21 Killer Technical Questions To Ask Your Interviewer
These questions are designed to help you assess the company's technology stack, development process, engineering culture, and more.
By asking these questions, you will:
- Impress your interviewer by showcasing your technical knowledge and skills
- Gain insight into the company's culture, processes, and priorities
- Gain valuable information that will help you determine if the company and role is the right fit for you
Let’s dive in!
Best questions technical questions to ask an interviewer
Please don't treat these questions as a mere checklist to complete, but rather as an opportunity to engage with the interviewer, and determine whether the company and role align with your goals and values.
That means you're not supposed to fire off these questions in rapid succession like a teacher administering a quiz. Instead, you should approach the conversation with the same level of thoughtfulness and professionalism you would expect from the interviewer.
Remember, this is a two-way street – the interview is just as much about you evaluating the company as it is about them evaluating you.
If you really want these questions to work for you, then two things:
- Listen attentively: Pay close attention to the interviewer's response and don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions if needed.
- Be respectful: Remain professional and courteous at all times, even if you disagree with the interviewer's response or don't understand something. Show that you're a respectful team player, and are capable of working well with others.
Okay, now we’re ready!
What is the tech stack used at the company? What tools and technologies does the company use for development, testing, and deployment?
I think this is every software engineer’s favorite question to ask. If you’re not already asking this yourself, you should start now.
Here’s why:
- It will help you prepare for the job and understand the tools and systems you'll be working with.
- It will help you assess if the company is keeping up with industry standards and best practices.
- It will help you evaluate how well you align with the company's technology preferences and assess if the company's technology stack is something you're interested in working with.
What motivated the company to choose its current technology stack? Is there a story behind it?
You can gain insight into the company's history and decision-making processes as well as the factors that influenced the selection of the tools and technologies used.
The answer to this question can give you valuable information on the company's approach to innovation, staying up to date with the latest tech trends, and how they approach technology decisions.
Plus, it's always fascinating to hear the story behind the technology stack!
How does the company evaluate and make decisions about adopting new technologies?
When asking this question, you should look out for a few things:
- Find out who within the company has the authority to make decisions about new technology adoption, and what their criteria are for evaluating new technologies.
- Try to understand how the company balances the risks and benefits of adopting new technologies and whether they have a formal evaluation process in place.
- You may also want to ask about the company's track record with adopting new technologies and whether they are open to experimenting with emerging technologies or tend to stick to more established ones.
Does the company tend to develop its own solutions or rely on third-party tools more frequently? How does the company decide which approach to use in a given situation?
Pay attention to the reasoning behind the approach they choose. This can help you understand the company's technical and business strategies. It will also give you insights into the company's decision-making process and how they balance factors such as time, cost, and technical expertise.
How would you describe the engineering culture at the company?
Learn about the company's values, work style, and collaboration methods so you can assess whether the company is a good match for your own work style and career goals.
Some aspects of engineering culture that you might want to ask about include the team's communication and collaboration methods, development processes and methodologies, approach to innovation and experimentation, and how the company fosters learning and career growth for its engineers.
Can you walk me through the development process at this company? What methodologies do you use?
Understanding their dev process and methodology will help you prepare for the job and integrate more easily into the team. This will also help you assess whether the development process aligns with your own work style and methodology preferences.
How does the engineering team prioritize and allocate tasks on a daily basis?
Use this to understand how the company manages its workload and how the engineering team collaborates to complete projects.
The answer can give you insights into whether there is a well-defined process in place, and how work is assigned to team members. It will also give you a sense of the company's culture and how team members work together.
How does the company approach testing and quality assurance? Do you have dedicated testing teams or is testing integrated into the development process?
Look for answers that indicate the company values thorough testing and has a process in place to ensure quality.
It's also important to know if testing is integrated into the development process or if there are dedicated testing teams. If testing is integrated, this could indicate a culture of collaboration and a focus on quality throughout the development process. If there are dedicated testing teams, ask how they work with the development team and if there are any specific tools or methodologies they use.
You could also ask if there are any metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) the company uses to track the effectiveness of their testing and quality assurance process.
How does the company approach code review and feedback? Is there a formal process for code review?
Knowing if there is a formal process for code review can help you understand how seriously the company takes quality control, and how they ensure that the codebase is maintainable, scalable, and bug-free.
This question can also give you an idea of how collaborative the development team is and how they help developers grow and learn. Know if you’ll have a supportive and constructive environment to work in and if the company values continuous improvement.
How does the company prioritize features and projects? Can you give me an idea of the roadmap for the team that I'll be working with?
Look for clues about the company's product strategy, the priority of features, and how the company sets goals and timelines for development. Learn how the team balances short-term needs with long-term goals and how they ensure alignment with overall company strategy.
Also, take note of how the interviewer describes the product roadmap and how it fits into the larger product vision. This can give you an idea of what you'll be working on and how your work will contribute to the overall success of the company, and if it’s something that you’re interested in working on.
How does the engineering team balance resources between fulfilling feature requests and maintaining existing systems?
Look for insights into the company's approach to balancing innovation and stability. A good answer might include details on the processes and tools the team uses to monitor and maintain existing systems while still working to deliver new features.
