Top 5 IT Interview Questions to Ask Prospective Employees

If you run an IT company, you’re likely familiar with the difficulty associated with hiring new employees. Finding the best candidate for a job is a time-consuming process and the consequences of hiring the wrong employee can feel daunting. Asking the right interview questions plays a key role in determining a candidate’s qualifications, work-ethic, and if they’re a good fit for the role and the company culture.

While the candidate must possess the right technical qualifications for the position, the interview is a good opportunity to learn about their personality. By asking the right questions, you’ll get a better sense of the candidate and their skills, and as a result, you are significantly more likely to hire the best person for the job.

Here are our top 5 IT interview questions to ask prospective employees:

What 3 traits would your friends use to describe you?

Asking the candidate an introductory question can really give you insight into their personal characteristics that would not be apparent on a résumé. While it’s important to make sure the individual possesses the right qualifications for the job, getting a sense of their personality can be helpful in determining if they are a good fit for the company.

Describe a recent project that made you a smarter and more efficient employee.

You want to make sure you are hiring someone who is constantly learning. Asking the candidate about a past project they felt they learned from is a good indicator of their ability to take initiative. Also, it is important to hire an IT professional who understands the impact of their work and how their efforts benefited the company.

Do you consider yourself to be an independant person?

While it’s important to hire employees who are able to work effectively in teams, you also don’t want to hire a candidate who will need to be micromanaged. It’s important to think about whether the person is displaying confidence in their work and seeks feedback or constructive criticism without needing constant reassurance. If management has to constantly invest time and effort into making sure the staff are meeting deadlines and submitting quality work, resources are being wasted. Apart from this, many companies – especially those within the IT sector – are encouraging workplace autonomy by allowing employees to work from home or choose their own hours, so independent and self-motivated individuals are necessary.

How do you maintain interest in a project over a long period of time?

You want your company to be full of employees with long-term ambition and vested interest. Asking for an example from their past where the candidate felt they consistently displayed enthusiasm and passion is a good indicator of future performance. The individual’s response to this question should give you a good indication as whether or not they’re willing to persevere – even when they may not see the results of their hard work for a long period of time.

How do you keep your technology skills current?

Asking this question should give you insight how a candidate may handle technology they’re less proficient in. The world of information technology is constantly growing and changing at an extremely rapid rate, so you want to ensure you’re hiring someone who is a quick learner and is eager to stay on top of new tech trends. Another great indicator, is if the candidate mentions they also read various technology-related blogs, they likely possess a sincere and long-lasting interest in IT that extends beyond the workplace.