24 Key IT Interview Questions to Ask Candidates

Updated April 2025

Are you in the process of hiring for an Information Technology (IT) role? If so, you’ll want to make sure to ask the right interview questions to help you get a sense of a candidate’s skills, experience, leadership, personality, and more. This blog post lists 24 general IT interview questions that will help you determine if a candidate is the right fit for your company.

Let’s get into it.

Top Tech Interview Questions to Ask

While it’s important to evaluate IT candidates on their specific technical skills, you also need to assess them for overall fit. These general IT questions will cover various topics, such as:

Leadership
Project management
Communication skills
Troubleshooting
General personality
Operating systems

By asking more than just technical questions, you’ll get a better idea of a candidate’s hard skills and soft skills, both of which are necessary for an IT job. We’ll also provide sample answers for candidates applying for roles in tech.

If you need more help when it comes to interviewing IT candidates effectively, download our free guide “How to Interview Tech Candidates” to receive valuable insights from our own tech experts!

Text: How to interview Tech Candidates, an Insight Global Guide. Download now

1. How do you keep your tech skills up to date?

The intent behind asking this IT interview question is to find out if the candidate is proactive about keeping their skills, refining their skills, and learning new ones. With technology constantly changing, IT professionals need to keep their skills up to date.

By asking this question, you can gain insights on what motivates the candidate, what skills they’re excited to develop further, and how they apply new knowledge in their work. Strong candidates will show initiative to grow their skills through various opportunities.

Sample answer: “I keep my technical concepts and skills up to date by reading industry news, staying informed through tech blogs and podcasts, taking online courses and workshops, and attending conferences.”

2. What was one of your most challenging projects?

A behavioral interview question like this will give you insight into how the candidate deals with difficult projects. It’s important to know if they’re able to stay calm under pressure and think critically to solve problems.

Not only will you get a better picture of their technical experience, but you will also learn whether they approach challenges with a creative mindset to find solutions. This will be helpful for future projects where unexpected roadblocks may arise.

Sample answer: “One of the most challenging projects I worked on was when I had to migrate a site from an outdated content management system to a new one. There were a lot of moving parts, and it wasn’t easy to keep track of everything. But, in the end, I was able to migrate the website with minimal downtime successfully.”

3. Have you ever had to learn a new technology or programming language in a short time to complete a project? What was your process?

This question will help you determine if the candidate has experience solving problems under pressure. A strong answer should display a high level of technological exposure and understanding, as well as agility and determination to improve their skills.

Sample answer: “In order to deliver a time-sensitive web application, I had to learn a new JavaScript framework, Vue.js, over one weekend. I accomplished this by finding resources to explain the process and teaching myself how to apply this framework to my project.”

4. What challenges or problems have you faced while working with technology?

The answer to this tech interview question will give you a better idea of what kind of challenges the candidate has faced while working with whatever technologies the role requires. This will help you see how the candidate handled an inevitable problem and if they’re willing to be open with those experiences.

Sample answer: “One challenge that I faced while working with technology was when our company’s web server crashed. I had to work quickly to get it back up and running. I also had to figure out what caused the crash so that we could prevent it from happening again.”

5. Which of your skills do you feel are best suited for this IT role?

Are there any particular tasks or responsibilities in which they feel their strengths lie? This can give you some level of insight into their thought process and how they view what their role looks like within the company. This info will assist you in determining what the candidate considers the essential talents for their job.

Some candidates may choose to highlight technical abilities and IT certifications, while others may focus on problem-solving, attention to detail, communication, and other general job skills. A strong candidate should give a balanced answer.

Sample answer: “Some of my skills I think will shine most in the role are customer service, strong leadership skills, troubleshooting, and technical support. I also have experience coding in multiple programming languages. I feel that these skills are essential because they allow me to provide a high level of service to our customers and coworkers.”

6. What skills or characteristics do you consider necessary to be an effective hybrid worker?

To be an effective hybrid worker, candidates must know how to handle the challenges of working from home and in person. This question can help you understand a candidate’s flexibility, self-sufficiency, and time management, all of which are important when working in hybrid environments.

Candidates can also use this opportunity to detail their experience in using digital tools to contact their team or using task management platforms to share updates and get feedback. Candidates with the right qualities will fit well into a flexible work environment and can help build a positive team atmosphere.

Sample answer: “Some crucial skills for working in hybrid environments include motivation, determination, and reliability. An effective hybrid worker should be able to be just as productive from home as they are in the office. When I’ve worked in hybrid schedules, I made sure to set clear boundaries so I wouldn’t face distractions.”

7. How do you organize your time management to ensure you hit deadlines?

Meeting deadlines and time management are important skills in just about every job, and that includes IT. While this is a less technical question, you need to gain a sense of how a candidate manages their time. Strong candidates should be able to work efficiently and accurately under pressure.

