Most Common Software Engineer Interview Questions (+ Answers)

If you’re a software engineer looking to land a job, you may already know that technical skills alone aren’t enough. Software engineer behavioral interview questions are becoming increasingly common in the hiring process, and for good reason. Employers want to know how you work under pressure, how you collaborate with others, and how you problem-solve in real-world situations.

In this article, we’ll explore the most common software engineer interview questions and how to prepare for them. We’ll also discuss how to improve your interviewing skills using an AI-powered interview coach called Yoodli.

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

Behavioral interview questions are open-ended questions that prompt you to share real-life examples of how you have handled specific situations in the past. The idea is that past behavior is a good predictor of future behavior, so your answers can give your interviewer insight into how you might perform in the role.

Common software engineer interview questions might focus on how you have handled difficult coding problems, how you collaborate with team members, and how you prioritize and manage your workload.

How to Prepare for Software Engineer Interview Questions

To prepare for software engineer interview questions, it’s important to have specific examples ready to share. Think of situations where you faced a challenge, overcame a difficult obstacle, or had a successful outcome. 

Then, use the STAR method to structure your answers:

• Situation: Describe the context of the situation you faced.
• Task: Explain what your role was in the situation.
• Action: Describe the steps you took to address the situation.
• Result: Explain the outcome of your actions.

Using this structure will help you give a clear, concise, and memorable answer that demonstrates your problem-solving skills.

Common Software Engineer Interview Questions

Although no interview is the same, there are some common themes and questions asked in these interviews. Here are the most common software engineer interview questions you may encounter:

1. Tell me about a time when you had to debug a complex code problem.

This question is designed to test your problem-solving skills. Be sure to describe the situation in detail, including what the problem was, how you identified the root cause, and what steps you took to fix it. Also, explain what you learned from the experience and how you have applied that knowledge since.

2. Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a team member who had a different approach to solving a problem.

This software engineer interview question is designed to test your collaboration skills. Be sure to describe how you communicated with your team member, how you reconciled your different approaches, and what the outcome was. Also, explain what you learned from the experience and how you have improved your collaboration skills since.

3. Tell me about a time when you had to prioritize and manage competing deadlines.

This question is designed to test your time-management skills. Be sure to describe the situation in detail, including what tasks you had to complete and when they were due. Explain how you prioritized your work and what steps you took to ensure that you met all of your deadlines. Also, explain what you learned from the experience and how you have improved your time-management skills since.

More common software engineer interview questions

In addition to those three, there are a few more common software engineer interview questions you should prepare for. The interviewer may ask questions like:

• Tell me why you’re the best fit for this company.
• How do you handle constructive criticism?
• Can you tell me about a project that took multiple months to complete? What was your process?
• Describe a project that you consider some of your best work.
• Why do you want to work for this company in particular?
• What would be your top goals for the next 6 months if we were to hire you?
• What excites you about the field of software engineering?
• Describe one of the most difficult bugs you’ve had to work on.
• Why do you want to leave your current position? 

How to Practice for Software Engineer Interview Questions

Practicing for software engineer behavioral interview questions is key to feeling confident and prepared on the day of your interview. One way to improve your interviewing skills is to use an AI-powered interview coach like Yoodli.

Yoodli provides AI-powered feedback on your answers to common software engineer behavioral interview questions, including common behavioral questions for software engineers. Yoodli analyzes your answers for things like filler words, rambling, and body language, and provides gentle nudges to help you hit your main talking points, make eye contact, and speak at an appropriate pace.

For example, if you’re practicing the most common Apple interview questions, you’ll get actionable feedback for how to improve and best respond to these real software engineer interview questions. 

Using Yoodli can help you identify areas where you need to improve and give you the confidence you need to nail the interview. Using Yoodli’s interview simulator for practice is the best way to prepare. Because it’s so customizable, it’s the most realistic way to prep.

You can change not only the questions asked but also the tone of the interview. You can focus on just behavioral questions or you can make the interview tone more serious. It’s totally up to you.

Learn more about Yoodli’s interview flow in our explainer video:

Plus, unlike most other speech coach apps, Yoodli is free to start.

The Key Takeaway

To ace your upcoming interview, it’s essential to practice real software engineer interview questions. To do so, take advantage of Yoodli’s free resources. 

You’ll not only be more prepared for your interview, but you’ll also feel more confident than ever showcasing and discussing your abilities.