What are the best technical interview practices?

1. Develop a clear job description. 2. Use a structured interview format. 3. Pose real-world scenarios and problems. 4. Include interactive coding challenges. 5. Assess system design skills. 6. Encourage collaborative problem-solving. 7. Incorporate behavioral questions. 8. Maintain consistency in feedback. 9. Continuously improve interview questions. 10. Prioritize a positive candidate experience.

My rule of thumb is, if a technical question can be Googled and answered quickly, it's not worth asking. Not because they might cheat your interview process, but because being a good developer isn't about remembering the names or features of specific technical concepts. Being a good developer is about problem solving. Ask questions that enable you to assess how they problem solve. You know you're on the right track if your questions start with "can you tell me about a time when..." - A side benefit to this is you can see how well they understand and are able to communicate what, how and why they have implemented that specific solution.

For technical interviews Have structured and standardised list of questions Be objective in assessment Look for potential and learnability of the candidate.

As a Senior TA Professional, I found that the best technical interview practices involve a structured approach emphasizing skills assessment and cultural fit. Firstly, defining clear job-related criteria and technical competencies is crucial. Employing a mix of behavioral questions, hypothetical scenarios, and practical assessments aids in evaluating a candidate's problem-solving skills and technical expertise. Additionally, involving relevant team members or experts in the interview process ensures a holistic evaluation. Lastly, offering constructive feedback and maintaining a positive candidate experience throughout the process is vital for nurturing long-term relationships and attracting top technical talent.

First, identify in your intake call what your intentions and needs are for the role and IT project. If it is a role that has been previously hired for, review the work responsibilities and technical skills to ensure they are still relevant. Be truthful with the urgency of hiring and what skills can be trained or developed by your organization.

Competency based interviews -tailored to the role. There would be some generic assessment but eventually evaluating on real time tech scenarios expected to be faced in the role. Additionally , evaluating potential and not always on completion on a problem .

I always suggest multiple steps for highly technically roles. I find that my most efficient clients preferred a recruiter screen, technical assessment, and panel interview(s) in that order. You may also want to consider portfolio reviews or other forms of assessment other than coding exams. With the prevalence of artificial intelligence assistance, you may want to ensure your exams are proctored.

In technical interviews, a variety of formats are available, ranging from pair programming to system design interviews. It is crucial to ensure that the chosen format remains consistent for every candidate. A standardized format not only upholds fairness across all candidates but also streamlines the application of objective criteria. This guarantees that each individual undergoes evaluation against the same standards, irrespective of their background or level of experience.

You might consider a blend of traditional and innovative formats. Think about incorporating virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) scenarios to assess problem-solving in real-world-like environments, alongside coding tests and whiteboard exercises. Introduce pair programming sessions to evaluate teamwork and communication skills. Balance these with portfolio reviews for a holistic view of candidates' capabilities. This multi-dimensional approach ensures a comprehensive assessment, matching the dynamic nature of tech roles today.

Determining what's the best format for a particular interview is dependent on the Industry the technical interview is being conducted for a Electronics firm requiring a High level descriptive language may want to look at how the candidate build upon data from an IOT devide vs a e-commerce based company would love to look at how the candidate is solving for a time complexity problem over a whiteboard.

Most recruiters don't have a technical educational background. So, it's better to coordinate with the hiring manager. Understand the job description and note down some technical questions. It would help you to evaluate the candidates' answers and confidence.

Absolutely! Focusing on realistic, role-specific scenarios in your interview questions can effectively reveal a candidate's technical and problem-solving skills. It's about finding that sweet spot where the challenge matches their experience level, fostering a deeper insight into their potential fit for the team.

With a plethora of technolgies, infra's and a choice of multiple transformers avaialble. The question a technical interviewer would ask should be be focused on eliciting responses based on Industry situations. As an example a company being 20 years in the market may not have had a clear API documentation available. Dealing with scenarios where a long lost code may throw up tricky Issues should be evaluated.

Finding the right tech interview format can be tricky, but by weighing the pros and cons of each option, you can pick the one that best suits your company's needs. Consider coding tests, whiteboard exercises, live coding sessions, and portfolio reviews. Take your time to assess candidates' skills, creativity, and communication to find the perfect fit for your team. Don't forget to seek advice from experts to tailor your approach to each role.

Make sure your questions are asked properly. Refrain from close-ended questions and always allow for nuance in your answers by making them open-ended. Also, avoid leading the question with statements like "If you have experience with X you must have experience with Y?".

Provide candidates a open forum where they have the choice to attend the Interview online, in - person or simply in a coffee shop. An Interview is more of a 2 way discussion. There is a unique problem the interviewer and candidate is solving for which needs a determined approach right at the start.

If a candidate appears anxious, offer words of encouragement to help them relax. During the interview, observe the candidate's problem-solving approach and assess their use of technologies in previous experiences to address real business challenges

Candidates spend valuable time away from their job search and work to apply and interview to your opportunity. Please respect their time and protect your organization's image by providing them a follow-up and feedback.

Thanks Candidates for taking the time of a busy schedule to collaborate on a topic of interest, Show them what the next steps would look like and give them a forum to address post interview questions if any.

In today's evolving technological landscape, we should be more mindful of our technical interview practices and the desires of tap talent. Make sure that your technical assessments are relevant and interviews are both productive and considerate of the candidate's time.

In technical interviews, having clear definitions for each technical competency level is crucial. This approach allows interviewers to accurately assess a candidate's skills against predefined benchmarks. During the interview, it's beneficial to ask the interviewer to assign a level for each technical competency being evaluated. They should be able to justify why a candidate fits a particular level and not a level higher or lower. Documenting these observations provides a detailed and objective basis for evaluating technical skills, ensuring a fair and effective hiring process.