Full preparation for an interview can be an endless endeavor. While the interview might only last 45 minutes, there are an infinite number of possible questions you might need to answer. We cannot cover every possible scenario but we can try to predict 80 to 90% of what you are likely to come across. In the following guide you will see:
- Everything mentioned in Quick and Dirty, plus…
- Questions to ask and not to ask, How to practice answering tough questions, Tools to use to practice, Frameworks to apply, and more!
HAPPY INTERVIEWING!
The #1 interview ice-breaker is "Tell me about yourself."…but you have my resume?
- The interviewer already knows a lot about you so this is a chance to sell yourself a little bit.
- Start with your current role, then highlight 2–3 key technical skills relevant to the job. Briefly mention a notable achievement with measurable impact. Connect your background to why you're excited about this role.
- Keep it under 2 minutes — structured, confident, and IT-focused. Avoid personal details unrelated to the job.
AI is the best interview practice tool!
Use your favorite AI to come up with possible questions to practice.
- Here are a few prompts you can try:
- "Based on the job description link (or pasted below), give me the top 5 most likely interview questions along with suggested ways to answer them."
- Most AI platforms will read the job description from a URL, otherwise you can cut and paste the text.
- "Based on the resume attached/below, what are the top 5 most likely questions an interviewer will ask when considering me for this job (past link or job text)?"
Which interview is it?
Are you aware of the interview process. How many more interviews will there be? Is this the most important one? Below is a general overview of how each stage of the process might change:
- 1st interview: Screening stage — HR checks basic fit, culture, and salary expectations. Keep it broad.
- 2nd interview: Technical deep-dive — expect coding tests, scenario questions, or skills assessments with a hiring manager.
- 3rd interview: Final stage — senior leadership evaluates culture fit, leadership potential, and confirms the hiring decision.
Who is the interviewer?
Do you know the interviewer? If you have a name, check for him or her on LinkedIn. Why does it matter?
- Knowing your interviewer lets you tailor your answers to their background. A technical lead wants detail; an HR manager wants soft skills. It also helps you build rapport — mentioning shared experiences shows initiative. It signals you're prepared, serious, and respectful of their time. Small effort, big impression.
Qualifications?
While AI can help you with this approach, you can also do it manually.
- Go through the job description and identify the key qualifications and requirements
- For each qualification, ask yourself, "If the interviewer asks me about this particular requirement, how would I answer?"
- Example:
- Requirement: 5 years Python coding experience
- Possible Question: "Tell me about your experience with Python."
- Answer: "I am currently working on a project in Python…"
What am I missing?
In addition to answer about your capabilities as shown previously, you are likely to have a few gaps in your resume as compared to the job description. Nobody fits perfectly.
- Identify the gaps, weak areas for you from the job requirements.
- Imagine the interviewing asking about that gap.
- How will you respond?
- Typically something along the lines of, "While I have not programmed in Python before, I have done this other thing that is quite similar…"
Answering questions with the STAR framework
- The STAR framework is great for answering a behavioral interview question. The interviewer is evaluating structured thinking, problem-solving methodology, and ownership—not just the outcome. A strong answer should be concise, specific, and methodical.
- 1. Situation (brief context)
- 2. Task (what needed fixing)
- 3. Action (this is the core)
- 4. Result (quantify impact)
Most common interview questions (and how to answer)
- Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot a problem and how you handled it. (answer)
- How do you stay on top of new technology? (answer)
- Walk me through your responsibilities and activities in the last project you worked on. (answer)
- What tools and strategies do you use to organize and prioritize your work? (answer)
- Which technology are you most excited about and why? (answer)
- Do you have any questions? (answer)
Finally, thank the interviewer and let us know what happened
- Employers look for thank you notes after an interview: 24% of employers agree thank you notes are very important while almost 60% feel they are important.
- Make sure you call or send detailed feedback to your recruiter at Fidel as soon as the interview finishes. Feedback should include details about what questions were asked, comments from the interviewer about next steps, and your own impressions
Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot a problem and how you handled it.
- Use the STAR framework:
- Situation: Briefly set the scene — "Our production server crashed during peak hours."
- Task: State your role — "I was the on-call engineer responsible for restoring service."
- Action: Highlight your steps — "I isolated the issue, identified a memory leak, and applied a hotfix."
- Result: Quantify the outcome — "Restored service in 20 minutes, minimizing client impact."
How do you stay on top of new technology?
- Good answer:
- Mention specific, credible sources — blogs, podcasts, certifications (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Learn), or communities like GitHub or Stack Overflow. Reference a recent technology you've explored and how you applied it. This shows genuine curiosity and continuous learning — both highly valued in IT roles.
- Bad answer:
- "I just Google things."
Walk me through your responsibilities and activities in the last project you worked on.
- Another STAR question! Keep it concise and IT-relevant.
- Situation: Briefly describe the project context and its goal.
- Task: Define your specific role and ownership.
- Action: Walk through your key contributions — tools used, problems solved, team collaboration.
- Result: End with impact — delivery time, cost saved, or performance improved.
What tools and strategies do you use to organize and prioritize your work?
- Interviewers want proof you're organized, reliable, and can manage workload without constant supervision.
- Name specific tools relevant to IT — Jira, Trello, Azure DevOps, or Notion.
- Mention a prioritization method like MoSCoW or time-blocking (or others).
- Show self-awareness by acknowledging how you handle shifting priorities or urgent incidents.
Which technology are you most excited about and why?
- Idealy, you should pick something genuinely relevant to the role.
- Briefly explain why it excites you and, crucially, how you've engaged with it — a project, course, or experiment. This shows passion and initiative, not just trend-following.
- Authenticity matters — don't pick something you can't discuss confidently.
Do you have any questions?
- Write down 3 or 4 questions of your own to ask at the end of the interview. Good questions. Avoid salary, overtime, remote work, anything that seems like a benefit until the last interview.
- Ask questions that show curiosity and intent:
- "What does success look like in this role after 90 days?"
- "What are the team's biggest technical challenges right now?"
- "How do you support continuous learning and certifications?"
- "What's your stack, and are there plans to evolve it?"
