Practice makes perfect and to help you shine in your next interview, you need to read through the best answers for common IT interview questions and practice a mock interview. Luckily you can do both in this article.
First, read the best answers for those finely selected questions then practice unlimited times for free by taking an AI-assisted practice interview. In the end, you will get personalized interview feedback from artificial intelligence about your skills and personality.
Hiring employees is not an easy process. Hiring managers understand that to hire the best people they need to look beyond technical qualifications, especially while staffing for IT roles. Initiative and soft skills are crucial factors to consider.
To get better insight into the credibility of the candidates, it’s important to put aside resumes and create a carefully crafted set of questions to weed out the best candidates.
Questions like asking the candidate’s plan for the next five years are common. It is not the best question, as it does not offer much insight. Yes and no questions do not offer much useful information about the candidate. To figure out if an individual is good for the job or not you will have to ask a mixture of situational and technical questions.
Information Technology Interview Questions
To judge the technical skills of a candidate and their passion to succeed, ask the following 17 tech interview questions.
Information technology interview questions
Are there any online resources you use to assist you in your job?
IT workers mostly turn to websites like Github or StackExchange if they need professional help. Serious professionals looking to build a stable career will have a selection of websites, social media feeds, communities, and other resources at hand. The answer will let you know how engaged the candidate is and aware of the broad IT world.
What methods do you use to keep the technology skills up-to-date?
Tech professionals need to refresh their IT knowledge so they can keep up with industry upgrades and innovations. They can follow forums, take online courses, and read blogs to know what is new in the industry. Asking the question lets the interviewer know that the candidate is passionate about the industry and willing to learn new things. The question is also helpful in starting a conversation about professional development.
Explain a relevant technology in layman’s terms
IT is a part of every industry. A tech professional needs to know how to communicate with non-IT professionals without drowning them in hard-to-understand IT jargon. The answer will allow you to assess the communication skills of the candidate. It will show you their ability to break down complicated processes. Ask some basic questions, and it will give you a sense of how they interact with people with little tech knowledge.
List out the strengths you think are most important for relevant IT positions
The question reveals the interviewee’s feelings about the position and things they can bring to the company. Every candidate answers the question differently. Some focus on mentioning IT certifications and technical abilities, while others are more interested in sharing problem solving, communication skills, and their ability to pay attention to details. The best candidates are the ones who give a balanced answer.
Give three words your colleagues would use to describe you
The question is essential because it gives you a glimpse into the personality of the candidate. It is impossible to share everything through a resume, and traditional interview questions are not always enough. It is a smart question as it lets the interviewer know how the candidates perceive themselves in the role they are applying for. If they are focusing on the creative aspect of an analytical job then they are not a good fit for the position.
Professional setbacks are a part of one’s career. The interviewer wants to know if you can handle difficult situations and what have you learned from your mistakes. The best employees are the ones that use their setbacks to move forward and make positive changes. Focusing on things they did after they failed to accomplish their goals.
To know if the prospective candidates are familiar with the operating system, hardware, and software the company is using, the tech question helps evaluate knowledge and enthusiasm. The way candidates act while discussing the features and usage of certain tools will tell you about their depth of knowledge and willingness to learn. If they appreciate the positive aspects of technology products and have suggestions on which better products to use then they are the best candidate for the job.
What are the pros and cons of working in Agile environments?
Agile is used commonly by IT teams as it helps in holding quick meetings and offers a steady feedback stream from colleagues. The answer to the IT questions will let you know their understanding of the environment and their attitude towards communication and collaboration.
What is your opinion about the impact of technological advances on your job?
The IT technologies are improving constantly, and with the advances, the IT roles are changing. A good candidate will be aware of the changes. If they are not up-to-date with IT advancements then they are not a good choice. The question will let you know whether candidates are aware of the importance of automated testing of DevOps.
The interviewee can talk about the automation tools they use and the challenges they face while working with big data and machine learning. The question also allows them to discuss AI projects they are looking to work on. It is an excellent way to start a conversation about the latest trends and advancements. The question will offer insight into the way interviewee perceives their long-term role.
Hiring IT professionals that devote their free time to side projects is a smart move. Their commitment to extra projects shows that they are curious and willing to work extra to improve their knowledge and skills. Ask them about their interests and methods for staying motivated. You can ask them about their ultimate goals. If they have a demo of a website or the app they have worked on then you can check out the quality of their work.
What was the last presentation you worked on?
Tech workers can’t work alone. They have to work in teams and collaborate with teammates and other departments. IT professionals do not have to be good at public speaking but they should be good at putting together a solid presentation and convincing stakeholders why their ideas are better.
What qualities make a project leader successful?
Employers are always looking for leaders even when they are hiring for management. IT individuals mostly have to take responsibility for delivering projects on time. They have leadership skills that allow them to organize, motivate, delegate, communicate, and spread positivity.
What characteristics and skills make an individual a good remote worker?
It is an important question considering the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote working is becoming more and more common. Capable and reliable remote workers need to be self-starters that can deliver quality work with little supervision. They must have excellent communication and management skills. Not everyone can maintain a work ethic outside the workplace. The question will let you know whether the candidate is comfortable and productive working offsite.
What do you hope to achieve in the first six months if hired?
The question has more than one right answer as it depends on the role. The answer of a developer may be developing a small project while a tech manager may hope to analyze internal processes. The response of the candidate offers insights into their understanding of the role they are applying for. If their ambitions are different from the position they are applying then they are not a good match for the position.
How do you deal with tight deadlines?
IT teams have to deal with time constraints, so you will need to hire someone who can work accurately and efficiently. The interview question will give you a sense of how the potential candidate deals with stress and keeps up with the pace of the projects. Ask them if they have missed any important deadlines in the past and how did they deal with the situation.
Are you able to establish a work-life balance?
Tech workers have to deal with multiple pressing deadlines and on-call duties and they often struggle with the demanding culture of the field. Companies want to hire candidates that are dedicated and know how to relax and stay happy and healthy. Burnout and stressed employees are not good employees as they are not as productive as you would want to be. Smart employees have strategies in place to prevent burnout and stay productive. As a follow-up question, you should also mention the ways the organization supports a healthy work-life balance.
Why do you want to join the company?
Candidates that are truly interested in the job will be aware of the values, services, and products of the target company. If they can’t offer at least three reasons to join the company then they are not a good match. They should be able to list the ambitions and skills that match the job description.
Information Technology Interview Questions Conclusion
The candidates must have time at the end of the interview to ask their questions after the interviewer is done with tech interview questions. It will be good for the applicants but also offers interviewees insight into what is important to them. Their answer will let you know if they are interested in the salary, vacation days, or show their business acumen. They can demonstrate their understanding of the weaknesses and strengths of the company.
Sam Najar, MBA
MBA from the Australian Institute of business. Over a decade working for IBM Australia and Oracle Europe and the Middle East. Worked on Artificial Intelligence technology for many years and believes that technology can help everyone better understand his/her personality and find the job they deserve.
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