Hello, my name is Richard McMunn from the interview training company PassMyInterview.com,
and in this tutorial, I am going to teach you how to pass a software engineer interview.
It does not matter which company or organization you have your software engineer interview
with, please do make sure you watch this from beginning to end, because, as always, I promise
you, it will make a huge difference to your preparation and your performance at the interview!
And this is what I will cover to make sure I achieve that objective. I will give you
a number of tips for passing your software engineer interview. I will also give you example
software engineer interview questions and also suggested answers to the more common
type of software engineer interview questions. I will also tell you three questions that
I think you should ask at the end of your software engineer interview. And I will also
give you further resources to help you be the standout candidate during your software
engineer interview. There are five really good reasons why you should watch this from
beginning to end. Now, before I get in to the tutorial, a very warm welcome to the software
engineer interview training tutorial. My name is Richard McMunn. That's me there in the
center. I've been helping people for about 20 years now to pass their interviews and
I always do that by giving you top scoring answers to the interview questions. Please
do make sure you SUBSCRIBE to the channel by clicking the red button below the video
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I upload additional videos. We have about 250,000 subscribers now within the community
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you enjoy the content and I will therefore create more for you. OK. Let's get into the
training, those Software engineer interview questions and answers. The first question
I want you to prepare for is, tell me about yourself and why you want to become a software
engineer? My tip for answering this question positively is, in your answer to this interview
question, provide a list of skills and qualities you possess that will enable you to perform
to a very high standard in the role of a software engineer. Here is my suggested answer to the
interview question: Tell me about yourself and why you want to become a software engineer?
“Before applying for this software engineer role with your company, I spent time reading
the job description and the person specification. I wanted to make sure I was both properly
qualified for the role, and that I also had the appropriate experience and skills to help
drive the company forward. I am hard working, driven, technically astute and someone who
will work closely with people within your organization to achieve your commercial and
financial objectives. I want to be a software engineer simply because it is a role that
I am extremely passionate about, and also one I get immense job satisfaction from, especially
when I get to see first-hand the positive contribution my work makes to the organization
I am working for. If you hire me as your software engineer, I will not only work hard to deliver
consistent positive results, but I will also use my developing, researching, analytical
and technical skills to help the company continually thrive and develop.” So it is a very positive
answer, and it gives some really good reasons why you want to become a software engineer
and also about yourself and why they should hire you. Let us now take a look at another
software engineer interview question, one that I want you to prepare for. Why do you
want to work for our company as a software engineer? So this is pretty much guaranteed
to come up during your software engineer interview. My tip for answering this question positively,
is to show the interviewer you have conducted some research into their organization. My
advice is to be complimentary in your answer and talk about what makes their company unique.
So let's take a look at the suggested answer to the interview question: Why do you want
to work for our company? “For me, the company I work for is very important. I believe that,
to be able to perform your duties and responsibilities as a software engineer competently, you need
the support of your employer, and you also need to work with like-minded people who are
all working towards a common goal. During my research into your organization, it soon
became apparent that you are not only a leader within the industry, but you also continually
look for ways to grow and develop. You also clearly hire some of the best people available,
and this means I’ll be working with other professionals who all genuinely care about
the work they produce. I am someone who is ambitious; I don’t like to sit back and
just do the bare minimum, and if you hire me, I feel confident you will be impressed
with my work values, ethics and high standards.” That’s a great answer! You are giving lots
of valid reasons why you want to work for their company. You are being complimentary
and most importantly, it shows that you've conducted some research before applying for
the position. Let's take a look at another software engineer interview question. How
would you deal with a member of your team who disagreed with the work you carried out
as a software engineer? Now, my tip for answering this question. This interview question is
subtlety assessing your teamworking capabilities. Do you put the needs of your team and the
organization first, or are you more concerned about your own reputation and your competence?
Here is my suggested answer to the interview question: How would you deal with a member
of your team who disagreed with the work you carried out as a software engineer? “I have
a lot of experience as a Software Engineer, and I feel the work I produce is to a very
high standard. Having said that, I am also aware that when I do work as part of a team,
it is important to listen to other people as they may have valid contributions to make.