This question allows you to see if candidates will be able to keep up with a fast-paced environment where they may have to juggle projects and priorities. This also is an opportunity to follow up with a question about how they handled missing any prior deadlines, which can show a candidate’s ability to own up to their mistakes and learn from any setbacks.

Sample answer: “I usually try to estimate how long a task will take me, and then I add a little extra time for unforeseen issues. I also make sure that I start working on tasks early so that I have plenty of time to finish them. If I feel tasks need more time than is given, I try to let managers/bosses know far enough in advance, so it doesn’t come up close to a deadline.”

8. What is your experience with managing whole projects?

Time management is important across all jobs, and so is project management. This will give you insights to their leadership skills and how they are at helping oversee projects—m not just being part of a team that completes one.

Sample answer: “I have experience managing projects as large as nine months long and teams as big as 15 people. I’ve used project management tools like Jira and Asana to help facilitate the completion of the projects. I’m also experienced in leading teams of developers and working with stakeholders to ensure that the project is on track.”

9. What do you think makes a project successful?

This is a leadership question. How do they view success? Does success only come in the form of completion or profits? What kind of insights does the candidate look for once a project is delivered?

Sample answer: “I think that a successful project is completed on time, within budget, and meets the expectations of the stakeholders. You also need to see what kind of impact the project has once it’s completed and implemented. More importantly, you need to assess what kind of insights you can get from the process of completing the project.”

10. What is your experience with system security?

System security is a critical part of any IT role. By asking this question, you can get a rough idea of the candidate’s experience with system security. This will help you determine if they have the skills necessary for the role.

Sample answer: “I’m familiar with tools like firewalls and intrusion detection systems, and I try to keep up to date with new security systems and how they differ from current systems in place.

11. What is your experience with troubleshooting?

Troubleshooting is an important IT skill. Not only is this ability a requirement in most IT roles, but it also gives you insight into how the candidate can problem solve and interact with customers, employees, and stakeholders.

Sample answer: “I have experience troubleshooting hardware and software using tools like remote desktop and event viewer. Troubleshooting gave me a lot of hands-on experience with customers and employees, and my interpersonal conversation skills have improved because of it.”

12. What is your favorite software development methodology and why?

This will be useful for assessing a candidate’s understanding of various project management approaches and whether they can select the most appropriate one based on specific project requirements. A good answer should show knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses for each methodology and justification for their preferred approach.

Sample answer: “It’s hard to pick just one favorite when they each have their uses and drawbacks. I do like the flexible approach of Agile and find it helpful for projects that need to adapt quickly to any changes, but Waterfall’s structured process can be useful for projects with precise requirements and milestones.”

13. How you see your IT role contributing to the bigger picture of success in our business?

The answer to this interview question can help you understand the candidate’s thought process regarding how their IT role will look within the company.

Look for candidates whose answer shows an understanding of the support role that IT plays in contributing to business goals and assisting operations. What does success look like for their role, and how does that success translate to company success?

Sample answer: “I’m confident that my skills and experience, especially as they grow in this role, will help contribute to the company’s overall success. I’m a goal-oriented person, and in the scope of work, my professional goals tie into helping the company achieve its goals.”

14. How do you collaborate with stakeholders and internal clients you’ve worked with outside of IT?

While knowing how a candidate works with their team is important, it’s also beneficial to see how they collaborate with others outside their own department. Candidates should have an understanding of how stakeholders use the tools that they help create.

Sample answer: “In my current role, I work with the HR team and the insurance companies that provide benefits. I’m responsible for helping HR run smoothly by ensuring our system is correctly capturing data, keeping it secure, and allowing access to the insurers.”

Woman in white sleeved shirt and jeans standing in front of a whiteboard explaining finding from a UX report.

15. How do you explain your technical work to others that aren’t technical? Please give examples of how you have done this in the workplace.

By understanding how a candidate explains their work to those who are not technical, you can get an idea of their ability to communicate with others effectively. IT employees often need to work with non-technical employees, so communication skills are key.

Besides just testing communication skills, this question can also show how well a candidate actually understands these concepts and whether they’re able to match their explanations to others’ knowledge levels.

Sample answer: “I usually start by explaining the issue that needs to be fixed. I then explain how I plan on fixing it and what the end result will be. I always try to use examples that non-technical people can understand.”

16. How do you handle disagreements with co-workers and managers? Please provide specific examples of these situations you’ve faced in the past.

This is not a technical question, but it’s still important for any hire working on a team. You can get an idea of how a candidate resolves conflict by asking them how they’ve handled disagreements with co-workers and supervisors in the past. Let them give you specific examples to get a better understanding of their thought process.

Sample answer: “I usually try to talk to the person directly and understand their point of view. I then try to find a resolution that works for both parties. If that’s not possible, I’ll take it to a manager or supervisor for further assistance. I always try to stay professional and avoid getting personal.”

