40 Best IT Interview Questions to Evaluate Talent

While the IT world grows, IT jobs are increasing quickly. A clear perspective of the company's needs is crucial for any business. IT interview questions can be challenging, so we have prepared a list to help you in this process.

A toolkit of 40 IT interview questions is a solid way to start. Hiring the best people is crucial. With the following examples, you will find IT interview questions and behavioral questions to create an effective process for the new IT members.

40 Must-Ask Questions for an IT-Related Job Interview

Having the right questions, from general questions relevant to any job interview to specific ones for the IT department, is key. Based on academic knowledge to behavioral skills, going with questions for specific projects to the troubleshooting process will give you confidence and will design an outstanding hiring process.

These first eight questions are designed to introduce the candidates and ask about their short-term goals and how they interact with coworkers. It is also essential to find out if they have worked on special projects and if they have led any of them. Special projects can show candidates' potential and to know how they can contribute to the innovation field.

General interview questions

1. Can you tell me about yourself?
2. What do you consider your biggest strengths and weaknesses? And how do you manage or improve your weakness?
3. What type of people do you like to work with?
4. What have the last few years taught you?
5. What has been the most remarkable project you have worked on?

Company-Related Questions

Candidates who know the details and go beyond the job description about the IT position that they are applying for and have also done research into the company have great potential. 

6. What do you already know about this role and company?
7. How did you hear about this opportunity?
8. Why should we hire you?

IT Academic background questions

To go deeper, their technical skills, the tools that they can use, and relevant studies and certifications are crucial at this point:

9. What technical skills are most important for an IT position?
10. How do you ensure quality in your deliverables?
11. What IT or other relevant certifications have you obtained?
12. What resources and tools do you use to help you manage a project?
13. What development tools have you worked with in the past?

Technical IT Interview Questions

Now, IT interview questions will explore specific technical skills. It is necessary to go beyond the question of "What do you do in your current role?"

 By assessing the networking and system administration skills, the troubleshooting processes, coding languages learned, and the various types of Internet Protocols that IT candidates can manage, you will establish a clear path:

14. Can you share a new software or technology you've recently explored?
15. How do you keep your IT skill set current?
16. Are you familiar with different types of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, like CPU, VPN, and DNS?
17. What is your troubleshooting process?
18. What skills do you have when working with cloud services?
19. What are your thoughts on Agile methodology? What are its pros and cons?
20. Which coding languages are you most comfortable using or have experience with?
21. Can you describe a work product you've delivered that you're particularly proud of?
22. What tools do you use to manage and manipulate data in databases?
23. Are there any IT support skills you could improve?
24. Are you familiar with scripting languages like PowerShell, Bash, Python, or others for task automation and process optimization?
25.  What other automatization tools do you handle?
26.  Have you automatized any processes in your previous role?
27. What skills do you possess to protect computer systems and networks from cyber threats and unauthorized access??
28. Do you prefer service-oriented or batch-oriented approaches, and why?

Project management skills questions

Now, it is time for project management tools. Working on different special projects simultaneously is frequently done in the IT world. By handling project management tools, employees can be more productive and efficient.

Projects need to be completed, and deadlines need to be achieved. Knowing the tools, communication methods, and capacity for a IT work is crucial.

29. How do you prioritize tasks when managing multiple projects?
30. How do you handle working under pressure or tight deadlines?
31. What do you believe makes a good team dynamic, and how do you contribute to that?
32. How do you ensure clear communication with non-technical stakeholders when working on technical projects?
33. Have you worked in a fast-paced work environment before? How did you manage your workload?
34. Can you describe a time when you had to learn a new technology quickly? How did you manage?
35. What project management tools are you familiar with?
36. How do you stay organized and ensure that projects are completed on time?
37. Can you share an experience where you had to troubleshoot a complex technical issue with limited resources?

Questions for Evaluating Soft Skills

Evaluating soft skills in IT professionals is essential to building collaborative, adaptable teams. These questions help assess communication, problem-solving, and teamwork abilities critical for success in tech roles.

38. How do you manage working on a project with problematic coworkers?
39. Can you give an example of a difficult co-worker relationship and how you dealt with it?
40. Have you ever been the leader of a project?
    

