tests both your technical knowledge and your ability to communicate difficult topics.

Explaining complex technical concepts is a critical skill for a software developer.

It helps to ensure clear communication within a team, especially when working on complex projects.

When asked to explain a specific algorithm, database, or design pattern, aim to provide a concise yet comprehensive explanation.

Make it relatable by using real-life examples or simple analogies.

For example, if asked to explain a binary search algorithm, you could say, “Imagine you’re looking up a word in a dictionary. Instead of going through each page one by one (which would be a linear search), you open the dictionary in the middle.

If the word you’re looking for comes before the word on the middle page, you know it must be in the first half of the book. You then repeat the process, halving the section you’re searching each time until you find the word.

That’s essentially how a binary search algorithm works — it repeatedly divides the dataset in half until it finds the target.”

Question 8: How Do You Handle Criticism or Feedback About Your Code?

The ability to accept and constructively use feedback is absolutely crucial in software development, where code reviews and collaboration are the norms.

Interviewers ask this question to evaluate your professionalism, resilience and desire to improve.

When answering this question, it’s important to emphasise your appreciation for feedback as a tool for growth.

For example, you might say, “I view feedback on my code not as criticism, but as an opportunity to learn and enhance my coding skills. My goal is to write the most efficient and clean code possible, and constructive feedback helps me achieve that.”

Provide a specific example of when you received criticism and used it to improve your work.

You might say, “In a previous project, a senior developer pointed out that my code wasn’t as efficient as it could be. Rather than taking it personally, I took the opportunity to learn from their experience. We worked together to refactor the code, which not only made the program run faster, but also taught me some valuable lessons on code optimisation.”

Question 9: How Would You Work on a Team with Different Skill Levels and Backgrounds?

Software development is a team sport.

When asked this question, discuss your experience and approach to working with a varied group of individuals, both in terms of their skills and their backgrounds.

Highlight your willingness to both learn from and mentor others, and emphasise your belief in the value that diverse perspectives bring to problem-solving.

For example, you could say, “I have always found it enriching to work with diverse teams. Junior developers often bring fresh ideas and energy, while more experienced colleagues provide wisdom and a deep understanding of the technology stack. I have learned a lot by listening to different perspectives, and I’ve also enjoyed sharing my own knowledge with less experienced team members.”

It’s also important to remember that not everyone on your team may come from a technical background. You may have to work with UI designers, non-technical project managers, etc.

Question 10: Why Do You Want to Work for Our Company?

This question helps interviewers gauge whether you’re genuinely interested in the role and the company, or if you’re just looking for any job.

It also gives them a sense of whether you’d fit into the company culture.

When responding, it’s important to demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to research the company and the role. Discuss specific aspects of the company’s mission, culture, or projects that resonate with your own career goals and values.

For example, “I’m excited about the prospect of working with Company X because of your commitment to [specific value or mission]. This aligns with my own values because [reason]. I’m also impressed by the innovative projects your team is working on, particularly [specific project]. I believe my skills in [specific technology or methodology] could bring a lot to this project, and I’m eager to contribute to your success.”

General Interview Tips for Success

Hopefully, the analysis above helps, but remember, soft skills are just as important as your technical abilities.

Pay attention to your body language, maintain good eye contact, and communicate your thoughts clearly.

Ensure that you ask insightful questions at the end of the interview; it shows your genuine interest.

Conquering a tech interview is all about preparation. Arm yourself with these insights and strategies, practice, and walk into your next interview with confidence. Remember, every question is an opportunity to showcase why you’re the perfect fit, and if you’re not a great fit — don’t take it personally. Best of luck!

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further advice.