How to conduct a technical interview: an action plan for beginners
Carrying out a technical interview is not an easy task in itself. And if you need to do this for the first time, it is doubly complicated. How to prepare for an interview? What questions to ask the candidate during the interview? How to behave in unusual situations? How to evaluate the level of applicants and make a decision?
We asked all these questions to EPAM technical interviewer Ahror Rustamov . He will interview JavaScript developers in the company. Despite the fact that there are more than a hundred interviews behind Akhror, he is still very carefully preparing for each interview.
A few days before the interview, you should carefully study the resume of the applicant, make an approximate list of questions and refresh your own knowledge.
I always read the candidate’s questionnaire with a pencil: I note how many years he has been developing, on what projects he worked, what technologies he used and in what field he considers himself an expert.
Then, after doing a general research on the resume, I focus on the details and start taking notes in a notebook. For example, if a person is 30-35 years old and all the time he wrote only in jQuery, I fix this moment. If I see that the Signor developer has not worked for two years in the specialty, I note this too.
I usually divide the questionnaire for the candidate for the position of JS developer into four parts: career questions, technical questions, questions for testing the level of soft skills and practical tasks.
These are questions from the “Tell About Yourself” series: where did you study, what did you work with. This also includes questions related to the points that I wrote during the analysis of the resume. For example, if a person changes jobs once every six months, I will ask you why it was necessary to look for a new place so often.
First of all, I need to understand how well the candidate knows the basic things: the basics of JavaScript, HTML / CSS, React / Redux and the main frameworks.
The wording of the question also plays a big role. If you ask general questions, you can talk with the candidate for a long time and at the same time not budge. I usually ask specific things - it is easier to assess the level of knowledge of a person.
From basic questions on JS, I move on to more specialized ones. And again I turn to my notes and notes. I see, for example, that in the resume a person indicated that he was studying Webpack. So I’ll definitely ask how Webpack 3 differs from Webpack 4.
I can skip the block of basic questions if the applicant claims to be a senior developer and above.
If the candidate noted that he is well versed in any one technology, I will still ask questions about related technologies and programming languages. So I check how wide a person’s horizons are, whether he likes to learn new things.
Despite the fact that my main task is to evaluate the technical knowledge of the candidate, I will certainly ask questions related to soft skills . We work in teams on our projects, and it is very difficult to be a team player without interpersonal skills (the ability to ask questions, listen to and hear the other, and reasonably express your opinion).
Here is what I usually ask:
I never give candidates quick-witted tasks, although I know that some companies have still not given up on this. All these puzzles such as “why are sewer manhole covers round?” In no way relate to the candidate himself and do not help me find out what I need about a person. I consider such questions a waste of time.
I always prepare for the candidate several tasks that can be solved in 10-15 minutes. If I’m interviewing a junior developer, I can give him a few tips. Engineers of the middle level and above usually do not suggest.
Usually I make a discount on excitement - I won’t be very confused if the candidate solves the problem incorrectly. It’s more important for me to see how a person thinks and roughly evaluate the quality of his code.
If in the resume the candidate has noted excellent knowledge in the field in which I personally am not well oriented, I try to pull up this topic - before the interview I read articles, watch videos.
I remember that I spent the whole day preparing for my first interview as an interviewer. Spent several hours on learn.javascript.ru, looked through the series of books “You don't know JS” and refreshed knowledge of HTML and CSS.
An interview is an exciting affair, especially for a candidate. Therefore, from the very first seconds, the interviewer needs to create an atmosphere in which the person will feel comfortable. Be friendly and welcoming, ask a couple of general questions to defuse the situation. If you plan to record a conversation, be sure to ask permission.
Usually I always give the candidate our plan of action. I divide the interview into three stages:
This is an opportunity for a candidate to present himself. In this part of the interview, the initiative is entirely on the side of the applicant. I listen very carefully to his story and note some things that a person did not indicate in the resume: then I will definitely ask about them.
This is the most extensive part of the interview. Here I ask all the questions that I have prepared, as well as those that arise during my conversation.
