Common Technical Interview Questions (Plus Example Answers!)

We conduct tech interviews on a daily basis. It still surprises us how much people could do better if they simply knew techniques for answering technical interviews.

Even candidates with strong resumes and years of experience often struggle in interviews because they don't prepare themselves for the moment. This includes failing to anticipate and practice responses to common questions, such as "Tell me about yourself."

And we understand that interviews are stressful and sometimes unpredictable. For instance, the interviewer can ask questions about your education and background. But the interviewer can also ask you about your approach to tech-related situations. So having to think fast and tell a good story can be overwhelming.

At Olby, candidates in international hiring processes have prep calls with our experts for training to do well in their interviews. While you are not yet an Olber, you can continue reading this post. It will feel like a prep call, and we will provide you with tips and tricks to succeed in your next technical interview.

Key takeaways:

• The moment of the interview is the time to show that you are the most suitable person for an opportunity.

• Come prepared to discuss your problem-solving approach and offer well-founded justifications for your decisions.

• Don't hesitate to take a moment to collect your thoughts if needed. It's better to give a well-thought-out response than a rushed one.

• Ask clarifying questions when necessary, demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively and ensuring you fully understand the problem.

What the interviewer really wants to know?

Technical interview questions aim to assess your proficiency in the hard skills for performing the job effectively. The interviewer also wants to know your personality and problem-solving abilities. And your goal is to show that you have the essential skills shown in the job posting. But unfortunately, most people don't link the interview questions to the job role they are applying for.

A practical example: the Full-Stack Software Engineer below position highlights Angular and Node as important skills. In addition, we can see some keywords like Yardi, WordPress CMS, and SEO. So, if you're a candidate, you should highlight your experiences demonstrating this knowledge when creating the narrative to answer. However, most candidates don’t do this and are often verbose.

During a job interview, share examples of your skills that relate to the job you're applying for. Taking the time to match your qualifications to the job description can make things easier.

And it's crucial to bear in mind that interviewers for technical positions often focus on your thought process. Sometimes, they care more about how you solve a problem than the actual answer you find, depending on the situation.

In a job interview, the interviewer will consider:

• Can I trust this person with this responsibility?

• Does this person know the tools and technologies we use?

• Are we able to understand each other?

• Is this person engaged with my product mission?

Let's dive a little deeper into the most common questions:

Behavioral Interview Questions

They aim to understand the candidate's personality and how well they will fit into the company's culture. Here are a few common behavioral interview questions you can expect during a technical interview:

• What were your specific role and responsibilities on the most recent project you worked on?

• What project are you most proud of, and how did you contribute?

• Do you prefer to work alone or on a team?

• Share a time when you improved upon the initially suggested solution.

• Describe your production deployment process.

• Give an example where you have applied your technical knowledge in a practical scenario.

• How did you ensure quality in your deliverables?

• What utility did you most recently download from the internet to enhance your work productivity?

How to answer: 

When answering behavioral interview questions, try to answer using the STAR interview method; It consists of four key steps: Situation, Task, Actions, and Results. Here's a sample example:

What's the most challenging/exciting project you have done in the past two years?

Example: One of the most exhilarating projects I worked on in the past two years was creating a cutting-edge C++ emulator for the beloved 8-bit gaming platform, Chip-8. This project allowed me to merge my passion for digital preservation with my affection for classic games like Tetris and Pac-Man.

As I delved into retro gaming, I encountered a series of technical challenges that required me to delve deep into low-level programming. It demanded patience, tenacity, and a fair share of creative problem-solving to overcome obstacles.

However, seeing the project gradually come together and witnessing the vintage games running seamlessly on the emulator was immensely rewarding. The feeling of nostalgia and accomplishment was genuinely heartwarming.

Throughout the development process, I had the chance to employ various C++ tricks and optimizations, honing my programming skills. As a result, I am eager to apply this newfound knowledge to future projects, as it has opened up exciting possibilities for my software development journey.

In conclusion, the Chip-8 emulator project provided a unique and fulfilling experience, combining my passions for digital preservation and 8-bit gaming. While it was undoubtedly challenging, the sense of accomplishment and the skills acquired make it an endeavor I will always look back upon with pride and enthusiasm for future projects.

