These days, the tech interview process is more challenging and nuanced than ever before. It’s no longer about simply acing a single conversation; you must be ready to navigate a complex landscape of diverse interview types.
So, you might be wondering, “What different types of interviews should I prepare for when interviewing with a tech company?”
As an interview coach specializing in the tech industry, I’ve found that job seekers are often surprised by the quantity and variety of interviews required to secure a role.
Whether you’re targeting a tech giant or a rapidly growing startup, it’s common to complete 3 to 5 interviews before receiving an offer.
And for those aiming for a C-suite role, the process can often involve a half-dozen or more conversations, each requiring considerable preparation.
If it’s been a while since you last looked for a role—or you’re attempting to break into tech—the rigor of today’s interview process can feel intimidating or overwhelming.
In this guide, I break down the different types of job interviews you might come across in the tech industry, outline what employers aim to learn during each one, and provide expert strategies to effectively prepare.
1. Recruiter Interview
Your first interview with a tech company will likely be with a recruiter or executive headhunter. This screening interview allows an employer to learn more about you.
It’s also an opportunity for you to learn about the company, culture, and how well you might align with them. You can think of it as a mutual vibe check.
This conversation is often conducted via phone call or Zoom (or their video conferencing platform of choice).
How to Prepare For A Recruiter Interview
Many job seekers fail to adequately prepare for recruiter interviews, thinking the conversation will be easy. Please don’t make this mistake!
Come prepared for the conversation and ready to:
- Tell the recruiter about yourself: Have a concise and compelling “elevator pitch” prepared.
- Walk them through your resume: Highlight key accomplishments and quantify your impact where possible.
- Demonstrate how you meet the basic qualifications: Don’t just state them, but back each one up with specific examples.
- Explain why you’re drawn to the company: Do your research and show genuine interest!
- Confirm your salary expectations: Know your market value and be prepared to discuss total compensation.
The recruiter should leave the conversation with no doubt that you can meet and exceed the qualifications.
It’s not just about meeting the qualifications; many of the applicants who apply meet them. You must be ready to share examples of what sets you apart from other applicants. In other words, what makes you fabulous?
[Read: 12 Best Questions To Ask Recruiters When Interviewing]
2. Hiring Manager Interview
The hiring manager interview is often the second one—immediately following the recruiter screening—or the final interview in the hiring process.
This interview is often one of the most important conversations, as the hiring manager will typically play a major part in deciding whether you land the job.
How to Prepare For A Hiring Manager Interview
In this conversation, you can expect the hiring manager to dig deeper, evaluating your:
- Cultural alignment: Do your values align with the company’s?
- Fit for the team: Can they see you collaborating effectively with the group?
You want to ask them thoughtful questions to learn more about the team and role, too, but don’t just ask questions for the sake of it. Instead, show that you’ve put thought into the process by tailoring your questions to the specific hiring manager and their priorities.
[Read: 19 Memorable Questions To Ask A Hiring Manager During An Interview]
3. Skip-Level Interview
When interviewing with a tech company, you might meet with your skip-level manager, or your boss’s boss.
Skip-level interviews can seem intimidating, but they’re often less challenging than other interviews since by the time you do them, it’s already been determined that you’re a strong or final contender. The company is just doing due diligence.
This conversation is often at a higher level than the one with the hiring manager. They’re less concerned with the day-to-day and more focused on the big picture
How to Prepare For A Skip-Level Interview
In preparing for a skip-level interview, some job seekers focus too much on the minutiae. Resist the urge to dive into the weeds.
Ask yourself what’s really most important to your interviewer. Focus more on the results and less on the nitty-gritty details. They want to know how you’ll contribute to the overall success of the organization.
If you think about the STAR(T) formula, your answer will prioritize the R (Results) during a skip-level interview.
4. Technical Interview
If you’re interviewing for a technical role, you can likely expect a technical interview at some point. This often takes place early in the process to weed out candidates who aren’t a technical fit. You can think of it as being like a skills check.