It happens that a person begins to answer the wrong question. I ask him a theoretical question on the knowledge of technology, and he switches to his experience with it. In such situations, I ask you to return to the question and suggest discussing his experience at the end of the meeting.
It is interesting to observe how the candidate responds to questions in which he has poor knowledge of the material. From the behavior you can understand how he will act in a similar situation on the project.
Sometimes the candidate behaves very constrained and is afraid to make a mistake. Then I try to reassure him, support and say that I am the same developer, that he is not in the exam. I understand perfectly that no one can answer all the questions perfectly. My task is not to "drown" a person, but to evaluate him as a specialist and understand what point he is at today.
Now it’s the job of the applicant to ask you questions. Usually people ask about future tasks, opportunities for growth and development, as well as about the benefits provided by the company.
I advise you to answer all questions as honestly as possible. Do not give the candidate unfulfilled promises: any fraud will reveal itself very quickly, and over time, a person will be disappointed in your company, write a bad review and will never come to you for an interview.
Here is my personal list of things you still cannot do at the interview:
The interviewer needs to be prepared for the fact that the candidate can behave in an interview completely extraordinary. If the applicant can afford strange behavior, the interviewer will not.
I tell you what to do in unusual situations.
Start coming in from the outside and ask additional, clarifying questions. Praise the person if they were able to say something on the topic. Praise will help the candidate feel more confident. I had a case when the applicant thought he did not know the answer to the question. I reassured him, encouraged. After that, he relaxed and began to calmly respond. Many good specialists are quite self-critical - they think that they do not know the topic well enough. In most cases this is not the case.
If everything went smoothly, and then the person abruptly changed his behavior, try to carefully find out what is the matter. Perhaps, after your question, he remembered some of his negative experiences, or he was just beginning to annoy the noisy air-conditioning in the meeting room.
I also had such applicants who from the very beginning seemed to me harsh or a little strange. Of course, I did not show this in any way with my appearance, and conducted the interview in my usual manner. I always keep in mind that I value a person as a specialist, and I never turn to personal evaluations.
After the interview, I advise you to fill out a short questionnaire, write out recommendations for the candidate and come to the conclusion whether your company specialist is suitable or not. It is advisable to do all this within a few days - until your memory of the interview experience is erased.
I have a small blank of the questionnaire that I use directly during the interview. It is a list of topics against which I put “+” or “-” depending on whether the person answered the question on this topic correctly or incorrectly. I also enter my observations there during the conversation. I can only analyze everything and draw a conclusion. This usually takes no more than 15 minutes.
In our company, after an interview, it is customary to give the candidate feedback. Every specialist receives from me a rather detailed feedback - what was good and what should be tightened. I also share with the person a list of useful materials.
Usually we take people to certain projects, so I imagine what skills and knowledge a candidate should have. I simply compare all the data from the questionnaire with our requirements and understand whether a person is suitable or not.
The profiles of all candidates that we refused are stored in the database. Within three months, a person can again come for an interview. In this interview I will not ask those questions on which the specialist received a good grade. I'll start right away with those on which he failed: so I can assess whether he has improved his knowledge.
Before conducting your first interview, first attend a few interviews as a listener. You can also rehearse and play the interview with a colleague. If you have the opportunity to take an experienced colleague for the first interview, take this opportunity.
Technical resources
Photo: unsplash.com , firestock.ru.
We asked all these questions to EPAM technical interviewer Ahror Rustamov . He will interview JavaScript developers in the company. Despite the fact that there are more than a hundred interviews behind Akhror, he is still very carefully preparing for each interview.
What to do before the interview
A few days before the interview, you should carefully study the resume of the applicant, make an approximate list of questions and refresh your own knowledge.
Study the candidate’s resume
I always read the candidate’s questionnaire with a pencil: I note how many years he has been developing, on what projects he worked, what technologies he used and in what field he considers himself an expert.
Then, after doing a general research on the resume, I focus on the details and start taking notes in a notebook. For example, if a person is 30-35 years old and all the time he wrote only in jQuery, I fix this moment. If I see that the Signor developer has not worked for two years in the specialty, I note this too.
