Jobs in the information technology industry are ubiquitous and desirable, but breaking into that market can be challenging, particularly for individuals fresh out of school or for those who are switching from a different career path. Acing an Information Technology (IT) job interview is one way to increase the chances of receiving a follow-up interview or job offer. Although there are many types of jobs and thousands of IT companies, many companies ask similar IT job interview questions. In fact, some companies ask all applicants the same IT job interview questions in order to ensure fair treatment of all candidates. Although specific IT job interview questions vary from situation to situation, common questions are designed to help the prospective employer learn more about candidates’ work experience, education, technical knowledge and skills, people skills, ambition, expectations, and interest in the company, its industry and products.
Hiring managers know relatively quickly whether a candidate has relevant experience and education for any type of IT position. During the interview process, however, it is common practice for the interviewer to ask the candidate to describe his or her work experience and education. This helps the person conducting the interview to ask additional questions about previous job responsibilities, coursework and any gaps in employment. When preparing for a job interview, people should try to anticipate these types of questions so that they can provide clear, informative responses.
Employers also like to learn about candidates’ technical knowledge and skills. Many IT jobs require similar skills as well as familiarity with specific tools, practices and standards. Although many times this information appears on the applicant's resume, the person conducting the interview may ask specific questions to test knowledge and skills. Some IT companies ask candidates to perform a brief test. This could include live development using specific programming tools or direct questions about specific skills required in the day-to-day work of the position.
Many employers want to know if a candidate works well as a team member and if the person will fit into the corporate environment. Some interviewers ask candidates point blank whether they prefer to work alone or on a team and to describe a situation when they worked successfully as part of a group. Some companies take every candidate to lunch in order to see how he or she communicates with others in an informal setting.
Even the most highly-qualified job-seeker with good social skills are not a good fit for some companies. To determine if the individual is ambitious and specifically interested in the company, its industry and its products, interviewers may ask the candidate what interests him or her about the job opening and the company. Some companies expect candidates to have thoroughly-researched the position and the company’s products and ask specific questions based on that expectation. Each IT company conducts interviews differently, but by preparing to answer IT job interview questions based on these generic topics, individuals will position themselves for a successful interview.
