20 Interview Questions to Uncover the Best in Tech Talent

As a company that’s been in the tech hiring space, we know firsthand how challenging it can be to find exceptional software engineering talent. Whether you’re building your team or looking for that one perfect developer to complete your crew, asking the right questions during interviews can make all the difference.

In this guide, I’ll share tried and true interview questions that have helped us at Ideaware build world-class engineering teams for companies across the globe. These aren’t your typical “reverse a binary tree” questions. They’re designed to uncover not just technical expertise, but also problem-solving abilities, cultural fit, and long-term potential.

Why Traditional Technical Interviews Often Miss the Mark

Traditional technical interviews can feel like interrogations. You know the drill: whiteboard coding, algorithm puzzles, and rapid-fire technical questions. But here’s the thing: while these methods might show you how well someone memorizes sorting algorithms, they often fail to reveal the qualities that truly matter in a software engineer. Great engineers aren’t just code machines. They’re problem solvers, collaborators, and innovators who can translate complex technical concepts into real-world solutions. That’s why our approach at Ideaware focuses on evaluating the whole package.

20 Questions That Actually Matter When Hiring Software Engineers

These are 20 of our favorite technical interview questions that dig deeper than just technical know-how. These will help you uncover candidates’ thought processes, adaptability, and passion for the tech industry, ensuring they’re a great fit for your team.

1.   Tell me about a time when you inherited a particularly messy codebase. How did you approach understanding and improving it?

In any development environment, messy codebases are a reality. This question highlights how a candidate approaches complex, often frustrating situations that can arise with legacy systems. Messy code often lacks structure, is full of bugs, or has outdated components, requiring careful attention. A good candidate will explain how they took time to understand the code, perhaps by reading through it and identifying key areas for improvement. They might mention refactoring, simplifying functions, or creating better documentation to help future developers.

2.   Can you share a time when you had to explain a complex technical idea to someone without a technical background? How did you make it understandable?

In many tech roles, explaining complex ideas to non-technical stakeholders is a daily task. Whether it’s to clients, team members in other departments, or leadership, the ability to simplify technical concepts is key to effective collaboration. A great answer to this question would highlight the candidate’s ability to break down technical jargon into relatable terms—maybe using analogies or examples to make the idea more tangible. For instance, explaining cloud storage as a “virtual filing cabinet” or comparing APIs to waiters delivering orders. The candidate should show how they gauge the other person’s understanding and adjust their communication style.

3.   What’s your approach to testing? How do you decide what to test and what not to test?

Testing is vital for ensuring software works as expected, but not every part of the code needs to be tested. This question reveals how the candidate prioritizes different parts of the project. A good candidate will explain how they focus on critical areas, like the core functionality or edge cases, and where they use automated tests to speed up repetitive tasks. They might also mention testing for user experience, performance, and security or considering the potential for future changes to the code. Testing is a key part of software development, and knowing what to test (and what not to) shows the candidate’s ability to prioritize and focus on the most critical areas.

4.   How do you ensure your code is maintainable for other developers?

Maintainability is a key factor in software development, especially when it comes to team collaboration and long-term project success. This question aims to measure how much the candidate values creating code that’s easy to read, understand, and modify. A strong answer might include using consistent naming conventions, writing clear comments, and following standard coding practices. It also shows whether they consider the future needs of the project and the developers who will work on it after them.

5.   What’s a memorable technical challenge you faced in the past year, and what lessons did you take away from the experience?

This question allows the candidate to reflect on their growth over the past year, revealing both their technical and soft skills. A memorable challenge could be anything from troubleshooting a difficult bug, implementing a new tool, or dealing with a tough deadline. The key here is the lesson learned: Did they find a better way to solve a problem? Did they learn how to handle pressure more effectively or collaborate with others to reach a solution? A good candidate will discuss how they tackled the challenge, how they handled any setbacks, and how they’ve applied those lessons to become more efficient or creative in future projects.

6.   What are your go-to sources for staying updated on tech news?

As a tech hiring manager or recruiter, you want to know whether the candidate stays current with the latest trends, tools, and advancements in technology. The tech industry evolves quickly, and hiring someone who actively keeps up-to-date ensures they can bring fresh ideas and relevant knowledge to the team.

It also gives insight into the candidate’s learning habits and curiosity. A strong candidate will not only rely on their existing skills but will also show initiative in learning new ones to stay competitive and contribute effectively to projects.

7.   What’s your approach to mentoring junior developers?

When a developer shares their mentoring style, you’re actually learning about their leadership potential and how well they can explain complex tech stuff in simple terms. Their answer also tells you a lot about how they’ll fit into your team culture. Someone who gets excited about helping junior devs grow usually makes the whole team stronger and creates a learning environment where everyone levels up together.

8.   How do you handle situations where you realize you won’t meet a deadline?

When you ask candidates how they deal with potentially missing a deadline, you’re actually discovering several key things about their work style and professionalism. It’s like opening a window into how they handle real-world pressure.

The best answers tell you about their problem-solving skills and emotional intelligence. Listen for candidates who talk about spotting risks early, being transparent about challenges, and coming to the table with solutions rather than just problems.

9.   What’s your vision for how software development will evolve in the next 5 years?

This question goes beyond assessing technical skills; it evaluates the candidate’s ability to think critically about the future of the industry and their role within it. Software development is a fast-changing field, with advancements like AI, machine learning, blockchain, and low-code/no-code platforms shaping how software is created and delivered. By understanding the candidate’s vision, the Hiring Manager can gauge their level of curiosity, awareness of industry trends, and strategic thinking.

