Interview Question Creation
Developing Technical Interview Questions for Assessing Problem-Solving
This prompt helps HR teams and hiring managers create technical interview questions that evaluate a candidate’s problem-solving skills. It focuses on scenario-based questions and real-world challenges relevant to the role.
Responsible:
HR/Recruiting
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
HR, Engineering, Data Science, Product
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Identify common challenges or problems faced in the role.
Collaborate with technical team leads to ensure scenario relevance and difficulty alignment.
Prepare resources for any hands-on exercises, such as coding environments or problem statements.
THE PROMPT
Help design a set of technical interview questions to assess problem-solving skills for the position of [specific role, e.g., Software Engineer] at [specific software startup]. Focus on:
Real-World Scenarios: Recommending challenges, such as, ‘Describe a time when you encountered a complex problem in [specific domain]. How did you approach solving it, and what tools or methods did you use?’
Technical Exercises: Suggesting practical tests, like, ‘Provide a sample problem in [specific programming language or technology], and ask the candidate to walk through their thought process and solution.’
Root Cause Analysis: Including exploratory questions, such as, ‘Tell me about a situation where you had to identify the root cause of an issue. How did you diagnose it, and what steps did you take to resolve it?’
Creative Thinking: Proposing hypothetical challenges, like, ‘If given [specific constraint], how would you design a solution to [specific problem]?’
Collaboration and Problem-Solving: Including teamwork aspects, such as, ‘Share an example of a time when you collaborated with others to troubleshoot and resolve a technical issue.’
Provide a set of tailored technical questions that effectively evaluate a candidate’s ability to solve problems in real-world scenarios. If additional details about the role or key challenges are needed, ask clarifying questions to refine the questions.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose strategies for integrating coding exercises or case studies into problem-solving interviews.
Suggest methods for evaluating a candidate’s ability to explain their approach clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
Highlight techniques for adapting problem-solving questions to senior versus junior roles.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus on industry-specific problem-solving, such as cybersecurity or data analysis.
Include tips for assessing a candidate’s ability to handle ambiguity in technical challenges.
Propose ways to evaluate the trade-offs in a candidate’s proposed solution.
Highlight tools like HackerRank or LeetCode for administering technical assessments.
Add suggestions for incorporating follow-up questions to explore alternative solutions.
WHEN TO USE
To assess problem-solving capabilities for technical or analytical roles.
During interviews to evaluate a candidate’s ability to apply skills to practical challenges.
When hiring for roles requiring innovative and adaptable thinking.
WHEN NOT TO USE
For roles with minimal technical problem-solving requirements.
If problem scenarios are irrelevant or overly generic for the position.