Following the list of IT job interview questions, we want to show you five examples of IT interview questions with their respective answers. Let's explore 5 top IT interview questions to assist you in going beyond your research in the IT department.

With these IT interview questions, you can go in-depth. Candidates can display their experience, allowing recruiters to verify their IT methodology and knowledge needed for the position.

Why are these questions important, and which one could be the answer? Take a look and see how the hiring process will simplify for a top-performing team.

5 Examples of IT Interview Questions and How to Answer

1. What operating systems have you worked on before?

This question is crucial because IT staff must be proficient in specific operating systems based on the company's needs.

Answer: I have experience working with Windows and macOS. However, I want to learn about others, like Linux, because I think it is important to keep learning and growing professionally in this field.

2. What IT or other relevant certifications have you obtained?

The objective of this question is to know more about the skills and confirm the knowledge to see if the profile suits the new role in the IT department.

Answer: I have some certifications; for example, I earned an Associate Web Development Certification one year ago. I am also currently enrolled in a course to get a certification in Javascript and advanced firewalls.

3. How do you describe technical concepts to a non-technical person?

This question is important to check not only problem-solving skills but also effective and clear communication. Using analogies, real-world references, and nontechnical concepts, candidates can interact and provide support to another department.

The answer to this question will also show the candidate's capacity for adaptability, which is a relevant skill for a team player.

Answer: I explain technical concepts to a non-technical person using analogies that help explain them easily. Comparing services with libraries allows me to create a connection, for example, that contributes to conveying the term or the situation.

4. How can this company help you achieve your career goals?

A solid answer to this question will clearly provide a perspective on the commitment potential and the candidate's previous research. This information is important to evaluate if the candidate's career goals align with the company. 

When the company's goals align with the aspirations of new IT department members, a strong connection occurs. The newly hired can grow up and even take leadership roles in the long term.

Answer: This company is widely recognized for its innovation in cybersecurity, which is the field that I want to keep growing in. I have worked in cybersecurity for four years, so I am highly motivated to apply my experience, keep learning, and assume new challenges.

5. Can you share a time when you couldn't fix a problem? What steps did you take?

This question is crucial to evaluating problem-solving skills. By sharing challenging experiences, the candidates will have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding and analytical skills and point out the soft skills they used to manage the problem.

A well-prepared candidate could use the STAR method, which consists of structuring the answer with:

Situation: define the context and provide the background details.

Task: mention the responsibilities that you were in charge of.

Action: explain the actions and steps you took to solve the situation.

Result: summarize the results and describe the accomplishments of your actions.

The STAR method is an effective way to answer behavioral questions. Candidates can set the problem scenario and provide details about how they work under a difficult situation, demonstrating their capacity for innovation and problem-solving skills.

Situation:

In my previous job as an IT Specialist, our IT department was in charge of an 18-year-old Enterprise Resource Planning system. The ERP contained all the company's information, from inventory to accounting data.

However, the ERP started to have technical debt. When the team tried to apply updates, unforeseen bugs occurred in other system parts. As a result, we had potential data loss and the risk of significant downtime.

Task:

My task was to document the process and issues of the system's technical debt. The objective was to achieve the system's stability and functionality, and we wanted to avoid a full replacement. 

Action:

I was on the team that created backups for essential data to reduce the risk of data loss. The following action was reorganizing outdated code. After that, I contributed to designing a strategy to manage the technical debt and mitigate the risks.

I also was on the team that implemented middleware, which enabled the ERP system to communicate with newer applications. Finally, I helped create a phased plan for a long-term ERP migration. 

Result:

Although the ERP system was not completely «fixed», the team could significantly improve its stability and reduce system downtime by 40%. Integrating middleware also reduced the immediate risks associated with relying on outdated technology.

After reviewing common IT interview questions and answering relevant IT interview questions and answers, it is important to determine the most essential qualities to look for when hiring new team members for the IT department.

What Aspects Are Important in the Tech Interview Process?

Here is a list of essential aspects to ensure a solid hiring process for suitable candidates.

Soft Skills: 

This describes how the aspirant works with other partners. It is also related to communication skills, which are very important when working on a project.

Determining the soft skills in the hiring process will provide a clear path for the research. Non-technical skills and information technology must be included in all interview questions. People with soft skills are an excellent fit for any business. They can interact, communicate well, and work well in a team.

