13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

13 Common Technical Interview

Questions (With Tips and Example
Answers)
December 4, 2020

If you are considering a career in the tech industry, it is important to know

that a technical interview is often very different from any other traditional job
interview. Technical interviews typically include behavioral questions,
situational questions and technical problem-solving questions. Whether you
are just starting out in the technical field or are a seasoned professional,
knowing the types of questions to expect during a technical interview can
help you prepare your answers carefully to showcase your skills and
experience.

In this article, we discuss the most common interview questions asked

during a technical interview with tips and example answers for technical
questions.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 1 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

Top 6 Common Interview Questions and Answers

What is a technical interview?

A technical interview is a job interview for any position that relates to the
tech industry, such as information technology. Technical interviews may take
place over the phone, online and in-person, and may range in time from one
hour to full-day interviews. Interview questions may consist of traditional
interview questions, brainteasers, technical proficiency tests and problem-
solving questions.

During the technical interview, the interviewer will assess your technical
knowledge, skills and abilities as they relate to the needs of the specific job
you are applying to. In addition to assessing your technical knowledge and
skills, the interviewer will also be looking for what your thought process is

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 2 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

when solving problems and how you will fit into the company's culture.

Common technical interview questions

Questions asked during a technical interview can fall into several categories
including:

Behavioral interview questions

Situational interview questions
Questions about your education
Questions about technical knowledge and experience

Read on as we discuss why employers ask these types of questions and

what they are looking for with sample answers to questions about technical
knowledge and experience.

Behavioral interview questions

Technical interviews usually begin in the same way any other interview
would: with a series of general and behavioral interview questions intended
to learn more about who the candidate is and how they will fit in with the
culture of the company. When answering behavioral interview questions, it is
best to try to answer using the STAR interview technique by clearly
identifying a Situation, Task, Action and Result of an experience you have
that is relevant to the question being asked. Here are a few common
behavioral interview questions you can expect during a technical interview
with example answers:

What was your specific role and responsibilities on the most recent
project you worked on?
What is the project you are most proud of, and how did you contribute
to it?

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 3 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

Do you prefer to work alone or on a team?

Read more: How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

Situational interview questions

After asking a few behavioral interview questions, the interviewer may move
on to asking a few situational interview questions in which they present you
with a hypothetical situation and ask you how you would resolve the problem
or respond to the situation. With these questions, the interviewer wants to
know if you have anticipated certain workplace challenges that may arise
and how you would respond to them. You can use the STAR technique to
answer these questions by identifying a similar situation you have
encountered in the past. Here are a few common situational interview
questions you can expect during a technical interview with example answer:

What would you do if you were asked to perform a task and weren't
sure how to complete it?
Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond your expected
tasks while working on a project.
How would you overcome the challenge of working with a difficult co-
worker on a team project?

Read more: Situational Interview Questions and Answers

Education interview questions

When an interviewer asks questions about your education, they want to

know about the specific technical training and education you have and how it
has prepared you for the position you are applying to. When answering these
questions, make sure you mention any special certifications, coursework and
training you have received and any academic accomplishments relevant to
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 4 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

the position you are applying for. Here are a few common technical interview
questions about your education with example answers:

How did your education prepare you for this job?

What technical certifications do you have?
What do you do to stay up-to-date on your technical certifications and
knowledge?

Sample technical interview questions and answers

After asking behavioral and situational interview questions and finding out
more about your educational background, the interviewer will move on to
asking you questions about your technical knowledge, skills and experience.
When answering these questions, it is important to show your ability to
communicate technical concepts in an easy-to-understand manner and
describe your work processes. The specific technical questions you can
expect to be asked will vary based on the technical needs of the role, but
here are a few common technical interview questions and example answers:

What coding language are you most comfortable with?

What is a SAN, and how is it used?
When is it appropriate to denormalize database design?
What is the role of continuous integration systems in the automated-
build process?

What coding language are you most comfortable with?

