Exploring Job Interview Questions and IT Hiring Challenges – Behind the Scenes

Job interview is a dynamic journey where questions tend to unlock human potential.
First things first, the skill that we need the most is communication. As communication is a two-way street candidates should feel like they are in the same position as us.
We’ll try to bring you closer to the challenges and solutions we face during the job interview process in the IT industry, as well as dive deeper into the types of interview questions. So, let’s get started.

Interview questions are mainly structured as follows: 

1. Behavioral questions 
2. Technical questions

Behavioral interview questions

These questions are designed to assess a candidate’s past behavior and actions as a predictor of future performance. They are based on the belief that past behavior is a good indicator of how a candidate will handle similar situations in the future. This specific question focuses on a candidate’s ability to manage and resolve conflicts, a crucial skill in most workplace environments.

Behavioral Interview Question: (example) Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict within a team.

Question Description:
The purpose of this question is to evaluate the candidate’s interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Conflict resolution is a critical competency because it demonstrates the candidate’s ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and find solutions in challenging situations.

Here’s how to frame and evaluate the response.

STAR technique

This STAR technique helps interviewees structure their responses effectively, ensuring that they provide a well-rounded account of their experiences. It also allows interviewers to assess a candidate’s ability to handle specific situations and measure their competencies, such as problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and communication skills, based on real-world examples. A strong answer should demonstrate the candidate’s capacity to turn a conflict into a constructive opportunity for growth and collaboration.

• Situation: Ask the candidate to describe the context of the conflict. What was the team working on, and who were the individuals involved?
• Task: Inquire about the candidate’s role in the conflict. Were they directly involved, or did they mediate from a leadership position?
• Action: Ask the candidate to explain the specific actions they took to address the conflict. Did they initiate a conversation, bring in a mediator, or propose a solution?
• Result: Evaluate the outcome of the conflict resolution. Did the candidate successfully resolve the issue, improve team dynamics, or contribute to a positive work environment?
• Reflection: Encourage the candidate to reflect on what they learned from the experience. Are there any lessons they can apply to future conflicts?

Behavioral interview questions like this one help employers gain insights into a candidate’s past performance and their potential fit within the organization. It’s important to listen carefully to the candidate’s response and ask follow-up questions to dive deeper into their experience and skills.

Technical interview questions

Designed to evaluate a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and expertise in a specific field, such as programming, engineering, or any other technical domain. This question focuses on a fundamental concept in programming, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).

Technical Interview Question: (example) Explain the concept of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and provide an example of how it is used in a programming language you are familiar with.

When assessing the candidate’s response, look for the following:

• Clarity of Explanation: Did the candidate provide a clear and concise explanation of OOP concepts?
• Relevance of Example: Is the example relevant and easy to understand? Does it effectively illustrate the use of OOP?
• Understanding of Pros and Cons: Assess the candidate’s ability to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of OOP.

This type of technical interview question helps employers become familiar with a candidate’s technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and ability to apply theoretical concepts to practical situations. Additionally, it provides insight into the candidate’s familiarity with programming languages and their capacity to communicate complex technical concepts effectively. 

*TIP: Always reach out to your technical team lead and ask if they can lead a technical interview with you on the call as well. The technical team lead will ask technical questions and know where the mistakes are (space for asking additional questions or providing explanations). You will monitor the candidate’s reactions and the way of answering.

Job Interview Challenges

Yet, interviewing is not without its challenges. In today’s fast-paced world, the hiring landscape is constantly evolving. To stay competitive and ensure successful recruitment outcomes, organizations must address several key challenges in their hiring processes. These challenges encompass staying current with emerging technologies, eliminating bias and subjectivity, fostering inclusivity, and aligning candidate values with those of the company.
Here’s how you, as an interviewer, can handle these challenges:

 Staying Up-to-date with Technologies

Challenge: Rapid advancements in technology can leave organizations struggling to keep their recruitment methods up-to-date.

Solution: Regularly assess and adopt cutting-edge technologies, such as applicant tracking systems (ATS), AI-driven tools, and video interviews, to streamline and enhance the hiring process. Invest in training to ensure that you and the team are proficient in using these tools effectively.

Avoiding Bias and Subjectivity

Challenge: Bias and subjectivity have a bad influence on hiring decisions, leading to unfair outcomes.

Solution: Implement structured job interview processes that use standardized questions and evaluation criteria. You can set your goals and list of questions (checklist) before the interview process to prevent subjectivity.

Fostering Inclusivity

Challenge: Inclusivity is essential, but creating an inclusive job interview process can be complex.

Solution: Design interview processes that accommodate candidates from diverse backgrounds and abilities. Ensure that interview panels are diverse and sensitive to candidates’ needs. Encourage open dialogue and feedback from candidates to continually improve inclusivity.

• Aligning Values:

Challenge: Finding candidates whose values align with the company’s mission and culture can be challenging.

Solution: Develop interview questions that will dive into a candidate’s values and beliefs. Ask about their past experiences and actions that demonstrate alignment with the company’s values. Use these insights to assess cultural fit during the hiring process (you can use the STAR technique).

Virtual interviews can bring a new set of challenges. This requires interviewers to master remote communication, maintain engagement, and build rapport through screens. With this organizations can improve their hiring practices and attract top talent while upholding fairness and diversity in their workforce.

To conclude, there are explored solutions to two key categories: technical and cultural.

Solutions

Technical Solutions:

1. Skill Assessment: This allows them to showcase their expertise and gives you valuable insights into their preparation and skills. Additionally, create a set of well-crafted questions that precisely determine their skill set. These questions should be tailored to the specific job requirements and designed to measure the depth of their knowledge.
A red flag here is if you notice that the candidate didn’t prepare or didn’t read the materials you sent.  

2. Testing Platforms and Questionnaires: Employing testing platforms, customized questionnaires, or even Google Forms can streamline the assessment process. These tools can help standardize the evaluation and provide structured, objective criteria for comparing candidates.

Cultural Solutions:

1. Setting Expectations in Advance: This can help identify potential misunderstandings and misalignments later in the process. Before the interview, consider providing candidates with an overview of your company’s culture, values, and expectations. This way, they can self-assess their fit within your organization, saving both parties valuable time and resources.

In conclusion, the post-interview feedback process is not just a polite gesture; it is an essential component of an effective hiring strategy. Providing feedback to candidates, whether they were successful or not, serves several crucial purposes.

• First, it promotes transparency and respect. Offering constructive feedback demonstrates that their efforts are valued, regardless of the outcome. It shows that your organization respects candidates as individuals and professionals.
• Secondly, feedback fosters growth. Constructive criticism provides candidates with valuable insights into their performance and areas for improvement. This can help them refine their skills, refine their interview techniques, and ultimately become stronger candidates in the future.
• Providing feedback contributes to a positive employer brand. Word of mouth travels quickly in today’s interconnected world. If candidates had a respectful and constructive experience with your organization they are more likely to speak positively about your company. Even if they are not selected. This can attract more qualified candidates in the long run.
• Lastly, feedback can help you, as an employer, improve your hiring processes. It allows you to identify patterns and trends in candidate performance, helping you fine-tune your selection criteria and interview techniques.

In the competitive job market, where a positive candidate experience can make all the difference, post-interview feedback is a small effort that can lead to substantial benefits. So, always say it, provide feedback after the interview, and watch how it positively impacts your organization’s reputation and hiring success.