20
Essential questions
3
Levels evaluated
15 min
Reading time
5
Domains covered
Developer profile by level
Evaluation criteria by level
| Level | Priority skills | Recommended questions |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0–2 years) | Fundamentals, curiosity, learning | Algorithms, data structures, Git |
| Mid-level (2–5 years) | Autonomy, best practices, projects | SOLID, testing, debugging, REST APIs |
| Senior (5+ years) | Architecture, mentoring, leadership | System design, scalability, soft skills |
Core technical questions
- 1
Describe the architecture of a complex system you designed.
Evaluates system thinking, decision-making and communication.
- –Good answer: clear problem statement, trade-offs analysed, justified technology choices, scalability considered.
- –Red flag: vague description, no mention of constraints or alternatives.
- 2
Walk me through your approach to code reviews.
Evaluates collaboration, standards and communication skills.
- –Good answer: checks functionality, readability, performance, security; provides constructive feedback; balances perfectionism with pragmatism.
- –Red flag: focuses only on syntax or is overly critical.
- 3
Tell me about your testing strategy.
Evaluates quality mindset and practical knowledge.
- –Good answer: balance of unit, integration and end-to-end tests; testing trade-offs; tools and frameworks used.
- –Red flag: 'I don't have time for tests' or no structured approach.
- 4
How do you stay current with technology?
Evaluates learning mindset and industry engagement.
- –Good answer: follows blogs, contributes to open source, experimenting, newsletters; specific examples.
- –Red flag: 'I'm too busy' or no continuous learning.
Should I ask coding problems in an interview?
Yes, for junior and mid-level roles. Use problems relevant to your stack. Observe problem-solving approach, not just correctness. Senior roles: discuss previous work instead.
How long should a coding exercise be?
30–45 minutes maximum. Any longer tests endurance, not skill. Focus on complexity over time.
Is a take-home project better than live coding?
Both have merit. Live coding shows thinking; take-home shows final quality. Consider combining: live for fundamentals, take-home for system design.
How should I evaluate system design?
Assess communication, requirements gathering, trade-off analysis and scalability thinking. The answer evolves as you question them.
What if they don't know a specific technology?
That's fine. Assess learning capacity, core concepts and debugging mindset. Specific tech can be learned.
Build a stronger technical team
Use Aurélia to structure interviews and make consistent technical hiring decisions.