Prepare a list of questions
I usually divide the questionnaire for the candidate for the position of JS developer into four parts: career questions, technical questions, questions for testing the level of soft skills and practical tasks.
- Career questions
These are questions from the “Tell About Yourself” series: where did you study, what did you work with. This also includes questions related to the points that I wrote during the analysis of the resume. For example, if a person changes jobs once every six months, I will ask you why it was necessary to look for a new place so often.
- Questions to test the level of technical knowledge
First of all, I need to understand how well the candidate knows the basic things: the basics of JavaScript, HTML / CSS, React / Redux and the main frameworks.
The wording of the question also plays a big role. If you ask general questions, you can talk with the candidate for a long time and at the same time not budge. I usually ask specific things - it is easier to assess the level of knowledge of a person.
From basic questions on JS, I move on to more specialized ones. And again I turn to my notes and notes. I see, for example, that in the resume a person indicated that he was studying Webpack. So I’ll definitely ask how Webpack 3 differs from Webpack 4.
I can skip the block of basic questions if the applicant claims to be a senior developer and above.
If the candidate noted that he is well versed in any one technology, I will still ask questions about related technologies and programming languages. So I check how wide a person’s horizons are, whether he likes to learn new things.
- Questions for checking the level of soft skills
Despite the fact that my main task is to evaluate the technical knowledge of the candidate, I will certainly ask questions related to soft skills . We work in teams on our projects, and it is very difficult to be a team player without interpersonal skills (the ability to ask questions, listen to and hear the other, and reasonably express your opinion).
Here is what I usually ask:
- Did (a) work on Agile, Scrum?
- Was the experience of management, mentoring, is it interesting?
- How to prioritize your work if you have several impending deadlines?
- You think that your colleague or manager is wrong in something. What will you do?
I never give candidates quick-witted tasks, although I know that some companies have still not given up on this. All these puzzles such as “why are sewer manhole covers round?” In no way relate to the candidate himself and do not help me find out what I need about a person. I consider such questions a waste of time.
- Practical task
I always prepare for the candidate several tasks that can be solved in 10-15 minutes. If I’m interviewing a junior developer, I can give him a few tips. Engineers of the middle level and above usually do not suggest.
Usually I make a discount on excitement - I won’t be very confused if the candidate solves the problem incorrectly. It’s more important for me to see how a person thinks and roughly evaluate the quality of his code.
Refresh your own knowledge
If in the resume the candidate has noted excellent knowledge in the field in which I personally am not well oriented, I try to pull up this topic - before the interview I read articles, watch videos.
I remember that I spent the whole day preparing for my first interview as an interviewer. Spent several hours on learn.javascript.ru, looked through the series of books “You don't know JS” and refreshed knowledge of HTML and CSS.
What to do during the interview
An interview is an exciting affair, especially for a candidate. Therefore, from the very first seconds, the interviewer needs to create an atmosphere in which the person will feel comfortable. Be friendly and welcoming, ask a couple of general questions to defuse the situation. If you plan to record a conversation, be sure to ask permission.
Usually I always give the candidate our plan of action. I divide the interview into three stages:
- short story of the candidate about himself;
- my questions: about a career, technical block, questions about soft skills and practical tasks;
- questions from the candidate.
Stage one: listen to the candidate’s story about yourself
This is an opportunity for a candidate to present himself. In this part of the interview, the initiative is entirely on the side of the applicant. I listen very carefully to his story and note some things that a person did not indicate in the resume: then I will definitely ask about them.
Stage Two: Ask Your Questions
This is the most extensive part of the interview. Here I ask all the questions that I have prepared, as well as those that arise during my conversation.
It happens that a person begins to answer the wrong question. I ask him a theoretical question on the knowledge of technology, and he switches to his experience with it. In such situations, I ask you to return to the question and suggest discussing his experience at the end of the meeting.
It is interesting to observe how the candidate responds to questions in which he has poor knowledge of the material. From the behavior you can understand how he will act in a similar situation on the project.
Sometimes the candidate behaves very constrained and is afraid to make a mistake. Then I try to reassure him, support and say that I am the same developer, that he is not in the exam. I understand perfectly that no one can answer all the questions perfectly. My task is not to "drown" a person, but to evaluate him as a specialist and understand what point he is at today.