You may be asked to code live, complete a whiteboard assignment, or take home an exercise that you have a certain number of days to complete. Each format tests different skills, and you need to be prepared for anything.
How to Prepare For A Technical Interview
It’s important to know how the company conducts their interviews and what languages you’re expected to know. Ask your recruiter for specifics!
Repeated practice is key here. Many of my clients find it helpful to set aside 20 to 30 minutes a day to preparing for technical interviews. Consistency is paramount.
You want to ensure that you’re focusing on the right items rather than wasting time on topics that won’t be covered.
Ask your recruiter what areas to focus on; many tech companies have specific resources they suggest you review. This ensures you don’t waste your time and energy on something that won’t be covered.
5. System Design Interview
System design interviews are similar to technical interviews but typically focus more on concepts like architecture, scalability, and how you think about designing robust, scalable systems.
If you’re interviewing for a senior engineering manager role with a large tech company, you may be asked to complete one of these. In a system design interview, it’s less about giving the exact right answer and more about the interviewer having an opportunity to learn how you think and communicate. That said, it’s still important to prepare and know your fundamentals.
How to Prepare For A System Design Interview
It’s just as important, or even more so, to focus on your communication skills during a system design interview. In other words, can you articulate your design choices clearly? Poor communication can truly derail a system design interview.
Consider recording yourself walking through an architectural diagram then watching the video back to see how you come across.
I recognize this can be a painful exercise, but it’s an incredibly powerful way to identify any weak points and bolster your confidence leading up to the interview.
6. Case Study Interview
Case study interviews allow a prospective employer to assess your critical thinking and problem solving skills.
These may be done live, which adds a layer of pressure. You may also be asked to write out a response and/or slides and potentially present them. Structure and clarity are critical.
How to Prepare For A Case Study Interview
You want to ensure you understand the company’s expectations. What are they really looking for?
Really read the instructions. Don’t skim! Every detail matters.
It’s not just about your answer, but also about how you write, think, problem-solve, and communicate. The process is just as important as the result during a case study interview.
In other words, they want to know what it will be like having you as a member of their team. Will you be a valuable asset?
7. Presentation Interview
You may encounter a presentation interview as part of the hiring process, particularly if your role will involve regularly communicating with internal or external stakeholders. The question you have to answer for them is, can you effectively convey information and engage an audience?
These presentations may or may not be technical. For instance, a CTO client was recently asked to present a high-level overview of their technology roadmap. This tested their strategic thinking and communication skills.
On the other hand, a design executive client was recently asked to share their design philosophy and walk the team through their approach for 2 recent design projects. This showcased their leadership style and expertise.
How to Prepare For A Presentation Interview
It’s critical that you understand the instructions for your presentation interview:
- What is the setting? Formal or informal?
- What is the goal of the presentation? To inform, persuade, or inspire?
- What is the vibe of the team? Do they tend to actively participate or do they prefer to listen? Adjust your style accordingly.
You also want to know who will be in the room, as presenting to direct reports is different than to executive peers or external stakeholders. Remember to tailor your content to your audience.
Again, consider recording yourself and then watching it back to see how you come across. Practice is key!
8. Working Interview
Depending on the role and culture, some companies employ working interviews as an alternative to a technical or case study interview to get a sense of how you work and think, and also to understand how you might work with the team.
It’s essentially a chance to show them what you have to offer in a real-world setting.
How to Prepare For A Working Interview
Working interviews might not require extensive preparation, but you still need to do your homework.
It can be incredibly helpful to research exactly who you’ll be meeting with so that you understand their roles and responsibilities.
It can also be helpful to have some questions prepared to ask the people you’ll be meeting with. This shows that you’re engaged and curious.
9. Peer Interview
Peer interviews are an opportunity to meet with your future colleagues. They may be conducted individually with each peer or in a group setting where you’re meeting with multiple potential colleagues at the same time. Ultimately, it’s a chance for them to assess whether they’d genuinely enjoy working with you.