On that basis, I would certainly be open to listening to why they felt the work I was
carrying out could be altered or improved. At the end of the day, we are all working
for the same organization, and if it means changing the way I do things for the benefit
of the team goal, I will certainly do that.” That is a really good answer, and it shows
that you are more concerned about the organization and the team objectives. I've got lots more
questions to run through, but when you are ready, if you would like to download a copy
of these slides to save you having to write things down, you can CLICK THE LINK in the
top right hand corner of the video. It will take you through to my website where you can
download a copy of these slides. Let's move on to the next question. In your opinion,
what are the skills and qualities needed to be a software engineer? So, this is a question
that gets asked a number of times during software engineer interviews. This question is clearly
assessing your understanding of the role of a software engineer. And the best way to answer
this, is to give them a DEFINITIVE LIST of the skills and qualities that are needed to
excel in the position. Here is my suggested answer to the interview question: In your
opinion, what are the skills and qualities needed to be a software engineer? And there
is a clever way of answering this. Here we go. “Whilst there are numerous skills and
qualities needed, there are 9 in particular that are essential to becoming an effective
Software Engineer. In no particular order, these are TECHNICAL COMPETENCE, COMMUNICATION
and INTERPERSONAL SKILLS whilst dealing with clients and internal team members, EXCEPTIONAL
ORGANIZATIONAL AND PLANNING capabilities, a level of COMMERCIAL AWARENESS, and also
an understanding of how important it is to MAINTAIN COMPETENCE in your role through professional
development. You also need an ability to EXPLAIN TECHNICAL INFORMATION in a simple and concise
manner so people understand it, an AWARENES OF CURRENT ISSUES impacting the industry you
are working in, and also strong ANALYTICAL and ATTENTION TO DETAIL skills.” What I
like about our answer is you are starting off and saying there are numerous skills needed,
but there are 9 in particular that are essential. That shows that you really do know your role
inside out, and then you can list those 9 skills and qualities. And if you want to add
some yourself, feel free to do so. The next software engineer interview question that
we want to prepare for is: tell me a time when you worked as part of a team to solve
a complex task? So this is a behavioral type interview question. And as such, my advice
is to use the STAR technique to create your answer. So the question is, tell me a time
when you worked as part of a team to solve a complex task? You have to give a specific
situation you have previously been in to score this answer highly. Use the STAR technique.
What is that? Well, it is situation, task, action and result. You start off with your
answer and you describe briefly the SITUATION you were in. You then move on and explain
the TASK that needed to be done. You then detail the ACTION you took to achieve the
task, and you finish off your answer by revealing the RESULTS following your actions. It's situation,
task, action and result. Let's take a look at a sample answer using the STAR technique
to that interview question: Tell me a time when you worked as part of a team to solve
a complex task? Here we go. “I was part of a multi-agency project building a software
application for an important client. Towards the end of the project, we encountered a number
of bugs and problems with the software application, and time was against us to get everything
fixed before the official handover date. I felt it was my responsibility to come up with
a solution to get the issues fixed. I stayed behind late that evening with two other experienced
team members to come up with a plan that would ensure the bugs were not only fully rectified,
but that a support system was in place to respond to any future issues if they were
to arise, post-handover. We started off by CREATING A LIST of all bugs and issues. We
then attempted to RECREATE EACH BUG so that we could assess what was causing the issue.
We managed to recreate all of the bugs and it was then my task to CREATE A TIMESCALE
for rectifying and testing each issue. Once we had a PLAN IN PLACE, we could then allocate
tasks to team members based on their area of technical competence the following morning.
