Learn some of the most common software engineer questions and how to answer them.
You've submitted your resume to a software engineer position and have been invited to do an interview. It’s an exciting opportunity in a competitive field, so you want to make sure you stick the landing. While software engineer interviews have many similarities with traditional interviews, there are also some key differences – like whiteboard and coding tests – that make them unique. In this article, you’ll find common software engineer interview questions and strategies for answering them.
If you're ready to start prepping with guidance from an industry leader, consider enrolling in IBM's online course, Software Developer Career Guide and Interview Preparation. You'll walk through what to expect, interview question answering techniques, and how to write an effective resume. It's also part of several programs you can go on to complete to boost your resume and skill set, including the IBM AI Developer Professional Certificate.
As a software engineer, you’ll be tasked with solving a wide range of programming problems in a professional work environment. Many employers want to make sure that you have the technical skills needed to be a good fit for the position, so they use whiteboard and coding tests to see these skills in action.
Here’s what you can expect from each type of test.
As its name suggests, a whiteboard test is a test given to a job applicant during an interview in which they must demonstrate their technical skills by designing a solution to a software problem on a whiteboard or a piece of paper. Versions of the whiteboard test have been a part of software engineer interviews for decades and are often critical to demonstrating that you have the skills it takes to handle the job.
During the test, you will be given a problem and then asked to solve it on a whiteboard as the interviewer (or interviewers) asks you questions about your problem-solving process. Rather than asking you to do something tricky, the test will simply ask you to solve a problem that requires you to use the exact skills you might use in your day-to-day job as a software engineer. This means that so long as you have the required skill set, you should be able to solve the problem.
The exact problem you’re asked to solve will vary from one interview to another. Tests may ask you to do everything from designing algorithms that identify palindromes or draw circles to partaking in the Fizz Buzz challenge, which asks that participants create a program that can print the numbers 1 to 100 with all multiples of ‘3’ replaced with “fizz” and all multiples of ‘5’ replaced with “buzz.”
During the test, make sure to explain your methodology for solving the problem and succinctly answer any of the interviewer’s questions.
Coding tests, like whiteboard tests, ask that you solve a problem as part of the interview process. However, unlike whiteboard tests, coding tests are usually administered over the internet via a link that takes you to a platform to solve a coding problem within a set amount of time. This means that you will do the test independently rather than in front of an interviewer.
Coding tests can take many forms, such as asking you to use a particular programming language or relying on a certain framework. While some employers may be simply interested in seeing that you solved the problem effectively, others might be more interested in the way that you solve it. In effect, it’s best to explain all your work on the test, so that the reviewer can get a sense of your thought process.
Technical interview questions ask you to describe your technical skill set and to demonstrate your knowledge of technical concepts. These questions ask you to demonstrate that you thoroughly understand the concepts you’ll be using every day as a software engineer.
This is a straightforward question that asks you to detail the programming languages that you know. Common programming languages include Python, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, and HTML.
You can prepare for this question in advance by looking at the position’s job requirements and identifying the programming languages they list. You may also find additional programming languages in the “preferred qualifications” section.
If you don’t know one of the required programming languages, emphasize your competency in the other required languages that you do know instead and simply state that you’re confident you can learn other languages quickly.
Read more: Most Popular Programming Languages in 2024
The software development process, or software development life cycle, refers to the process used to create new software. Typically, the process includes six to seven steps: (1) brainstorming, (2) defining requirements, (3) prototyping, (4) coding, (5) testing and validation, (6) launching the product, and (7) ongoing product maintenance.
While the precise formulation of the development process varies from one organization to another, these primary steps required to take a product from concept to commercialization are common among most employers.
Agile methodology is a project management approach that uses incremental, iterative steps paired with continuous feedback to complete a project within a relatively short time period. Many software development teams use Agile because it allows them to complete projects more quickly than traditional project management processes, which usually progress very linearly and take a significant amount of time to finish.
When answering this question, provide a clear description of the process and use examples to illustrate how you’ve used an Agile methodology in former positions or in school projects.
