Top 20 Interview Questions for Software Developer Jobs
Top 20 Interview Questions for Software Developer Jobs
Software developers are among the most in-demand tech professionals out there right now as discussed over at runrex.com. With so many companies actively looking for software developers to hire, those in the field must know how to prepare for an interview to land the right job with the highest salary. The following is a list of the top 20 interview questions you can expect as a software developer interviewing for a job to help you prepare.
Why did you want to be a software developer?
While this answer may have so many answers since there are so many reasons why you would want to a software developer, the gurus over at guttulus.com point out that the best way to answer this question is by saying “Because I love coding”. This shows you are passionate about your work and have a deep focus on your ongoing projects. Avoid letting it be known that you wanted to become a developer because of the pay.
Why should we hire you and not the other applicants?
This interview question cuts across all industries and is asked to all job applicants, including software developers. When answering this question, you should make sure you outline why you are the right fit for the job and the company as discussed over at runrex.com.
Describe the software development process
The software development process is like a life cycle of particular software and if you can answer and describe this process accurately, then it means that you are well acquainted with the cycle. As covered over at guttulus.com, the process is composed of the following activities: Requirement analysis > Specification > Software architecture > Implementation > Testing > Documentation > Training and support > Maintenance.
What projects are you working on personally?
This question is designed to help the interviewer know if you are a passionate software developer since if you are one, then you should have at least one project ongoing. Make sure you have projects which you are working on personally and be prepared to talk about them when asked.
What projects have you completed till now?
This question is designed to let the interviewer get a better understanding and knowledge of your practical skills as a developer while also letting them know about your experience and the quality of your coding. Make sure you have some top-quality work to show off as if you are a bad coder, it will be revealed from your projects and your chances of getting hired will take a massive hit.
What is the biggest problem you have faced in your projects and how did you solve it?
Every developer has faced problems while working on a project. As explained over at runrex.com, this question is designed to test your self-awareness and honesty. Therefore, pick a real problem that you have faced during one of your projects, explain how you solved it, and the challenges you faced while working on the solutions. Show what you took away from the experience.
Ever been part of a failed project? Why did it fail?
This question is also designed to test your honesty as well. If a project failed there must be a certain reason for this. A genuine developer should be able to accept the responsibility of the failed project if his/her errors were part of the reason why it failed according to guttulus.com. When answering this question, be honest, explain why the project failed as well as what you learned from the experience and what you would do differently next time to avoid a similar fate.
Which tools do you use to keep track of requirements?
As is covered over at runrex.com, there are several ways to keep track of requirements during a project. While this is a technical question, you shouldn’t hesitate to answer as this will tell the interviewer a lot about you. Make sure you have a list of tools you use, be it an Excel sheet, or any others, and make sure you outline tools that you actually use and, therefore, have knowledge of.
Which design patterns have you used and in what situations?
A good software developer should be able to state the design patterns which they have practically used. This may include Singleton, MVC, Template pattern, or Iterator. You should avoid saying that you have used all design patterns, as this is a red flag that interviewers look for during interviews as it shows you are pretending to be an all-rounder in software development.
What are your programming patterns?
Programming patterns include several variables like source control, testing, variable/file/class, and application architecture decisions. When answering this question, you should avoid stating that you don’t use any variable and instead, state that while your current employer doesn’t use source control, for example, you have used it with previous employers or for your personal projects at home.
What is the difference between computer software and a computer program?
This is another common interview question according to the gurus over at guttulus.com. Remember, a computer program is a portion of programming code that executes a well-defined task while software includes programming code, its documentation, and a user guide.
What are the 3 principles to simplify your life?
While this question might sound like something spiritual and related to everyday life, it isn’t and it’s related to your life as a developer. As outlined over at runrex.com, a developer’s life can get complex with extreme coding which is where the principles – KISS, YAGNI, and DRY come into play as they help overcome it.
KISS is “Keep it Simple Stupid”
YAGNI stands for “You Aren’t Going to Need It”
DRY is “Don’t Repeat Yourself”
An experienced software developer should be able to know all about these principles which is why interviewers ask it.
Question on the full forms of abbreviations
You are also likely to be asked the full form of abbreviations related to the software development industry. Some of the few know abbreviations include MVP, MVC, SRS, MVVM, SDLC, DFD, HIPO, CASE, ER, and many others. According to guttulus.com, a quick response is likely to impress the interviewer as is knowledge about their functions and how they are programmed.
Which are the important tools to test the quality of your codes?
When answering this question, simply state the tools that you use for the quality assurance of your codes. The interviewer will also be expecting you to explain how those tools help you in quality checking and unit testing of the codes, something that you should be prepared to talk about.
How do you create technical documentation of your product?
Good documentation of the product leads to profit which is why this is a popular interview question. You should be able to explain a product documentation strategy that is focused on profit rather than cost.
Tell me about a time you had a conflict with another employee
Software development positions could be team-based or individual, depending on the organization. If it is team-based, the interviewer will likely want to understand how you work with others as well as your interpersonal skills. When answering this question, you should describe a specific situation that happened and explain your thought process and approach in coming up with the solution to the conflict as covered over at runrex.com.
How was/is the QA process handled at your company?
As the gurus over at guttulus.com point out, developers at one organization may have a broader scope of responsibilities than those at another. For example, a smaller startup may not have a separate group responsible for testing or fixing bugs in code, and will be seeking a candidate with a thorough understanding of the QA process. if you are asked this question, the company is likely checking to find out your level of knowledge to see if you would be capable of taking on testing.
What is your process to test and find bugs in an application?
From discussions on the same over at runrex.com, every candidate will have her/his own process and favorite debugging tools. When answering this question, highlight how much you are invested in writing great code, and that you make sure debugging is part of the process, and then outline your process and favorite tools.
What do you know about object-oriented programming and object-relational mapping?
When answering this question, you should be honest about your previous roles and projects, and how they contributed to each. If you didn’t have a hands-on role in designing the architecture of a product, you should let the interviewer know that and talk about what experience you have with object-oriented programming instead, or object-relational mapping, and in what parts of the projects you contributed.
What are your career aspirations?
This is your chance to be honest and reflect on what you are looking for in your career. If you want to move into management, but the organization you are interviewing at is looking for someone to be an individual contributor and isn’t focused on developing someone into management, it is better that you know that early on rather than waiting to find out after starting the job.
These are some of the questions that you can expect during your interview for a software developer job, with more on this topic to be found over at the highly-rated runrex.com and guttulus.com.