10.   How would you improve our current tech stack/product from what you know about it?

This question flips the script and gives the candidate a chance to think like a team member rather than just an applicant. It helps the Hiring Manager see how the candidate handles unfamiliar systems and aligns technical improvements with business goals. Their response can also reveal how invested they are in the company’s vision and how they’d contribute to making it better.

11.   What kind of development environment helps you do your best work?

The answer reveals whether the candidate thrives in collaborative, fast-paced settings or if they prefer structured, quiet spaces for focused work. It also sheds light on their communication style, whether they value open discussions, code reviews, or independent problem-solving.

12.   Tell me about a time when you had to push back against a requirement. How did you handle it?

This question reveals three vital layers:

First, it shows their “professional courage.” Are they willing to speak up when they see problems, or do they just nod and build what they’re told? In tech, silent compliance can be as dangerous as outright mistakes.

Second, it exposes their diplomatic skills. Can they disagree without being disagreeable? The best developers don’t just say “no”; they guide stakeholders toward better solutions, turning potential conflicts into collaborative problem-solving sessions.

Finally, it demonstrates their technical judgment. What made them push back? Was it truly a technical showstopper, or were they just being stubborn about their preferred approach? Their reasoning reveals their technical maturity and business understanding.

13.   If you had to rebuild our entire tech stack from scratch with unlimited resources, what would you do differently and why?

This question is powerful because it reveals multiple dimensions of a candidate’s capabilities in one go. It tests their technical depth (understanding of current stack limitations), architectural thinking (ability to design robust systems), and business acumen (considering practical constraints even with “unlimited resources”). The way candidates frame their answer, shows if they can balance innovation with pragmatism, distinguishing between what’s technically interesting and what’s actually valuable for the business.

14.   Tell me about your ideal ‘flow state’ environment. What conditions help you do your best coding, and how do you create these conditions when they’re not naturally present?

If you want to reveal how developers understand and optimize their own productivity, go for this question. It goes beyond the typical “do you prefer working from home or office” discussion and dives into how candidates actively manage their work environment to maximize their effectiveness - a crucial skill in today’s flexible work landscape.

The question of “flow state” addresses a particularly critical aspect of software development. Unlike many professions, coding requires deep concentration and uninterrupted focus to solve complex problems. How a developer creates and protects these optimal working conditions reveals their professional maturity and self-management skills. It shows whether they’re proactive about their productivity rather than just reactive to their environment.

15.   What’s a popular technology or practice in software development that you disagree with? Why?

By asking this, you will get an insight into the candidate’s ability to think critically and independently in an industry often driven by trends and hype. A well-reasoned response demonstrates that they don’t simply follow popular practices blindly but can evaluate technologies based on their actual merits and drawbacks. This critical thinking is essential for companies wanting to build robust, sustainable technical solutions rather than chasing every new trend.

16.   How would you design a system to catch and prevent your own mistakes?

Here’s why this question is invaluable for recruiters and HR managers evaluating technical candidates: it cleverly assesses a developer’s maturity and self-awareness about quality assurance, revealing far more than their technical knowledge alone. It shows whether candidates take personal responsibility for code quality or assume that catching bugs is solely the QA team’s job. Their answer indicates their understanding of the true cost of software defects and their commitment to preventing them.

17.   What’s the difference between good code and great code? Can you give specific examples?

While good code may meet immediate functional requirements, great code is about building software that’s clean, modular, reusable, and easy to maintain. Great code anticipates future changes, handles edge cases gracefully, and is scalable without sacrificing performance. It’s also well-documented and easy for other developers to understand and work with. By asking this question, the Hiring Manager can gauge whether the candidate has a true appreciation for writing code that stands the test of time and how they approach improving their coding practices over time.

18.   Which technologies are you most excited about at the moment, and how do you determine if they’re ready for production or just worth experimenting with?

You want to know if your candidate keeps their skills up to date. This question will help you figure it out and whether they’re open to exploring new technologies. It also shows if the candidate has a realistic view of the tech landscape, understanding that not all new tools are ready for widespread use right away. Their answer reveals whether they’re proactive in learning about new technologies but also grounded enough to evaluate their maturity, stability, and long-term value

19.   How do you prefer to receive feedback on your code, and how do you approach giving feedback to others?

One of the most important points you want to know is how the candidate interacts with feedback, both as a receiver and giver. It reveals whether they are open to constructive criticism, use it as an opportunity to improve, and can collaborate effectively with others. Additionally, how they provide feedback gives insight into their communication style, whether they are thoughtful, respectful, and supportive, or whether they might struggle with offering constructive criticism in a team setting. This approach shows if the candidate will contribute positively to a culture of continuous improvement and open dialogue within the team.

20.   Describe a time when you had to adapt to a company process or tool that you initially disagreed with. How did you handle it?

This question gives the Hiring Manager insight into how the candidate deals with situations where they might not initially agree with something, like a new process or tool. It’s important to see if they can keep an open mind and find ways to make it work, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. The answer can show if they are flexible and can adapt without causing friction.

How to Make These Questions Work for Your Team

Remember, these questions are starting points. The magic happens in the follow-up discussion. Don’t just tick boxes. Use these questions to spark meaningful conversations about engineering challenges, team dynamics, and problem-solving approaches.

The Ideaware Difference

At Ideaware, we’ve refined our interview process through years of helping companies build exceptional engineering teams. Our talent pool consists of top Colombian developers who’ve been thoroughly vetted through this comprehensive approach.

Curious about how Ideaware can help you create a top-tier outsourced tech team in just two weeks? Let’s connect!

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