Need to brush up on your Agile knowledge? You can familiarize yourself with core concepts like behavior and test-driven development through IBM's DevOps, Cloud and Agile Foundations Specialization. In as little as one month, you'll gain a certificate for your resume.
This question asks you to describe the characteristics of different data structures, such as arrays, stacks, trees, and graphs.
Hiring managers ask that you analyze data structure characteristics because they want to see that you have a firm grasp of the topic. As a result, when answering the question, identify all the unique characteristics within the data structure that make it unique. You can make your answer even stronger by noting how the data structure’s characteristics make it different or similar to other types of data.
Read more: Understanding Different Types of Data
If you’re working with data, then you’ll need to have a strong grasp of both Structured Query Language (SQL) and Non-Structured Query Language (NoSQL.)
SQL is a query language that allows users to query and manipulate data within a relational database, which organizes data in columns and rows in a table. NoSQL, meanwhile, is a type of non-relational database that is capable of storing and managing large amounts of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data.
When answering this question, focus on distinguishing between the two databases using examples of the kinds of scenarios you might use each for.
Read more: SQL vs. NoSQL: The Differences Explained + When to Use Each
General interview questions encompass both behavioral interview questions and situational questions that ask you to reflect on how you work, what you’ve accomplished in the past, and how you might face challenges in the future. Here are some questions you may encounter during your software engineer interview.
Hiring managers ask this question because they want to hear why you’re interested in working for the organization specifically, rather than just landing the job. To answer this question, do some research into the kind of projects the company works on, the opportunities they offer, and the company culture they embody.
You can find this information on the company’s official website, through their social media channels, and even on websites like Glassdoor. Keep your answer positive and note some ways that you feel you’ll contribute to the company’s mission and culture.
This question is all about problem-solving. Interviewers love to ask questions like this because it gives them insight into the methodology you use to solve problems and the ways you may collaborate with your team throughout a complex project.
These types of questions are very common during job interviews, so it’s best to prepare a specific answer in advance. Focus on a concrete software challenge you’ve experienced in the past and describe your exact process for solving it, emphasizing the impact you had and its outcome.
Teamwork and communication skills are critical to successful software development. As a result, many employers want to get a better idea of how you work with other team members during the development process, especially when difficult circumstances arise.
When answering this question, focus on the positive steps you’ve taken in the past to resolve disputes within teams. Your answer does not necessarily have to focus on your experience working in software development. For instance, you may discuss personal challenges you encountered in the past and then describe how you’ve brought the same attitude to your professional workplace.
Read more: Important Teamwork Skills and How to Improve Yours
Technology is constantly evolving. So, during your software engineering interview, the hiring manager might ask you what you do to learn technology that you’re unfamiliar with in order to get a better idea of how you meet this common demand when you’re under pressure.
When answering this question, discuss the different ways that you learn about new technologies, such as by reading up about them in publications, taking continuing education courses, or reaching out to others in your network for support. Consider including an example of when you encountered precisely this scenario in the past and what you did to overcome it.
Much like the previous question, this one is asking you to explain what you do to stay up-to-date with industry knowledge. There are many ways you can keep yourself informed, but some common methods include reading trade publications, attending conferences, networking with other professionals, and continuing your education by obtaining or updating relevant certifications.
Prep for your interview while also working toward a Professional Certificate for your resume with industry leaders IBM in the online course, Software Developer Career Guide and Interview Preparation. You'll sharpen your communication strategy and prepare answers for challenging questions you may face during your software engineering interview.
When you're done, you can go on to complete one of IBM's Professional Certificate programs in an in-demand area of study, such as IBM AI Developer, in which you'll master GenAI for software engineering.
If you’re looking to master the general art of the interview, hone your skills with the University of Maryland’s Advanced Interviewing Techniques online course. You’ll learn detailed strategies for handling tough competency-based, or behavioral, interviews so that you can communicate the knowledge, skills, and abilities employers demand.
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