About this Template
A guide you can follow for a live interview with a developer. You can follow this in any stage of the interviews.
Check out the Developer Interview Plan (Remote) to create your interview process.
Use this template →
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Logistics
Conduct all remote developer interviews over Zoom (or your preferred video conference solution). Make sure to include the invitation link in the calendar event.
Stages of the interview
Pre-chat
Join the meeting a few minutes early to chat with your fellow interviewer(s). You can briefly review the candidate’s information, the role you are assessing for, and the plan for the interview.
Intro
When the candidate joins, spend a couple of minutes saying hello and introducing yourselves.
A smile and a quick chat help make things seem less formal and intimidating. Ask about the weather wherever they are—things not related to work.
If you are planning to take notes you may wish to mention this, as otherwise the candidate may be distracted by the noise of the keyboard.
Assessment section
Every interview has a different assessment exercise. You should make a choice based on your company philosophy and requirements.
Popular options are
- Take-home tests and live discussion (Reading material)
- Pair programming with peers
Candidate questions
Reserve 5-10 minutes at the end of an interview for the candidate to ask questions.
When answering questions, be enthusiastic to give a positive impression of your company.
However, honesty is just as important—both because it’s the right thing to do and because the best candidates appreciate it. Honesty means explaining the ways that your company is not perfect, but also that the team is always working to improve the engineering culture and technology.
Refer to the Developer Interview Plan (Remote) for example questions and evaluation strategies.
Outro
When it’s time for interview to end:
- Thank them for their time.
- Refrain from giving feedback at this stage.
- Explain that you will review and get back to them within [X] working days.
- Explain the next step of the process:
- Phone screening: The next step is a pairing exercise
- Pairing exercise: The next step is a Q&A interview
- Q&A: They’re done! The next step is a formal offer.