17. What resources, tools, or strategies do you use to organize and prioritize your work and help meet team goals and deliverables?

This question will show a candidate’s experience with project management software, as well as their processes for meeting deadlines and staying updated on project status. Strong candidates should have a diverse set of resourcs tailored to their specific interests and roles.

Sample answer: “I use Asana in my current role to stay on task. Our team also has biweekly check-ins to ensure we are completing all our tasks and goals, which also gives us an opportunity to ask for help if needed.”

18. What do you think are the biggest challenges in our industry?

You can get a general sense of a candidate’s self-awareness of the IT industry by asking them this tech question. It can also give you insight into their ability to identify challenges and potential solutions.

Sample answer: “I think the biggest challenge in our industry is the ever-changing landscape. With new technologies and threats emerging, it can be difficult to keep up. I think it’s important always to be learning and keeping up with the latest trends.”

19. What accomplishment or project you’ve contributed to in the past are you most proud of?

This IT interview question will help you assess the candidate’s technical skills and their ability to take the initiative and see projects through to completion. It also provides an insight to the candidate’s ability to self-reflect and give credit where it’s due.

Sample answer: “I’m most proud of the work I did on [explanation of project]. I was able to take the initiative on my part of the project and work with the team to see the project through to the end. The end result was a success and received positive feedback from users.”

20. How have you handled times when things didn’t go the way you wanted at work, such as a project that failed or being passed over for a promotion?

Professional setbacks are an unfortunate part of everyone’s career. The important part is learning how a candidate responded to these situations and what they may have learned from them. A candidate should be resilient and willing to use these setbacks as motivators to enact positive change.

Sample answer: “We had a project that we worked tirelessly on, only for it to not be well-received by the client. While this was disappointing, we implemented their feedback to create something in better alignment with their vision. This taught me to increase the frequency of our vision planning meetings so we could be more aligned from the start, which increased success on our future projects.”

21. What do you think sets our company apart from other technology companies?

In any interview, you need to find out if the candidate knows anything about your company and/or the competition. They should tell you what they think makes your company stand out from others. This is similar to the question, “why you want to work here?”

Sample answer: “I think what sets your company apart is the focus on customer service. I’ve always been impressed with how the company handle customer inquiries and complaints. It’s clear that you care about providing a positive experience for your customers.”

22. Describe a tech project where you volunteered to help or offered support in your spare time.

This question will show you if a candidate has devoted any personal time to side projects or helping out team members. Candidates should showcase initiative and drive to learn new things and be proactive about providing assistance.

Sample answer: “I found out our department was starting a software upgrade project and even though I wasn’t assigned to the task, I volunteered to join since I have previous experience with these kinds of upgrades. I enjoyed sharing my expertise in my free time and helping those who were new to this kind of work.”

23. How do you stay knowledgeable about new breakthroughs in AI?

Part of an IT job is to never stop learning. This tech interview question will help you determine their level of interest in staying up-to-date on new changes, especially when it comes to something as innovative as AI.

AI has become an essential tool for companies to stay competitive, and it is always evolving. Candidates should show an understanding of these resources and be willing to interact with the larger AI atmosphere.

Sample answer: “I usually read technology blogs and articles to stay up-to-date on new trends. I also test out new AI platforms to familiarize myself with these tools and understand how they can be used to solve real-world problems.”

24. What do you do for fun when you’re not working?

For interviewers, this is great to get an understanding of what the candidate does when they’re not completing projects and sitting in meetings. See if you and your team members might enjoy working with the candidate on a personal level.

Sample answer: Just be honest. Talk about your hobbies and things you enjoy doing when you step away from the computer. Interviewers want to see what kind of person you are outside the confines of your job. Show them who you are.

Bonus: Do you have any questions for us?

This is always a good question to ask at the end of an interview. It gives the candidate a chance to ask any last-minute questions and cover topics not discussed in the interview.

Additional IT Hiring Resources

While these IT interview questions will work for most IT roles, you also want to ask more specific questions. Here’s a list of our most popular IT interview blog posts.

Developer Interview Questions

AI and Machine Learning Interview Questions

Cybersecurity Interview Questions

Do You Have Questions Ready for Your Next IT Interview?

While this list is by no means exhaustive, it provides a great starting point for you to develop your own tech interview questions that are relevant to the role you’re looking to fill.

By asking these IT interview questions, hiring managers will better understand the candidate’s grasp of the job description, skills, and experience. With this information, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision about who to hire for the role during the tech job interview process.

If you’re still not sure how to conduct an effective IT interview, we’ve got even more resources! Our free in-depth guide “How to Interview Tech Candidates” will provide you with additional tips and set you up for success when you hire for IT roles. Download our guide today.