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Software Engineer interview questionsTechnical Interview round
A 60 min interview plan with a time-boxed script, what each question is for, and the signals to score against. Key skills: Programming Concepts, Technical Knowledge, Design Patterns, OOP Principles, Debugging.
Programming Concepts and Technical Knowledge
15 min
What this section is for
Purpose
Assess understanding of programming concepts and technical knowledge.
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Can you explain the difference between a stack and a queue?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Evaluate understanding of data structures.
Signals to score
- Correct definitions provided
- Examples given
- Differences clearly explained
- Understanding of use cases
- Mention of LIFO and FIFO
- Clarity in explanation
- Confidence in response
Follow-up questions
- What operations are common to both?
- Can you give a real-world example of each?
- How do you implement a stack in a programming language?
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What is a RESTful API and why is it important?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Assess understanding of web services and APIs.
Signals to score
- Correct definition of REST
- Importance explained
- Mention of statelessness
- Understanding of HTTP methods
- Examples of RESTful services
- Clarity in explanation
- Confidence in response
Follow-up questions
- How does REST differ from SOAP?
- What are the key components of a RESTful API?
- Can you describe a situation where you used a RESTful API?
Design Patterns and OOP Principles
15 min
What this section is for
Purpose
Assess understanding of design patterns and object-oriented programming principles.
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Can you describe the Singleton design pattern and its use cases?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Evaluate knowledge of design patterns.
Signals to score
- Correct definition provided
- Use cases explained
- Mention of instance control
- Understanding of thread safety
- Examples given
- Clarity in explanation
- Confidence in response
Follow-up questions
- How do you implement a Singleton in your preferred language?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages?
- Can you give a real-world example?
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What are the four main principles of OOP?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Assess understanding of object-oriented programming principles.
Signals to score
- Correct principles listed
- Examples provided
- Understanding of each principle
- Clarity in explanation
- Confidence in response
- Mention of encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction
- Real-world examples
Follow-up questions
- Can you explain each principle briefly?
- How do these principles benefit software design?
- Can you provide examples from your experience?
Debugging and Problem-solving
15 min
What this section is for
Purpose
Assess debugging skills and problem-solving abilities.
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How do you approach debugging a complex issue in your code?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Evaluate problem-solving and debugging skills.
Signals to score
- Clear strategy outlined
- Use of debugging tools
- Logical problem-solving approach
- Examples of past experiences
- Confidence in response
- Mention of testing and logging
- Clarity in explanation
Follow-up questions
- What tools do you use for debugging?
- Can you describe a challenging bug you fixed?
- How do you ensure the issue is resolved?
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Describe a time when you had to solve a difficult technical problem.
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Assess problem-solving skills and technical experience.
Signals to score
- Clear problem description
- Logical approach explained
- Successful resolution
- Examples of teamwork
- Confidence in response
- Mention of learning outcomes
- Clarity in explanation
Follow-up questions
- What was the problem and how did you identify it?
- What steps did you take to solve it?
- What did you learn from the experience?
Time Management, Task Ownership, and Collaboration Skills
10 min
What this section is for
Purpose
Assess time management, task ownership, and collaboration skills.
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How do you prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Evaluate time management and prioritization skills.
Signals to score
- Clear prioritization strategy
- Examples of past experiences
- Mention of tools or methods
- Confidence in response
- Clarity in explanation
- Understanding of deadlines
- Ability to adapt
Follow-up questions
- What tools do you use to manage tasks?
- Can you describe a time you had to prioritize tasks?
- How do you handle conflicting priorities?
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Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a team to complete a project.
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Assess collaboration skills and teamwork experience.
Signals to score
- Clear description of collaboration
- Examples of teamwork
- Successful project completion
- Confidence in response
- Mention of communication skills
- Clarity in explanation
- Learning outcomes
Follow-up questions
- What was your role in the team?
- How did you ensure effective communication?
- What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Closing
5 min
What this section is for
Purpose
Thanks the candidate for their time, provides next steps, and leaves a positive final impression.
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Do you have any questions for me about the team or the company?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Gauge the candidate’s curiosity and interest in the role.
Signals to score
- Thoughtful questions asked
- Interest in company culture
- Curiosity about growth expressed
- Questions about role raised
- Inquiries about team challenges
- Engagement with responses shown
- Desire to learn next steps
Follow-up questions
- What interests you most about this team?
- Are there any areas of the role you’d like to explore further?
- What are the next steps in the interview process?
Software Engineer interviews — common questions
- Who is this Software Engineer interview plan for?
- It is written for the interviewer, not the candidate: the hiring manager, engineer or panel member running the Technical Interview round for a Software Engineer role. It gives you a 60 min script to follow in the conversation — 9 questions with what each one is for and the signals to score against — so you are not writing the round from scratch the night before.
- What does the Technical Interview round assess?
- This round is focused on: Programming Concepts, Technical Knowledge, Design Patterns, OOP Principles, Debugging. It works through Programming Concepts and Technical Knowledge, Design Patterns and OOP Principles, Debugging and Problem-solving, Time Management, Task Ownership, and Collaboration Skills and Closing, scoring against 46 observable signals, with follow-up prompts on all 9 questions for going deeper where an answer is thin.
- How is the 60 min split up?
- Programming Concepts and Technical Knowledge (15 min), Design Patterns and OOP Principles (15 min), Debugging and Problem-solving (15 min), Time Management, Task Ownership, and Collaboration Skills (10 min), Closing (5 min). The timings are there so the round stays on schedule and every candidate gets the same shape of interview — which is what makes two candidates comparable afterwards.
- What other rounds should I run for a Software Engineer?
A single round does not cover a whole role. The other rounds in this library for a Software Engineer: