In this article we journey through the tech interview process from the perspective of a tech lead tasked with evaluating a candidate for a senior developer position. This case study delves deep into the interview room, presenting a nuanced examination of one candidate’s responses to a series of challenging questions. By showcasing examples of both effective and suboptimal answers, we aim to illuminate the decision-making process and criteria that tech leads employ to identify the right talent for their teams.

This walkthrough presents a detailed exploration of a typical first personal interview, designed to last between 45-60 minutes. It covers the essential segments of an effective tech interview process, including a technical evaluation, a comprehensive review of the candidate’s CV, and an assessment of soft skills. While a more extended, in-depth technical interview may follow, this structure is meticulously crafted to efficiently cover the most crucial aspects of candidate evaluation. It serves as an ideal strategy for tech leaders to screen and identify the best candidates, ensuring a balanced assessment of both their technical prowess and interpersonal abilities, thereby streamlining the hiring process.

We follow Emma, an experienced frontend developer who has applied for a senior role. With a rich background in developing user-centric interfaces and a keen eye for the latest in web technologies, Emma represents the ideal candidate who’s not only technically proficient but also deeply understands the importance of user experience in frontend development.

Related: 5 tech interview techniques every tech leader must know

Phase 1: Setting the stage – Casual conversation

As the interview begins, the tech lead initiates a casual conversation, skillfully bridging the time while waiting for all participants, such as HR representatives and other team members, to join. This initial exchange, often overlooked, is a critical element of the interview process, serving not just as a buffer but as a strategic tool to set a positive and welcoming tone.

Starting with “How are you?”

The interview kicks off with the tech lead greeting the candidate warmly, asking, “How are you today?” This question, simple on the surface, plays a vital role in easing the candidate into the interview environment. It’s an opportunity for the tech lead to assess the candidate’s communication skills and ability to engage in a relaxed manner, providing insights into their personality and potential cultural fit within the team.

Creating a Comfortable Atmosphere

The tech lead’s approach to this casual talk is intentional, aiming to reduce the candidate’s anxiety and foster a sense of comfort. Discussing light topics, such as the candidate’s journey to the interview or their thoughts on the weather, allows for a natural flow of conversation. This environment encourages the candidate to open up and be more expressive, offering the tech lead valuable glimpses into their demeanor and adaptability.

Observing Soft Skills

During this informal dialogue, the tech lead is observant, paying attention to the candidate’s soft skills. How does the candidate respond to casual conversation? Do they make eye contact, smile, and appear engaged? These behaviors are indicators of the candidate’s interpersonal skills, crucial for teamwork and client interactions in the tech industry.

Phase 2: The formal introduction – Building a foundation for transparency and connection

After the initial casual conversation, the tech lead transitions the interview into its next phase: a more structured introduction. This segment is essential, as it sets the context for the interview, providing the candidate with a clear understanding of who they’re speaking to, the company’s values, and the specifics of the job role they’re applying for. Importantly, it also continues to build rapport through the sharing of personal insights, further humanizing the interaction.

Introducing the Interview Panel

The tech lead begins by introducing themselves and any other interviewers present, offering brief backgrounds to help the candidate understand the perspectives and roles of those in the room. For instance, the tech lead might say, “I’m Alex, the lead developer for Product Unicorn at our company. I’ve been with the company for five years and have seen it grow and evolve into the innovative force it is today.”

Sharing Personal Insights

To deepen the connection established during the casual talk, the tech lead shares a personal insight, making the atmosphere more relatable and less formal. For example, Alex might add, “Outside of work, I’m a family person – my wife, Jamie, and our little one, Sam, keep me busy. We love exploring the outdoors together. It’s important to me that our team values work-life balance so we can all enjoy what makes us happy outside the office.”

Company and Job Role Overview

Next, the tech lead provides an overview of the company, highlighting its mission, values, and the impact it aims to have in the tech industry. This part of the introduction is crucial for aligning the candidate’s expectations and motivations with the company’s goals.

Following the company overview, the tech lead delves into the specifics of the job role. This includes not just the technical requirements and day-to-day responsibilities but also the soft skills and team dynamics that are critical for success in the position.

Example of a Tech Lead Introduction:

“To give you a better sense of what we’re looking for, let me share a bit about myself and how I fit into the picture here. I lead a team dedicated to developing cutting-edge solutions for our clients. Balancing work with personal life is crucial for me, as I believe it fosters a more creative and productive work environment. I’m looking for someone who not only has the technical chops to contribute to our projects but also values teamwork and can bring fresh perspectives to our challenges.”

Interview structure

Following the detailed introductions, the tech lead takes a moment to outline the structure of the interview itself, ensuring clarity and setting expectations for the discussion ahead:

“Now that you’re more familiar with us and what we stand for, let’s talk about how today’s interview will unfold. We’ll start by looking into your professional journey, followed by some technical questions to assess your problem-solving abilities and technical knowledge. Then, we’ll move on to situational questions where you can share your experiences handling specific challenges or scenarios. At the end you have the possibility to ask any questions you might have about the role, our team, or the company. Our goal is to make this as much of a conversation as an evaluation.”

This transparent explanation helps demystify the interview process, allowing the candidate to mentally prepare for each segment and engage fully, confident in understanding what is expected at each stage.

Phase 3: The candidate’s professional journey

Transitioning smoothly from the structured overview of the interview process, the tech lead invites the candidate to share their professional story. This phase is crucial, providing a platform for the candidate to articulate their career trajectory, key achievements, and the experiences that have shaped their approach to work. Ideally, the candidate crafts their response as a cohesive narrative, spotlighting pivotal moments that align with the job role they’re applying for.

The tech lead prompts the candidate, “We’d love to hear about your journey so far. Could you walk us through your CV, highlighting experiences that you feel have prepared you for this role?”

Emma’s Narrative:

As Emma shares her career history, she carefully crafts her narrative to highlight her achievements and learning experiences.

“Throughout my time in the tech industry, starting with my academic pursuits in computer science and leading up to my current role, I’ve been deeply involved in projects that push the envelope in terms of innovation and user impact. My first significant professional opportunity was at a health tech startup, where I was part of a team that developed a groundbreaking patient care application. This role was my first foray into seeing how technology can directly enhance lives.”

She continues, “I then moved to a more established company, focusing on financial software. Here, I was almost responsible for leading the overhaul of our data encryption framework. Our team made substantial strides in enhancing data security, which markedly reduced potential breaches.”

Tech lead’s inquiry caused by a trigger word

The word “almost” does not go unnoticed by the tech lead, who senses an underlying story. Sensitively, he probes, “Emma, you mentioned you were ‘almost’ responsible for leading the encryption project. Could you expand on what you mean by ‘almost’? What was your actual role in this project, and what kind of challenges did you face?”

Emma’s Response:

Emma takes a moment, recognizing the opportunity to clarify without misrepresenting her involvement. “By ‘almost,’ I mean that while I was the deputy project lead, heavily involved in planning and execution, the final leadership responsibility fell to my supervisor due to their extensive experience in data security. However, this position allowed me to play a pivotal role in shaping the project’s direction and in executing our strategy.”

Analysis

Through this exchange, Emma demonstrates her capacity for honesty and her ability to navigate the nuanced realities of workplace dynamics. The tech lead’s thoughtful inquiry, based on a single word, “almost,” reveals a critical aspect of evaluating candidates: the importance of understanding the context behind their experiences. Emma’s response not only clarifies her role but also showcases her resilience, adaptability, and eagerness to grow within challenging environments.

Phase 4: Technical Questions

Transitioning from Emma’s career narrative, the tech lead steers the interview into a critical phase: technical questions designed to gauge Emma’s expertise and problem-solving approach. Unlike interviews that might list off technologies for the candidate to claim familiarity, this conversation aims to uncover Emma’s depth of understanding and her perspective on key front-end development concepts.

Technical question on implementation strategy

The tech lead begins, “Emma, let’s explore your technical expertise a bit. Can you explain how you would implement a feature that allows users to dynamically filter search results on a web page without refreshing the entire page? What considerations would you keep in mind to ensure the process is efficient and user-friendly?”

Emma’s Response:

Emma nods, appreciating the open-ended nature of the question. “To achieve that, I would use AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) calls to fetch the filtered data based on the user’s input. This approach allows the page to update the search results dynamically without a full page reload, enhancing the user experience by making it seamless and responsive. Key considerations would include optimizing the AJAX calls to avoid excessive server load and ensuring the UI updates are intuitive. For instance, displaying a loading indicator while the data is being fetched provides users with feedback that their request is being processed.”

Technical Question on Opinion

Next, the tech lead poses a more subjective question to gauge Emma’s analytical skills and awareness of current trends, “What’s your perspective on using CSS Grid versus Flexbox for layout design? How do you decide which technology to use in a project?”

Emma’s Response:

Emma takes a moment to organize her thoughts before answering, “Both CSS Grid and Flexbox are powerful tools for designing layouts, but they serve slightly different purposes. I view CSS Grid as the go-to for more complex, two-dimensional layouts where control over rows and columns is essential. On the other hand, Flexbox is ideal for one-dimensional layouts, especially when dealing with dynamic content that needs to be distributed along a single axis. My decision on which to use typically depends on the project’s specific requirements. If I need precise alignment control and layout structure, I lean towards CSS Grid. For simpler, adaptable layouts, Flexbox is my preference. Ultimately, it’s about choosing the right tool that aligns with the project goals and enhances the user experience.”

Analysis

Through these technical inquiries, the tech lead not only assesses Emma’s technical knowledge and proficiency but also her problem-solving mindset and ability to articulate complex ideas clearly. Her responses demonstrate a deep understanding of front-end development practices and a thoughtful approach to technology selection based on project needs. This phase of the interview highlights the importance of open-ended questions in revealing a candidate’s technical depth, analytical thinking, and perspective on evolving technologies. For Emma, it’s an opportunity to showcase her expertise and how she applies it to achieve practical, user-centered solutions.

Phase 5: Soft skills and motivation

As the interview progresses, the tech lead shifts focus to Emma’s soft skills and motivations, which are as crucial as technical abilities in this role. Despite Emma’s strong technical background, this phase of the interview unveils challenges in articulating her soft skills and motivations clearly.

Question on Motivation for Change

The tech lead starts, “Emma, you’ve shared your technical experiences with us, which are indeed impressive. Can you tell us about what’s driving you to seek a change now? What are you looking for in your next role?”

Emma’s Struggle:

Emma hesitates, her response less confident than before, “Well, I… suppose I’m looking for a change because I feel I’ve outgrown my current role. I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for next, but I think I want more challenges… or maybe a different environment?”

Her vague answer reveals a lack of clarity about her own motivations and what she seeks in her career, making it challenging for the tech lead to gauge her true interest in the role and her long-term commitment.

Related: 5 Secret Leadership skills every Tech Leader must know

Question on Soft Skills

Seeking to understand Emma’s interpersonal capabilities, the tech lead inquires, “Could you share an instance where your soft skills significantly influenced a project’s outcome? How do you handle teamwork and resolving conflicts?”

Emma’s Response:

Emma appears uncomfortable, searching for an example, “There was this one time… Uh, we had some disagreements in the team about a project’s direction. I guess I tried to… well, I mostly kept to my work, hoping it would resolve itself. I’m not too keen on confrontations.”

This response highlights Emma’s reluctance to engage in conflict resolution and her preference for avoiding confrontation, raising concerns about her effectiveness in teamwork and communication within a collaborative work environment.

Analysis

This segment of the interview illuminates areas where Emma struggles, particularly in articulating her motivations for change and demonstrating strong soft skills. Her uncertainty about her career direction and hesitance to engage in conflict resolution present potential red flags for the tech lead, who values clear motivation and strong interpersonal skills in candidates.