Situational interview questions

These questions give you a made-up situation and ask how you would solve or react. They are designed to evaluate your problem-solving skills. During your technical interview, expect to be asked a few common situational interview questions.

• From the description of this position, what do you think you will be doing daily?

• What challenges can you expect in this job if we hire you?

• How do you ensure consistency across the unit, quality, and production environments?

• After studying two options, one on-site and the other online, both with the same features. Which option do you suggest and why?

• What steps would you take to ensure accurate project estimates?

• What risks do you see when a business unit uses Excel and Access to manage an important part? What actions should we take to reduce those risks?

• What would you do if asked to perform a task you are unsure about?

How to answer: 

The interviewer wants to know if you have thought about problems at work and how you would deal with them. So you can also try to answer using the STAR interview technique; Here's a sample example:

How would you overcome the challenge of working with a difficult co-worker on a team project?

Example: Dealing with a difficult co-worker can be challenging. However, there are ways to handle the situation and maintain a positive work environment. To begin with, I would have an open and honest conversation with the difficult co-worker.

Seek to understand their perspective and concerns. I feel like listening actively and showing empathy can help bridge the gap and foster better communication. I would emphasize that we all have shared goals, and working together will lead to better results for everyone.

If it keeps happening, I might ask someone neutral, like a supervisor or HR person, to help solve the problem. An unbiased perspective can help address the problem objectively. If the difficult co-worker's actions harm the project, I would keep a record of specific incidents. This record will serve as evidence in case we need to address the situation later.

Education interview questions

Education questions are asked to understand your specific technical and education training. The interviewer wants to understand how your training has prepared you for the job you are applying for.  Remember that the interviewer wants to know about your educational background, even if you are self-trained. 

Here are a few common technical interview questions about your education:

• What technical certifications do you hold?

• How do you stay up-to-date on your technical certifications and knowledge?

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your key competencies for this job?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses in Tech?

How to answer: 

Emphasize your academic achievements by describing the relevant coursework you completed during your training. Did you earn scholarships? Perform an internship with a tech company?

Describe critical projects, including the technologies you mastered to complete them. Here's a sample example:

How did your education prepare you for this job?

Example: In my educational journey, I have pursued a comprehensive academic background that aligns closely with the requirements of this job. With a Computer Science degree, I have acquired a solid grounding in programming languages, algorithms, data structures, and software development methodologies.

During college, I actively participated in various coding projects and internships, allowing me to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. I gained problem-solving skills, learned software development practices, and developed teamwork abilities through these experiences.

In addition to my schooling, I have also been learning on my own to keep up with the latest tech advancements. I have taken online courses and participated in workshops, enhancing my expertise in data science, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing.

My education provided me with technical knowledge, practical experience, and a passion for learning. I believe that these qualities are crucial for succeeding in this job. I have a strong education and stay updated with industry trends. This makes me a valuable asset for this organization's tech projects and goals.

Questions About Tech Tools, Systems, and Security

No matter what job you have, you will probably face questions about specific languages or general programming knowledge. The interviewer will definitely want to know your understanding of systems development, programming, and/or security. You may be asked a few examples of such questions below. 

• Which development tools have you used?

• What programming languages have you worked with?

• Which source control tools have you utilized?

• Explain the components of an in-tier architecture and their appropriate applications.

• Compare and contrast REST and SOAP web services.

• How do you defend against a cross-site scripting attack?

• Explain the concept of a honeypot in network security and its purpose.

• Define authentication and authorization and mention the tools supporting them in enterprise deployments.

• Have you worked with Visual Studio?

• Have you used Eclipse?

• What is a SAN, and how do you use it?

• Describe clustering and its purposes.

• What is the role of the DMZ in network architecture?

• When is it suitable to denormalize database design?

• What role do continuous integration systems play in the automated-build process?

How to answer: 

Answer the questions by showing your ability to explain technical concepts clearly and, and by describing your work methods. The exact technical questions may differ depending on the specific requirements of the position, but here's an example:

What coding language are you most comfortable with?