Soft skills are getting more important nowadays. The academic background and the expertise are not all. People with soft skills create a positive environment, even in complex situations, and in a positive environment, the workers are more motivated and productive. That's why it is crucial to focus on it:

• Communication skills
• Time management
• Critical thinking
• Attention to details
• Team collaboration
• Adaptability

Problem-solving Abilities: 

New IT team members need to learn to overcome different challenges to get the job done. While managing system issues are common in the IT department, new staff must be ready to assist with different solutions.

That's why problem-solving skills also include creativity and innovation. By providing new ideas and creating solutions for business needs, employees cannot only help improve the current problem but also design new products or service lines.

Additionally, in order to resolve a problem, an IT professional must diagnose, report, think critically, and solve the issue according to the business goals and the required resources. The ability to think critically is essential for effectively troubleshooting and resolving issues.

Quick Learning: 

It is important that the aspirant for an IT department (e.g., software development) is willing to learn new technical knowledge and new skills in a short period of time.

World technology is a fast-paced environment. Tools, software, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud platforms constantly evolve, leading to new developments and challenges. So, IT roles need to adapt and learn quickly.

Goodwill to learn also helps to study new concepts and explore relevant troubleshooting methodologies. Keeping up with updated information and technological changes allows one to improve one's problem-solving skills.

Learning quickly and applying new information can contribute significantly to business growth and give enterprises a competitive advantage. That is why quick learning is an essential aspect of selecting new staff.

Technical Skills: 

Technology knowledge is a fast-evolving field. Systems, hardware, and applications need skills to perform well. Tech skills cover specialized tasks and understanding terms related to science, mathematics, and engineering.

Nowadays, even workers who don't belong to the IT department need technical knowledge. Having technical skills will create a more productive and efficient cross-functional team.

Entry-level positions in different industries require the ability to manage basic technical skills. These skills allow data analysis, information organization, and project development and execution.

Common IT job interview questions include expertise in specific programming languages and projects developed in the past. Here are some relevant technical skills that are valuable in any role:

• Cybersecurity
• Operating systems
• Programming languages
• Software engineering
• Data science and analytics
• Machine learning
• Automation 
• UX design
• Virtual and augmented reality
• Project management 

Industry Trends: 

The most adequate candidates usually have experience with the latest technological trends and certifications. Tech trends such as AI, machine learning, and cloud computing have significantly transformed various industries.

Technology trends address new changes. These trends can affect how businesses function, the technologies they implement, and the products and services companies offer their consumers.

By understanding industry trends, candidates can demonstrate their ability to learn new information and adapt to changes. The best IT workers are looking for industry trends and are open to learning new concepts.

Keeping up with new technology and trends is fundamental for businesses. Current technological trends help companies to stay ahead of competitors and provide resources for future growth and innovation.

Why is it Important to Conduct Technical Interviews?

The IT department is essential for any modern business. It involves deploying and maintaining hardware, troubleshooting software applications, and supporting other departments. IT work demands skills and knowledge such as DevOps, helpdesk, router systems, Microsoft, Javascript, APIS, etc. 

For that reason,  specific requirements of IT positions necessitate tailored interview questions that assess both technical expertise and soft skills, as well as adaptability and alignment with the company culture and company's goals.

The recruiter or hiring manager must observe the capacity of aspirants to solve problems, apply logical thinking, and adapt to new situations correctly.

You can find an adequate IT professional for the company using the right interview questions. Hiring the right people is vital. Having the right questions to evaluate them will create a secure path to build strong teams. 

Companies are hiring top-performing talent from LatAm to contribute to the enterprise’s needs. We are here to craft and design an accurate hiring process that your company requires. Go beyond common interview questions, choose the appropriate technical interview questions for each IT position, and follow-up on the interviewee stages.

Some companies just write a job description on their company website or post it on LinkedIn to hire people.

With the Lupa teamwork, you can simplify the hiring process and be confident that you'll get the best talent. We can build a clear path to reach out to the people you need. We offer expert guidance on where to hire, who to hire, and what to offer.

Need help with your interview process? Connect with Lupa. We're experts in tech roles and can help you hire in LatAm to find the perfect fit for your team.