Related: Tech interviews: Why behavioral questions will significantly improve your interview quality (with examples and free download)

Phase 6: Questions by the candidate

In this final phase of the interview, the tech lead invites Emma to ask any questions she may have, providing her with the opportunity to delve deeper into aspects of the company, team, or role that interest her. This segment not only empowers candidates to gather information relevant to their decision-making but also offers interviewers insight into the candidate’s priorities and concerns.

Emma’s question on failure culture

After pondering for a moment, Emma takes advantage of the opportunity, “I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve learned today about the company and the team. I’m curious about how the company handles project failures or significant setbacks. Specifically, what is the process for reviewing what went wrong, and how does the team ensure learning and improvement from those experiences?”

The Tech Lead’s Reflection:

The tech lead is momentarily taken aback by Emma’s question. It’s a thoughtful inquiry that sheds light on her underlying concerns and possibly her motivations for seeking a new opportunity. Her question suggests that she values a culture of transparency, learning, and resilience in the face of challenges.

The Tech Lead’s Response:

“That’s an excellent question, Emma. We view setbacks not as failures but as opportunities for growth and learning. Our process involves conducting a post-mortem analysis where the team collectively reviews what happened, without placing blame. We focus on identifying key learnings, which we then document and incorporate into our future projects to prevent similar issues. This approach ensures continuous improvement and supports an open culture where everyone feels safe to share and learn from mistakes.”

Emma’s Follow-Up:

Encouraged by the response, Emma asks further, “How does the company support individual growth in these situations? For instance, if a team member wants to acquire new skills or knowledge to overcome a challenge they faced, what resources or support does the company provide?”

Analysis

Emma’s questions reveal a lot about her professional values and perhaps why she’s considering a change. Her interest in the company’s approach to handling setbacks and supporting individual growth indicates she’s looking for an environment that not only challenges her but also provides a supportive framework for learning and development. This line of questioning could reflect her experiences in previous roles, where perhaps the culture around failure and personal growth didn’t meet her expectations.

Importance of questions raised by the candidate

When a candidate poses thoughtful questions, it signals to the tech lead and the interviewing team that the candidate has done their homework. It shows an active engagement with the role and a genuine interest in understanding the company’s operations, culture, and challenges. This level of preparation and curiosity is what sets apart a promising candidate. It indicates a proactive mindset and a readiness to contribute to the company’s success.

Conversely, a candidate who has no questions might raise concerns about their level of interest in the position or the company. It could suggest a lack of initiative to research the company or think critically about how they could fit and contribute to the team. To a tech lead, such a lack of curiosity could be almost a red flag, hinting at potential issues with engagement and adaptability down the line.

Phase 7: Closing the Interview

As the interview reaches its conclusion, it’s essential for the tech lead to close the session with clarity and professionalism. This final phase is crucial for leaving the candidate with a positive impression of the company and the interview process, regardless of the outcome.

Concluding Remarks

The tech lead begins the closure, “Emma, I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with us today and for the insightful conversation we’ve had. It’s been a pleasure learning more about your experiences and perspectives.”

Setting Clear Expectations

He continues, detailing the next steps, “Let me explain what you can expect moving forward. Our team will be reviewing all the interviews and assessing each candidate carefully over the next week. We aim to make a decision and communicate with all candidates by the end of next week. Regardless of the outcome, we will provide feedback to you.”

Appreciation and Open Door

Finally, he concludes, “Once again, thank you, Emma, for your interest in our company and for the engaging discussion today. In case you have any further question, do not hesitate to reach out to us. Have a great day!”

This closing phase is integral to a respectful and transparent interview process. By thanking the candidate for their time and providing a clear timeline for the decision-making process, the tech lead ensures that Emma leaves the interview with a positive view of the company and a clear understanding of what comes next. Offering feedback and keeping the lines of communication open also demonstrate the company’s commitment to a respectful and candidate-focused hiring process. This approach not only helps manage candidates’ expectations but also reinforces the company’s values and dedication to a transparent and fair selection process.