By creating a plan of action, and by working closely together as a team, we were able to
tap into the combined team expertise and competence to not only provide a time-sensitive solution
to the problem, but to also implement a support mechanism for our client.” That is an organized
answer. It is concise and logic in the way you are answering it, by using the STAR technique
of situation, task, action and result. And don't forget, if you want to click the link
in the top right hand corner of the video, you can DOWNLOAD THESE SLIDES to save you
the hassle of having to write everything down. Next interview question is: tell me how you
would handle the stress and pressure of being a software engineer? Now, you and I know,
that being a software engineer can be a stressful. When you answer this software engineer interview
question, show you already have a plan in place for dealing with the stress and pressure
of the position. Here is my suggested answer. “I think as a software engineer, you have
to realise that stress and pressure is all part of the role. And in actual fact, I feel
I tend to perform better when I am up against it and there is a definitive timeframe to
work towards. I manage stress in three ways. First and foremost, I ensure I plan my work
well in advance, so I know what I need to do, and by what deadline. By having a plan
in place, it means I work more efficiently and I can decide which tasks need my attention
first. The second way I handle stress and pressure, is to make sure I work closely with
other members of the team, and that communication is a constant theme throughout the day. Finally,
I handle stress and pressure by making sure I dedicate some time each week to keeping
up-to-date with developments from within the industry. This gives me the confidence in
my role as a Software Engineer, and it also eliminates any unwelcome surprises when updates
do come out or changes within the industry are released.” That shows that you know
how to handle stress and pressure. And you are essentially saying… “It doesn't matter,
I can handle the stress. It's all part and parcel of the role. I have a plan in place,
but I do tend to perform better when I am up against it.” The next software engineer
interview question is: what's your biggest weakness? If any software engineer interview
question is going to catch you out, it is this one! Now the issue is, we have to give
a weakness in our answer, but we do not want to give a weakness that is needed to be competent
in the role of a professional software engineer. Here is a great answer to this question. “We
all have weaknesses, and I know my own is the fact I find it really hard to strike a
healthy work-life balance. I love my job as a software engineer, and even when I am not
at work, I am usually spending time with computer systems or developing additional skills and
qualities so I continue to grow in the role, much to the dissatisfaction of my partner!
This is an area I have been working to improve upon, and I am trying to spend more time relaxing
with my family so I can then maintain optimum energy levels when I am at work. Conversely,
one of my strengths is the fact I am always prepared to listen to feedback, and I do genuinely
want to improve and develop as a person on both a personal and a professional level.”
So that shows you are giving a weakness that does not actually impact your chances of passing
the interview, and you are then saying what you are doing about it. But you'll see the
answer is actually quite clever, because that weakness you give is actually a STRENGTH and
it's attractive to any employer. Because you are saying you enjoy being at work, you're
always working, you love your role and you are prepared to put the hours in necessary.
Next interview question: What are your salary expectations? Now, again, this is a tricky
interview question because on the one hand, we don't want to go in with an unrealistic
salary expectation, but on the other, we don't want to devalue ourselves either. So your
answer has to offer a win-win situation: one that is of benefit to you, but also to the
hiring manager or the employer. We can answer this in the following manner. “I have conducted
some research prior to attending the interview on what I feel would be a fair salary for
this position. The average salary for a software engineer in this industry is $90,000 to $110,000.
Whilst I do feel I am worth the higher salary band, I understand you don’t know me, and
I need to prove to you my worth. On that basis, I would feel comfortable with a salary of
$102,000 and I feel you will see a positive return on your investment at this level if
your hire me.” So you are not going in there overconfident, but you are not devaluing yourself
either. So that is a WIN-WIN situation. Do your own research and look at what the average
salary for a software engineer is within your industry, and then look at the band and go
slightly above the middle of the average salary range. OK. Three questions to ask in your
software engineer interview. You get to the end of the interview and they say to you,
do you have any questions you would like to ask us? My advice is to ask three questions.
These questions are designed to show that you are keen, you are enthusiastic, and you
have the success of their organization at the forefront of your mind. The first question
is, what has frustrated you about software engineers you have employed in the past? That's
quite clever question, because it shows that you want to go in there… you want to do
a good job and you are putting their needs first, above your own. Second question is,
what are the plans for the company over the next five to 10 years and how could I help
you to achieve them? Again, you are looking to the future. This tells me that you are
considering staying with my organization for many years to come, and you want to help me
achieve my goals. And finally, what's the first thing you would like me to concentrate
on in this role? So those three questions are great because they put you across as a
positive person and somebody who is interested more in the success of their company, as opposed
to the success of yourself. So, again, download a copy of these slides by clicking the link
in the top right hand corner of the video. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.com if
you want to. My LinkedIn.com description is, sorry… My LinkedIn.com link is in the description
below the video. Go through to that, click it and connect with me on LinkedIn.com. It's
always good to connect with like-minded professionals. Thank you for watching. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE
and hit the LIKE button. Thank you very much. And I wish you all the best to passing your
software engineer interview. Have a brilliant day. Thank you very much!