Stage Three: Let the Candidate Ask Questions
Now it’s the job of the applicant to ask you questions. Usually people ask about future tasks, opportunities for growth and development, as well as about the benefits provided by the company.
I advise you to answer all questions as honestly as possible. Do not give the candidate unfulfilled promises: any fraud will reveal itself very quickly, and over time, a person will be disappointed in your company, write a bad review and will never come to you for an interview.
Here is my personal list of things you still cannot do at the interview:
- To tell the candidate that he answers incorrectly. A person can fall into a stupor and it will be difficult for him to pack up and answer other questions.
- Contact the candidate for “you” without permission. If the interlocutor is more comfortable switching to “you,” he himself will say this.
- Use an imperative tone in communication. If a person does something wrong, report it as politely as possible.
- To drag out the interview. Try to keep within an hour, a maximum of one and a half. Do not forget that the candidate may experience stress: you do not need to keep him in this state for too long.
How to behave in unusual situations during an interview
The interviewer needs to be prepared for the fact that the candidate can behave in an interview completely extraordinary. If the applicant can afford strange behavior, the interviewer will not.
I tell you what to do in unusual situations.
Situation: the candidate was confused and answers all the questions “I don’t know”
Start coming in from the outside and ask additional, clarifying questions. Praise the person if they were able to say something on the topic. Praise will help the candidate feel more confident. I had a case when the applicant thought he did not know the answer to the question. I reassured him, encouraged. After that, he relaxed and began to calmly respond. Many good specialists are quite self-critical - they think that they do not know the topic well enough. In most cases this is not the case.
Situation: the candidate has taken an aggressive position - passive or active
If everything went smoothly, and then the person abruptly changed his behavior, try to carefully find out what is the matter. Perhaps, after your question, he remembered some of his negative experiences, or he was just beginning to annoy the noisy air-conditioning in the meeting room.
I also had such applicants who from the very beginning seemed to me harsh or a little strange. Of course, I did not show this in any way with my appearance, and conducted the interview in my usual manner. I always keep in mind that I value a person as a specialist, and I never turn to personal evaluations.
What to do after the interview
After the interview, I advise you to fill out a short questionnaire, write out recommendations for the candidate and come to the conclusion whether your company specialist is suitable or not. It is advisable to do all this within a few days - until your memory of the interview experience is erased.
Fill out the questionnaire based on the results of the interview
I have a small blank of the questionnaire that I use directly during the interview. It is a list of topics against which I put “+” or “-” depending on whether the person answered the question on this topic correctly or incorrectly. I also enter my observations there during the conversation. I can only analyze everything and draw a conclusion. This usually takes no more than 15 minutes.
Write recommendations for the candidate
In our company, after an interview, it is customary to give the candidate feedback. Every specialist receives from me a rather detailed feedback - what was good and what should be tightened. I also share with the person a list of useful materials.
Make a decision
Usually we take people to certain projects, so I imagine what skills and knowledge a candidate should have. I simply compare all the data from the questionnaire with our requirements and understand whether a person is suitable or not.
The profiles of all candidates that we refused are stored in the database. Within three months, a person can again come for an interview. In this interview I will not ask those questions on which the specialist received a good grade. I'll start right away with those on which he failed: so I can assess whether he has improved his knowledge.
And further…
Before conducting your first interview, first attend a few interviews as a listener. You can also rehearse and play the interview with a colleague. If you have the opportunity to take an experienced colleague for the first interview, take this opportunity.
What to read to novice interviewers
- Mark Rhodes “How to Talk with Anyone”
- Mark Goulston “I hear you through and through. Effective negotiation technique ”
- Alan Pease "Body Language"
- Daniel Goleman "Emotional Intelligence"
Technical resources
- Gayle Laakmann "Cracking the Coding Interview: 189 Programming Questions and Solutions"
- learn.javascript.ru
- Kyle Simpson "You don't know JS"
- The Complete Web Developer Course
- React.js
- Angular.js
Photo: unsplash.com , firestock.ru.
All Articles