Understanding this balance can give you a sense of how your work will fit into the company's overall strategy, and what kind of environment you can expect to work in (the dynamics and challenges of the team's work environment).
What are the biggest challenges that the company is currently facing in terms of software development? How is the company addressing these challenges?
The answer to this question can provide valuable insight into the company's software development process and any potential obstacles you may encounter as a software engineer. It also shows that you are interested in understanding the company's current state and identifying opportunities to help solve problems.
In response to this question, the interviewer may discuss technical challenges such as scaling infrastructure or addressing technical debt, or they may discuss organizational challenges such as improving communication between teams or streamlining the development process.
Understanding these challenges can help you prepare to work with the team and identify areas where you can contribute to improving the development process. Additionally, hearing about how the company is addressing these challenges can give you insight into the company's culture and approach to problem-solving.
How does the company handle technical debt?
Make sure to learn how technical debt is identified, prioritized, and resolved. This question also helps you understand the company's culture around code quality and whether they prioritize quick fixes over long-term maintainability.
Can you talk about how your role has evolved since joining the company?
This can help you understand the growth opportunities within the company and what career trajectory you might expect. It can also give you insight into the company's willingness to invest in its employees and promote from within.
Of course, hearing about the interviewer's personal experience can also provide a glimpse into the company's culture and values.
What resources are available to new hires for learning about the company's products and processes? Are there any specifications or documentation available?
This will help you know what resources you can expect to have available to you if you are hired.
Asking this question will also show that you’re interested in the company's onboarding process and how the company supports new hires in learning about its products and processes.
This will help you learn more about the company's approach to knowledge sharing and documentation, which is important in our working life as software engineers.
Best questions to ask for knowing more about the role
Okay, so asking technical questions is important. But don’t forget about the role itself!
Not only will these questions show your interest in the position and can help you determine if the role is a good fit for you, but they can also give you a better understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities, expectations, and opportunities for growth.
Here they are:
What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this role?
Pay attention to the details of the answer. This will give you an understanding of what you can expect to be working on and how you can contribute to the team's goals. You can also use this information to determine if the role aligns with your career aspirations and if you have the necessary skills and experience for the position.
Also, asking about the day-to-day responsibilities can give you a better sense of the company's work culture and how they approach software development.
How does this role fit into the broader team and company structure? How does this role align with the company's overall goals and direction?
Here’s how understanding this can help you career-wise:
- Clarity of purpose: Having clarity on your role's purpose and direction is like finally figuring out the objective in a video game. It's like leveling up and unlocking new achievements. You feel like a boss when you know exactly what you're working towards and how your contributions fit into the bigger picture.
- Alignment with company goals: Understanding the company's mission and goals helps you prioritize your tasks accordingly, ensuring that your work is in line with the company's strategy. When you're working towards the same goals as the company, it creates a sense of unity and purpose. Doesn’t it feel exciting to be a part of a winning team?
- Collaboration and teamwork: When you understand the company's organizational structure and your role within it, it helps you collaborate better with your colleagues.
- Career development: Understanding how your role fits into the larger organizational structure can help you identify areas for career growth and development. You can see what skills you need to acquire or improve upon to advance within the company. I don’t know about you, but I like it when I know where I stand and what I need to do to grow 👶
Can you tell me more about the team that I'll be working with? What are their areas of expertise?
This will help you get a better understanding of the team you'll be working with, their backgrounds, and skill sets. Knowing this can help you understand how you will fit in with the team and whether your skills are complementary to theirs.
You can also ask about their preferred communication style, work style, and collaboration methods.
How do you envision my skills and expertise contributing to this team? What unique value can I bring to the table?
Pay attention to the interviewer's response, as it can give you insight into what the company is looking for in a candidate and how your skills can align with their goals. This can also be an opportunity for you to highlight your strengths and demonstrate how you can bring value to the team. Be prepared to give specific examples of your experience and how it can translate to the position you are interviewing for.
How does the company approach knowledge sharing and continued learning? Are there opportunities for professional development?
This will give you a better understanding of how the company supports employee learning and development, which is important for our career growth and job satisfaction as software engineers.
It can also help you determine whether the company values continued learning and if there are opportunities for growth within the company.
Do you have any hesitations about my qualifications or experience?
It’s a hard question to ask, and it forces you to be vulnerable. However, it also demonstrates a willingness to address potential weaknesses and shows that you’re confident in your abilities to adapt and learn.
If the interviewer does express any concerns or hesitations, you should take their feedback into consideration and respond professionally. It's important to listen carefully to their response and acknowledge what they've said. Try to address those concerns by providing examples or highlighting your relevant skills and experiences, and explain why you believe you would be a good fit for the role.
Remember, asking questions isn't just a formality
It's an opportunity to learn more about the company and the role you're applying for. By asking the right questions, you can gain valuable insights into the company's culture, goals, and expectations, and determine if it's a good fit for you.
So go ahead and use these questions as a starting point to kick off the conversation with your interviewer. Remember to listen actively, stay engaged, and ask follow-up questions to show your enthusiasm for the role.
So, what's next? If you're excited to put your newly acquired knowledge to the test, check out the jobs on our site.
Other than that, I wish you the best of luck in your job search!