Software Engineer Screening Interview Template

Describe the most complex technical project you have worked on. What was your specific role and contribution?

What this assesses: Assesses depth of technical experience and ability to articulate complex work clearly.

Walk me through how you would design a system to handle 10x your current traffic. What trade-offs would you consider?

What this assesses: Evaluates system design thinking and understanding of scalability trade-offs.

Tell me about a time you had to debug a particularly difficult production issue. How did you approach it?

What this assesses: Reveals debugging methodology and composure under pressure.

How do you decide between building something from scratch versus using an existing library or service?

What this assesses: Tests pragmatic decision-making and awareness of engineering trade-offs.

Describe your experience with code review. How do you give and receive feedback on code?

What this assesses: Assesses collaboration skills and openness to feedback.

What is your experience with our primary tech stack? Where would you need to ramp up?

What this assesses: Gauges technical fit and self-awareness about skill gaps.

What are you looking for in your next role, and why does this position interest you?

What this assesses: Evaluates motivation, alignment with the role, and retention risk.