1. What programming languages do you prefer? This gives the candidate a chance to talk about the programming languages they have used and what they appreciate or dislike about certain aspects of each one. Do they like object-oriented languages, or maybe more functional ones? 2. Talk about a project you completed successfully. This gives the software engineer a chance to discuss a project without getting too technical. It should give you an understanding of how they worked with teams, time management skills, interacted with managers, and what contributions they made to the project. 3. What Are You Looking for in This Job? This is also an important question, as you want to know why they are looking for a new job and why they applied to your particular company. Did they do research about your company? Try to find out what they know about your company’s mission, what your values are, and what your company culture is like. If they did not do research about your company and are simply looking for a new job because they need the money, they might not end up being a good fit for your team. You want to make sure that their values align with your own and that they will be dedicated to your mission. You want to hire a software engineer who is passionate about your values and goals and wants to help you reach them. 4. How Did You Solve a Problem You Faced? This question will allow the candidate to explain how they approach problems and their methodology for solving them. It will show whether they have the skills to hold up to pressure and use their problem-solving skills to arrive at a solution. This does not have to be a software engineering problem, though it may be. It can also be a problem with teamwork. For example, they can explain how they had a disagreement with a colleague on how to properly approach a specific problem and how they came to an agreement with that colleague. This will show that they have the teamwork skills to work with someone else, even when there is a conflict. 5. How Do You Assure Software Quality? When working on a project, it is important to conduct a quality control process to ensure that the end results come out great. Ask the developer what their quality control process looks like and whether they use any specific tools to test their results. Any engineer can end up having bugs in the software they are working on, but it is important that they have a process to test for bugs and a method for fixing them.