The interviewer will probably ask you a question about the coding languages
you know to determine whether you have a comprehensive understanding of
how to use the language they expect you to use and whether you are
comfortable using more than one language. When answering this question, it

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 5 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

is important to mention the specific coding languages you have worked with
and are comfortable with. Then, choose one specific coding language you
are most comfortable with and explain why.

Example: "While I am comfortable with several types of coding languages,

including SQL, Python, C++ and Visual Basic, the coding language I have the
most hands-on experience working with is JavaScript. Because JavaScript
was the first coding language I learned and I have used it on several projects
over the past 10 years, this is the language I am most comfortable with."

What is a SAN, and how is it used?

This interview question is testing your technical knowledge related to a

specific network you will need to be familiar with to be successful in your
role. When answering this question, it is important to clearly define what
SAN stands for, what it does and how you would use it in the role you are
applying to.

Example: "SAN stands for a Storage Area Network. This is a high-speed,

specialized network that gives block-level network access to storage. SANs
are used to improve application availability, enhance performance, increase
storage utilization and effectiveness and improve data security and
protection."

When is it appropriate to denormalize database design?

This is a more complicated technical interview question that is testing

whether you know how to identify the pros and cons of choosing to use
denormalization for database optimization. Because denormalization will
have an impact on what a database can do, it is important to clearly explain
the pros and cons of using this method and identify when it would be

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 6 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

appropriate to use.

Example: "Denormalization is a database optimization technique used to

improve a database's performance for specific queries. Denormalization may
be needed when improvements need to be made to a database for it to
meet your application requirements. However, denormalization will have an
impact on what your database is able to do, so it is important to make sure it
is needed for scalability or performance before choosing to use it as an
optimization technique."

What is the role of continuous integration systems in the

automated-build process?

The interviewer is asking this question to make sure you understand what
continuous integration systems are and how they are used in the automated
build process. When answering this question, clearly define what continuous
integration is and then explain how it is used in the automated build process.

Example: "Continuous integration is a developmental process that requires

developers to integrate code into a shared repository several times
throughout the day. Each time the code is integrated, it is verified by the
automated build. This allows for early detection of defects and problems
within the codebase."

Technical interview tips

Here are a few additional tips to help you stand out as a great candidate
during a technical interview:

Explain your reasoning

Many technical interview questions have a specific correct answer. This

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 7 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

means you need to find a way to make your answer stand out from the
answers provided by other candidates. Explaining your problem-solving
process and the logic you used to arrive at your answer can help you stand
out as a stronger candidate.

Know different methods for solving a problem

Some technical interview questions have several answers that could be

correct. When answering a question that has several possible scenarios for
arriving at a solution, explain your problem-solving process and make it clear
that you know how to use each method to find a solution.

Ask for clarification, if needed

If the interviewer asks you a question and you need additional information to
properly answer it, it is ok to ask the interviewer for clarification. This will
show the interviewer that you have the ability to identify when additional
information is needed and that you aren't afraid to ask for clarification when
you need it.

Elaborate on answers you don't know

If you are asked a question during a technical interview that you don't know
the answer to, it is ok to tell the interviewer you don't know the answer.
However, you should elaborate on your answer and explain how you would
go about finding the information for the answer if this were a problem you
faced on the job. This will show the interviewer you have the ability to search
for information to solve problems when you don't know how to do
something.

Be prepared to prove your skills

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 8 de 9
13 Common Technical Interview Questions (With Tips and Example Answers) | Indeed.com 01/29/21 12:36 a. m.

Many technical interviews include an aspect where you are asked to prove
your skills through a series of brainteasers, whiteboard coding challenges or
remote coding assignments. While this phase typically occurs during the
second or third interview, it is important to be prepared for at least one
brainteaser question or whiteboard challenge during your first technical
interview. With these questions, it is important to remember to talk through
your reasoning process and explain the steps you are taking to answer the
question.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-technical-interview-questions-and-answers Página 9 de 9