Tech Interview

If you’re looking for your first or next job in tech, you’re going to have to ace an interview to attain a great offer.

The interview process is how potential employers gauge your acumen and determine if you’d be the right fit for the position they have available in their organization. They’re designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving capabilities, and communication skills, among other pertinent traits.

No matter what level you’re on in the tech sector, or what position you’re interviewing for, it’s extremely important to be ready for the information technology interview questions you’re likely to be asked when you sit down with an interviewer. Read on for some common tech interview questions you can prepare for ahead of your meeting with a hiring manager.

Common tech interview questions

Why do you want to work in tech?

The, “Why do you want to work in tech?” interview question is a classic to start the interview proceedings — especially if you’re just getting started in the technology world. Hiring managers are looking t understand what motivates you to work in this industry. It’s a great question to help them get a feel for how passionate you are about your profession and the position you’re seeking.

How do you keep your technology skills current?

The tech world is constantly changing, which means you always need to be learning if you want to stay up to speed and relevant in the category. You have to adapt to and adopt new ways of working with different technologies as they develop and become popular. Potential employers will be looking for your willingness to evolve with the times as new innovations become accessible, so you and the organization will be better able to avoid falling behind.

How have you successfully dealt with a particularly challenging task or assignment in the past?

Any job is going to have its challenges, and it’s important for a hiring manager to get a feel for how you’re liable to meet those challenges head on. One of the best ways to do so during the interview process is to solicit an example from a previous experience that you can then break down in detail together.

How would you explain complex technology to someone with more limited tech skills?

A big part of many technology jobs entails being able to translate complex data or practices to others who don’t have the same kind of tech know-how as you do. Hiring managers will want to know your methods for communicating efficiently and effectively with people who can only grasp a concept in laymen’s terms. Sharing your insider knowledge in a cogent and simplistic manner can go a long way when it comes to collaborating with other individuals and departments within a company.

How would your colleagues describe you?

You can learn a lot about a person from the way the people they work with, or have worked with in the past, speak about them. With this question, they’ll be looking for you to convey how current and former coworkers might think or feel about you, and what they might believe are some of your greatest strengths or areas for skill building.

How do you think technological advancements will affect your job and career?

Most companies are looking toward the future and are dialed in to how technology will potentially affect their ways of doing business in the years to come. They want to know how you think those changes will roll out, and how you plan to adapt to those changes to ensure continued success and productivity.

What is a project you’ve worked on in your spare time?

This question is a common one because it helps hiring managers get a feel for how sincerely passionate you are about tech. If you’re working on passion projects in your free time, and you don’t allow them to take away from the attention you pay your full-time job, it shows just how much you enjoy certain technological aspects of the world and creative or positive ways of implementing them.

Additional tech interview prep tips

If you’re searching for a position in the tech sector and find yourself in the interview process, make sure you’re prepared to answer these questions (especially the “Why tech?” interview question) and others in a similar vein. You’ll also want to be ready to provide specific examples from your past experiences.

Additionally, be sure to do plenty of research on the company you’re interviewing with, and the position you’re interviewing for. The more you know on these fronts, the more prepared and confident you’ll be when you step into the interview.

You may also find it helpful to practice your responses ahead of time. You don’t want your side of the interview to sound too rehearsed, but it certainly can help you feel more prepared as you walk in the door or log on to a video call.

Be prepared to tackle coding challenges or other technological skill tests, as they’ve become a very common component of the tech sector interviewing process. These days, getting an offer is often about more than your resume and conversations you have with various individuals throughout the recruitment and interview process.
 
If you’re searching for your first or next tech role, check out the job listings for organizations Michael Page is currently working with, or submit your resume and one of our expert recruitment consultants will reach out with relevant opportunities.
 

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