Are you tired of asking the same tech interview questions and getting canned responses that don’t really tell you what you need to know about the candidate? In today’s multifaceted tech world, it’s more important than ever to find candidates who not only have the technical chops but also the creativity, collaboration skills and passion to drive projects forward.
Also, given how difficult it can be to recruit in-demand technology talent in a tight labor market, you want to be sure your interview approach is engaging for a potential hire. According to research for the Robert Half e-book, Building Future-Forward Tech Teams, nearly 95% of technology leaders face challenges finding skilled talent.
A thoughtful set of interview questions to ask your top candidates for tech positions will help you get the fuller insight you need to make a hiring decision, while demonstrating to the candidate that you are invested in learning more about them and how they can contribute to your organization.
Predictable questions like, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” probably won’t tell you much. Neither will a series of simple yes-or-no questions. Instead, mix things up with a blend of technical and situational questions that dig deeper into a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, adaptability and alignment with your team’s culture.
Pay close attention to how potential hire tackles challenging questions and communicates their ideas. Keep in mind that your interview process is not so much about getting the “right” answer (if there even is one) from a candidate, but observing how they arrive at their response.
We’ve put together 13 tech interview questions to help you spot the innovative thinkers, skilled communicators and team players who are most likely to thrive in your organization.
13 must-ask tech interview questions
Most tech workers turn to websites such as Stack Exchange, Codecademy or GitHub when they need help. Look for candidates who actively engage with the broader tech community and have a diverse set of go-to resources tailored to their specific interests and roles. Their answer can provide insights into their problem-solving approaches, continuous learning mindset and ability to adapt to new challenges.
Passion for technology often extends beyond the workplace. Strong candidates take the initiative to grow their skills through a variety of means, such as:
Participating in online courses, workshops or boot campContributing to open-source projectsAttending industry conferences, meetups or hackathonsWorking on personal projects to explore new technologiesStaying engaged with tech blogs, podcasts and thought leaders
Dive deeper into their learning journey to understand what drives them, how they apply new knowledge in their work and what skills they are excited to develop further. This discussion can also touch on how you, as an employer, can support their continued growth.
In today’s workplace, tech professionals need to be great communicators — especially when explaining complex ideas to people outside their field. To assess this skill, ask candidates to role-play explaining a concept like APIs to someone without a technical background. Look for candidates who:
Use clear, concise language and avoid unnecessary jargon
Employ relevant analogies or real-world examples to illustrate the concept
Break the explanation into digestible parts and check for understanding
This exercise doesn’t just test candidates’ communication skills. It also shows how well they truly understand the concept and whether they can adapt their explanations for different people.
Hiring IT professionals? Robert Half can help.
Today, AI has become an absolutely essential technology for a company to remain competitive. When interviewing candidates, be sure to ask about the AI models and frameworks they’ve worked with, both open-source options like TensorFlow and PyTorch and closed models like the GPT series from OpenAI. Get their take on the pros and cons of each approach, and see how they’ve recently used these tools to solve real-world problems.
It’s also a good idea to ask about their experience with platforms like Hugging Face, which has become a go-to spot for pre-trained models, datasets and tools in the AI world. Find out how they’ve used these resources to build and deploy AI solutions and get a sense of how well they collaborate with the broader AI community.
A question like this can reveal what the interviewee feels they can bring to the position. Some candidates may focus on technical abilities and IT certifications, while others may talk more about problem-solving, attention to detail, communication and other general job skills. Look for IT candidates who give a balanced answer.
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This question assesses a candidate’s agility and appetite for problem-solving under pressure. For example, a strong answer might describe how they learned a new JavaScript framework like Vue.js over a weekend to deliver a time-sensitive web application.
Everyone deals with professional setbacks at some point in their career. You want to know how people handled — and what they learned from — those situations. The best employees are resilient, using setbacks as a springboard toward positive changes. So listen to not only the problem they mention but also what they did after the disappointment.
This question helps assess a candidate’s understanding of different project management approaches and their ability to select the most appropriate one based on the project’s needs. A solid answer might compare the benefits of Agile methodologies like Scrum or Kanban with more traditional approaches like Waterfall.
A good answer could be, for instance, explaining how the flexible, iterative approach of Agile is perfect for projects that need to adapt quickly to changes. In contrast, Waterfall’s structured, step-by-step process works best for projects with precise, unchanging requirements and milestones.
Listen for answers that show a deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of these methodologies and demonstrate the candidate’s ability to justify their preferred approach.
Take note of IT professionals who devote personal time to side projects. Why? These are people who are driven and curious, which, in turn, keeps their skill set fresh. Ask how they stay motivated, what interests them about the project and what their ultimate goal is. If they can demo a website or app they’ve built, all the better.
An effective hybrid worker knows how to handle the challenges of working from home and in the office. For instance, they might be great at using digital tools to keep in touch with their team by setting up regular video calls or using collaboration platforms to share updates and get feedback.
They’re also flexible, maintaining their productivity and focus whether they’re at their kitchen table or in a bustling office. Plus, they’re good at managing their time, setting clear boundaries and letting their colleagues know when they’re available.
Keep an eye out for this kind of candidate. By looking for these qualities, you can spot candidates who not only fit well into a flexible work environment but also help build a positive and cooperative team atmosphere.
IT teams often face daunting time constraints. You need someone who can work efficiently and accurately when under pressure. Asking this interview question may give you a sense of how a candidate deals with stress and whether they can keep up with the pace of projects at your company. You can also follow up by asking about a time when they missed a deadline and how they handled the situation, which, if answered honestly, can reveal their ability to learn from setbacks and maintain professional accountability.
With on-call duties and multiple pressing deadlines, some tech workers struggle with their field’s always-on culture. While you want dedicated team members, you should also look for people who can relax and take care of themselves. Burnout is a genuine problem in tech, and the best candidates have strategies to help prevent it. As a follow-up to their answer, you could talk about how your company supports a healthy work-life balance — something that can be very attractive for candidates considering multiple offers.
Download a copy of Building Future-Forward Tech Teams from Robert Half for insight on how to address critical skills gaps in your technology organization so you can achieve your tech priorities this year, and beyond.
