Best interview questions for your hiring process
Tech Lead Interview questions
Tech Leads are experts on the technical goals and aspects of a business. Their main duties include fixing software and engineering problems and monitoring and training employees. Besides that, they help with the recruitment process, setting goals, and making sure the clients are happy.
Tech Leads should have the following skills:
- Top-notch troubleshooting skills.
- The ability to explain things to people who aren’t tech-savvy.
- Strong knowledge of technology and coding languages.
- Excellent leadership and teamwork skills.
- Ability and motivation to meet deadlines.
Interviewing a Tech Lead
A Tech Lead will be in charge of your business’ complex programming projects and deliver successful technology solutions for your company. Furthermore, they must be a strong leader and support the software development team with any coding issue they may encounter.
That’s why hiring the right Tech Lead is essential, meaning that the interview process needs to be well-thought-out and thorough. To help you achieve this, we’ve put together a list of the right questions to ask your candidate.
You should note that our interview questions are meant for early stage candidates with average work experience. They are therefore a little more general.
How to open the job interview
Even the top-notch Tech Leads may feel nervous when faced with an important job interview. And, too many nerves may hamper them from expressing themselves properly, which in turn might negatively influence your perspective on their skills, personality, and thought process.
To avoid this, start your interview with some easy questions that will get the conversation naturally flowing. This will benefit your candidate and you as well!
For the interview
A positive opener to start
What influenced you to get into programming?
Why are you interested in a leadership position?
What are your goals as a tech lead?
Behavioral Questions
Describe the project you’re most proud of. What was your contribution, and what was your position on the team?
Describe a time you resolved a conflict with a co-worker. What did you learn?
Some problems may arise when managing a team, but it is pretty normal. What is essential is to know how to resolve these conflicts. For this reason, your Tech Lead should have good conflict resolution skills and a remarkable ability to learn from mistakes. You will know more about your candidate’s skills and experiences with this question.
Have you ever implemented a significant improvement to an IT infrastructure? Describe the situation and your suggestions.
Your Tech Lead should have some proven software development or engineering experience. With this question, you can test your candidate’s technical skills and have an idea of their hands-on work.
What resources have you used to keep up-to-date with technology trends?
A Tech Lead should not only have technical knowledge, but should also have an interest in the field. This question will test your candidate’s commitment to ongoing education and dedication to excellence in the area.
Soft Skills
Are you comfortable giving in-depth presentations?
A tech lead’s significant responsibility is representing their team’s work to clients or stakeholders. For this reason, it is essential to ensure your candidate can be an effective public speaker. They should explain what skills help them feel confident speaking in front of others, or share a previous professional experience with public speaking.
Are you currently working on any side projects?
A Teach Lead should always be innovative and have a growth mindset. Whether your candidate has side projects showcases their interest in the field and constant learning growth.
How would you motivate and guide your team as the project deadline approaches?
Tech Leads need leadership and teamwork skills, especially since they will guide and coordinate the software development team. For this reason, it is good to analyse your candidate’s test planning, motivational, and communication skills.
How do you manage to meet deadlines for challenging projects?
Time management and problem-solving skills are essential for a Tech Lead. Your candidate should be able to find solutions and adapt as projects are constantly moving and being brought up.
Hard Skills
What are the first things you do when reviewing your team’s code? What tools do you use to test code quality?
Here, your candidate’s knowledge and experience are put to the test. They should be able to mention some standard software engineer software. You’ll also know whether their knowledge will suit your company’s needs.
What’s your favourite programming language and why? What features would you like to add to this language?
Here, you’ll get an idea of the technology your candidate has previously worked with and how this fits in with your current way of working. You will also be able to visualise what they will need to be onboarded with and what new skills they can bring to your team.
What research methods do you use to design a new software system? What steps do you follow before organising the system?
Your Tech Lead should have a broad understanding of software systems, coding projects, and system structures. Your candidate should have a strong knowledge of these topics and an excellent step-to-step process.
What steps would you take to help your team members create goals?
Tech leads must motivate their teams and help them create goals. This question will help you understand if your candidate has an excellent goal-creating process and can set precise short-term and long-term goals.
Operational / Situational Questions
How would you address productivity issues with your team?
The answer should mention giving constructive feedback and helping their team create actionable solutions. They should have weekly or monthly meetings to check whether these changes were achieved and learn from this for future scenarios.
How would you respond if a team member suggested using new technologies or coding languages?
With this question, you will be able to determine how open-minded your candidate is about new technology solutions. It will also show their willingness to work with other team members and embrace their ideas.
How would you explain complex technologies in simple terms to a stakeholder?
This will often be the case for Tech Leads. Knowing they have communication skills and the ability to guide less technical team members through a project is essential.
Start hiring and prepare your interview
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This question will reveal more about your candidate, their technical knowledge, and their ability to make meaningful contributions. As well as learn about their past achievements. Let your candidate boast a little!