Example: I have experience with various coding languages, such as SQL, Python, C++, and Visual Basic. However, the coding language I am most proficient in and have extensive hands-on experience with is JavaScript. English was the first language I learned. I've used it in many projects for 10 years and feel most comfortable with it.

Bonus! 6 real examples of technical interview questions with their answers

Here’s another tip: prior to the interview, research the company to gain insights into its operations. Ideally, align your answers with their methods and demonstrate your understanding of their approach. While sharing your opinions in your responses, it's essential to showcase adaptability and openness to new processes. 

1. What is an SSL certificate and who issues them?

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that establishes a secure and encrypted connection between a web server and a web browser or client. It prevents data from being intercepted, read, or tampered with by unauthorized entities, ensuring the privacy and security of user data.

SSL certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs), trusted third-party entities responsible for verifying the website owner's identity and issuing the certificate. Before issuing the SSL certificate, the CA checks to validate the website's legitimacy and ownership. When you visit a website with an SSL certificate, your browser checks if the certificate is from a trusted CA. If it is, a secure connection is established with the website, ensuring safe data transmission.

2. When is it appropriate to denormalize database design?

Denormalization is an optimization technique to enhance a database's performance for specific queries. It involves restructuring the database by reducing its normalization levels to effectively meet the application's requirements. However, denormalization comes with trade-offs as it can limit certain capabilities of the database. Before using denormalization as an optimization method, assessing its necessity in terms of scalability and performance is crucial.

3. What is the role of continuous integration systems in the automated-build process?

Continuous Integration is a development practice where developers regularly combine their code into a shared repository throughout the day. After each integration, the team initiates an automated build process to validate the code. This proactive approach enables early identification of defects and issues within the codebase, leading to improved software quality and efficiency.

4. What's the difference between event.preventDefault() and event.stopPropagation() methods in JavaScript?

In JavaScript, event.preventDefault() and event.stopPropagation() are two methods used to handle events with distinct purposes. event.preventDefault() is employed to prevent an event's default behavior, while event.stopPropagation() is used to halt the event from propagating up the DOM tree to parent elements during the bubbling phase or to prevent it from occurring in the capturing phase.

5. What is a closure?

A closure in JavaScript is when a function is combined with references to its surrounding state, called the lexical environment. In simpler terms, a closure allows an inner function to access the scope of an outer function. These closures are created whenever a function is defined during function creation time.

To utilize a closure, you can define and expose a function inside another function. You can either return the inner function or pass it to another function to make it accessible. The good aspect of closures is that the inner function retains access to the variables within the outer function's scope, even after the outer function has finished executing. This feature grant closures their ability to maintain access to the state of the surrounding context beyond the typical function execution lifetime.

6. What is WCAG, and what are the differences between A, AA, and AAA compliance?

The acronym WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, a set of guidelines for web accessibility published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium.

The WCAG guidelines are divided into three levels: Single A, Double A, and Triple A.

Single A is the foundational level, representing the minimum requirements all websites, apps, and electronic content, such as documents, should meet to ensure basic accessibility.

Double A is considered the acceptable level of accessibility for most online services. It aims to ensure compatibility with a wide range of assistive technologies available on desktop and mobile devices or those that can be acquired as third-party installations.

Triple A compliance is regarded as the gold standard level of accessibility. It goes above and beyond to provide a completely accessible experience, incorporating all the additional features that enhance user experience and make it exceptional.

Final tips on how to Prepare for a Technical Interview

Listed below are a few tips for interviewing for technical positions:

• A crucial initial step is to examine the job description to identify the areas that require your focus for preparation. This might involve studying data structures, mastering a particular coding language, or becoming proficient in using business intelligence tools.

• Explain your approach to solving problems and logical reasoning. This points out your problem-solving and critical thinking abilities to a hiring manager.

• Feel free to ask for more information if you need help understanding the question. Tell the interviewer or ask probing questions to learn more if you do not know the answer. This may aid you in finding the right solution.

• Attempt coding assignments and brain teasers to improve your programming skills.

And here's a final tip: recently, Google released a tool called "Interview Warmup." It is an exciting way to understand your points of improvement. Go check it.