Organizations need to have robust recruitment practices in place to hire the best programmers and developers. This should cover thorough candidate screening processes, skills and cultural fit testing, and programming skills interview questions that help hiring managers identify and hire top talent for open positions within the organization. Apart from conducting coding tests for interviews, asking the right programming skills interview questions is essential to gain a more thorough understanding of a candidate’s skills and capabilities.
1. What is computer programming?
Computer programming refers to writing instructions in the form of code for computers. Programmers write code in programming languages, which is translated into notations that can be understood by computers for performing tasks. Apart from coding, computer programming also involves debugging and maintenance of the code.
2. Explain the three main features of an algorithm.
The three main features of an algorithm are its fitness, whether an algorithm stops after a defined number of steps or not; definiteness, if an algorithm has well-defined, ordered steps; and efficiency, meaning that the algorithm does not include any redundant steps.
3. Explain any three common programming errors.
Candidates may define any errors that may occur when a computer program is executed. The three main errors that they may mention are logical errors, which are issues with the logic of the program that causes it to behave incorrectly; runtime errors, which occur at the time of running the program; and syntax errors, which are issues with the code syntax, like spelling or punctuation, that prevent the program from running.
4. What are the four key operators?
The four main key operators are arithmetic, assignment, logical, and rational operators.
5. What is the importance of software testing?
One of the primary reasons software testing is important is that it assesses the quality of a software application and evaluates if it provides a good user experience. Candidates may also reply with other reasons, like the use of software testing to check how software can be improved to meet the user requirements.
A compiler is a unique software tool that converts the source code of one programming language into machine code, bytecode, or a different programming language. Usually, this source code is authored in a high-level human-readable language, such as Java or C++.
FIFO stands for first in, first out and is a way to store and access data. In this, the data element that was stored first will be accessed and retrieved first.
LIFO stands for last in, first out and is another way to store and access data. In this, the most recently stored data is accessed and retrieved first.
Candidates should be able to explain that void represents the lack of a data type or ‘nothing’. Candidates can also mention that when the return type of a function is void, no value is returned by that function.
NULL is a special marker that indicates a variable that does not point to any valid object or value. It represents the absence of data or a null reference.
For a string to be a palindrome, the order of characters should be the same as the order when it is reversed. To check a string, reverse the original string and see if both strings are the same.
If two strings contain the same characters with identical frequencies, they can be considered anagrams. To determine this, sort both strings and compare each character in sequence. If all characters match, then the strings are anagrams of each other.
By comparing adjacent items and swapping them when they are in non-decreasing order, it is possible to proceed to the next pair and continue this process. This is repeated until a complete pass is made with no swaps, and the entire list is sorted after iterating through all the elements.
The goal is to sort the array in non-decreasing order. Since the largest element will be located at index (n – 1), begin from index (n – 2) and traverse the array backwards. The first time an element that is not equal to the largest value is found, return it as the second largest element. If all elements are identical to the largest one, return -1.
A binary search divides a sorted array in half until the element is found. The mid-number is computed by comparing the values of adjacent elements in the array. If the low exceeds the high, the element is absent in the list.
Candidates can mention different best practices, some of the most common of which are writing simpler and more efficient code, using comments in the code, avoiding deep nesting, following the DRY principle, and using simpler naming conventions.
When making changes to existing code or resolving bugs, it’s important to add comments. These annotations help future programmers or readers understand the code’s updated version and also allow them to evaluate its relevance. Additionally, they provide guidance on how to test the modified code effectively.
Both written content and verbal communication are essential for conveying ideas to non-technical stakeholders. However, when it comes to making complex technical information easier to understand, using visual aids can be an effective approach.
Candidates should explain the importance of sorting, which involves arranging elements in ascending or descending order. Candidates may mention many types of sorting techniques, like merge sorting or quick sorting.
Asking such programming skills interview questions helps reveal a candidate’s experience, ambition, and drive. Candidates should be able to show that they can visualize all phases required in a project efficiently and are able to prioritize tasks that are to be completed in the correct order. If a candidate has not led a project yet, they should listen for cues that indicate that they have the passion needed to lead a project if given a chance.
Such programming skills interview questions help uncover the ability of candidates to learn and grow. Top programmers are always on the lookout for ways to stay ahead of the latest trends.
Programmers should be able to relay ideas and concepts in terms that a layperson can understand.
For example, when ordering a television unit, it undergoes several steps before reaching the customer: Manufacturing → shipping → delivery → warranty or maintenance.
Similarly, the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) can be explained in simple terms. It consists of various stages: Development → testing → production deployment → product maintenance.
Such programming skills interview questions help understand if a candidate is capable of teamwork and collaboration and if their capabilities align with those of their potential future team.
This question will help understand how collaborative a candidate is and if they can work well in diverse teams.
This question will help understand if a candidate has the diplomacy and tact required in the situation.
Programming skills interview questions can be used to assess candidates for several roles within an organization. The roles include software developers, web developers, database developers, network system administrators, analyst programmers, video game programmers, and quality control specialists.
Programming skills interview questions can be asked during structured and unstructured interviews. In a structured interview, all the candidates are asked the same questions, generally in the same order. This type of interview helps recruiters understand if candidates possess specific programming skills required for a job role. On the other hand, unstructured interviews use more open-ended questions without a specific agenda.
Hiring the right candidates for an organization requires conducting coding tests and asking the right programming skills interview questions. Mercer | Mettl offers an expansive library of skills tests, personality and behavioral assessments, domain-specific assessments, and more to help organizations streamline and optimize their recruitment processes.
Originally published December 20 2024, Updated December 20 2024
Vaishali has been working as a content creator at Mercer | Mettl since 2022. Her deep understanding and hands-on experience in curating content for education and B2B companies help her find innovative solutions for key business content requirements. She uses her expertise, creative writing style, and industry knowledge to improve brand communications.
Hiring a coder requires HRs to go beyond conventional hiring practices and assess the candidate on both knowledge and hands-on skills. A holistic suite of assessments and simulators, used in conjunction, can simplify the technical hiring process and better evaluate programmers and developers.
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Behavioral Competencies
Cognitive Competencies
Coding Competencies
Domain Competencies
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