How you prepare for a peer interview will depend on who you’re meeting with, their role within the organization, and how they interact with the position you’re interviewing for. Put simply, you have to do your homework!
How to Prepare For A Peer Interview
You want to work with your recruiter to get a sense of who you’re meeting with, how your role will interact with them, and what’s most important to them in a new team member.
Think about it this way:
- What are their biggest pain points?
- How can you help solve them?
Use LinkedIn to learn how long they’ve been with the company, understand how their role has evolved since they were hired, and glean any additional insights that might help you prepare for the conversation
10. HR Interview
Depending on how the hiring process is structured, part of your hiring process may involve meeting with the human resources department. This is separate from the recruiter screening call at the beginning of the hiring process. While not always the case, this can often be the final conversation before you receive a job offer.
This conversation may cover:
- Firming up salary expectations and total compensation
- Completing reference checks
- Aligning on a potential start date
How to Prepare For An HR Interview
The HR department needs to make sure you have all the necessary skills, so you must be prepared to relate your experience to each and every item in the job description. I cannot count how many times I’ve asked clients a question about a skill listed in the job description and they looked at me dumbfounded.
You must be ready to confidently address every single item in the job posting. Please don’t wing it!
Also, be sure you are ready to speak to every point on your resume. They might ask you to elaborate on just about anything.
11. Board Interview
If you’re vying for a senior executive position, you might speak to their board as part of the hiring process.
Depending on your role, you may meet with the entire board or the committee you would regularly be working with. For instance, if you’re interviewing for a Chief Human Resources Officer position, you may interview with the compensation committee.
How to Prepare For A Board Interview
Read any recent annual reports and investor updates that are available. Understand the company’s performance and strategic direction.
Focus on the high-level metrics, such as user retention and growth, revenue and profitability, and market share. The board is looking for someone who can directly drive results.
Know their priorities and address them. What are their key challenges and opportunities?
How Many Rounds Of Interviews Do Tech Companies Conduct?
The number of interviews you must complete as part of the interview process will depend on the company, the specific role, and the seniority level. Generally speaking, the more senior the role, the more people you’ll talk with.
You can typically expect three to five interviews for an individual contributor or management role, and executive roles can easily demand a half-dozen or more interviews. Think of the process as being like a marathon, not a sprint.
Why Do Tech Companies Require So Many Interviews?
One of the primary reasons that tech companies have such lengthy interview processes is because they want to secure the best talent possible, and they have lots of candidates. It can be difficult to assess all necessary criteria in only one or two conversations.
They are looking for the right background and combination of skills, cultural alignment, team fit, and management style. Each of these requires a series of pointed interview questions.
It’s not just whether you can do the job; it’s obvious you can do the job if you get past the recruiter screening. It’s about who can do it best, and tech companies want the best of the best.
Another reason for lengthy interviews is because you’ll work with a lot of stakeholders once you land the job, so many of them will be involved in the hiring process. These conversations are a way to get everyone’s buy-in.
The more stakeholders your role will interact with, the lengthier the interview process is likely to be, so brace yourself!
Why Are Tech Interviews So Difficult?
Tech companies can afford to have difficult interviews because they often have a lot of great talent to choose from.
There is more competition than ever before in the tech industry, and the talent pool is deep. In fact, it’s common for a role at a tech company to receive hundreds—if not thousands—of applications for a single role.
Tough interviews allow employers to weed out mediocre applicants and identify the very best talent.
Final Thoughts
While I’ve covered the most common possibilities, there are many different types of interviews when vying for a role with a tech company. The interview landscape is constantly evolving, too, so be sure to check back for updates to this guide.
If you’re unsure how to prepare or what to expect during a conversation, you can always ask the recruiter or headhunter. Please keep in mind that they want you to succeed. They’re genuinely on your side!
On a final note, if you’d like to partner with a trained professional as you prepare for your interviews, please reach out or schedule a consultation—I’d love to help you make the best first impression possible. I’m here for you! You’ve got this!
