Anyone who says that going for an interview is a breeze may well be being economical with the truth. Interviews can often be stressful for the interviewee, and for a software developer or software engineer role, there is that mixture of complex, technical questions about knowledge and competencies, and the more personal and team-working side of the person.
Software developers are also known as programmers, designing and building computer programs aimed at helping organisations and their equipment to work effectively. Examples of the types of work involved include developing software to be used in home entertainment systems, designing controls that can be used for manufacturing and industrial machinery, or building databases for administration and finance departments.
Interview preparation.
Sometimes obtaining an interview is the hard part, so using an experienced IT recruitment company can make a significant difference in finding appropriate jobs and getting support along the way. At Randstad Technologies there are people with a wide-ranging knowledge of the IT jobs market who can provide advice and information to help candidates find the right job and deliver a confident interview. It doesn't matter whether the candidates are seeking higher-level jobs or are at entry-level into the profession, this recruitment agency caters for all levels of experience.
General interview tips.
Getting onto an interview shortlist will mean that the applicant has already done much of the hard work by producing a strong CV and covering letter. It can be easy for a software developer to concentrate on preparing for interview questions on the complex, technological areas of the work, but this should not be the only focus.
Recruiters and employers will ask those technical questions so a candidate needs to take time to think about possible questions and be as well prepared as possible to answer them. In addition, however, an employer will want to get a sense of how a potential employee will fit into the company's ethos and organisational structure, so questions will become less technical and focus more on the person and how they put themselves across during the interview.
Trying to strike a balance between one-word answers, a long-winded explanation that nobody wanted, or a succinct response that says what is necessary is not easy. It requires practice, and if candidates have friends or colleagues who can help by role play, it can be a real confidence boost when dealing with the interview.
Potential software developer interview questions and answers.
1. What do you know about our company?
This determines whether a candidate has done their research. Always find out as much as possible beforehand.
2. Why do you want to work for us?
An employer is usually trying to see if an applicant is going to say something negative about their current or previous organisation. Avoid this. They may think the same might happen to them down the line.
3. How would you solve this programming problem?
Practise solving problems based on algorithms – be prepared.
4. Have you worked with this particular technology?
Candidates should never lie but answer honestly. Not everyone knows about everything and there's plenty of time to learn.
