23 Full Stack Developer Interview Questions to Help You Hire Qualified Candidates
When conducting interviews, it’s essential to come prepared with solid questions for your Full Stack Developer candidates. A strong line of questioning will help you find the right candidate for the role and your team.
Check out our list of Full Stack Developer interview questions to help you learn more about your candidate, their experience and their skill set. You’ll also find guidance on what answers to listen out for during the interview and the hiring process so you know you’ve found the right person for the job.
<div class="inpage-callout-container"><p class="inpage-banner-text">💡 Remember: A job interview is a two-way street—your candidate is also interviewing you about what it is like to work at your company. They need to feel certain that joining your team is the best decision they can make. Be ready to answer candidate questions and share information that’d get them excited about joining your team.</p></div>
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General interview questions
<h3 class="h3-small">1. Take me through your background. Why did you choose to become a Full Stack Developer?</h3>
Okay—this may not be the most unique question to ask but it’s a crucial one to add to your list! The goal is to hear more about your candidate, in their own words. You should find out how they ended up on their Developer career journey and what specifically they enjoy about being a Full Stack Developer.
Listen for: An easy-to-follow story of how they got to where they are in their career now and why they made the choices they did. They should also sound genuinely interested in software development!
<h3 class="h3-small">2. What are you hoping to gain from the next role that you lacked previously?</h3>
This question can help you gauge whether their career aspirations align with your needs as an employer. It will also help you gain a deeper understanding of their motivators, which is an integral part of keeping employees happy, productive and loyal.
Listen for: What makes this person tick and what it'll take to keep them around for the long haul. That could be a better salary, career growth opportunities or a passion for the work. It’s important to listen without judgment and try to meet them where they’re at.
<h3 class="h3-small">3. Which of our company values do you most identify with and why?</h3>
A candidate who wants to work for your company will have done their research. But we should also mention this: don’t expect to know your values by heart. Be sure to remind them of what they are first. Ask this question to get a better idea of whether or not their values align with that of your company.
Listen for: An answer that shows they know what you stand for as an organization. You’ll want to find out if they have a positive attitude and if they prioritize the same (or similar) values you do as a company.
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<h3 class="h3-small">4. What is the number one strength you have that would make you a good fit for this role?</h3>
Their answer will demonstrate that your candidate has a strong understanding of what the role will require of them.
Listen for: Examples of strong communication skills, a collaborative spirit and/or leadership qualities necessary for a Full Stack Developer. They may have other strengths they can bring to the role, such as organizational skills or attention to detail.
<h3 class="h3-small">5. What do you think are some of the most significant challenges you may face in this role?</h3>
This question can offer some fascinating insight. Most people will answer honestly and tell you what their most significant struggles in the workplace are and how they overcome those struggles. However, others will say, “my perfectionism/workaholic tendency is my greatest challenge,” thinking that’s what employers want to hear.
Listen for: Honesty. Pay attention to how they overcome their challenges and limitations in the workplace. Do they let it interfere with the quality of their work or do they shake it off? The vital part of their answer will tell you how they handle adversity and problem-solve to overcome it.
Hard skills interview questions
<h3 class="h3-small">6. What’s your preferred coding language and why?</h3>
A Full Stack Developer is responsible for overseeing both front- and back-end application development, so they should already have a list of languages they use regularly. Have your candidate list some of their favorites and discuss how they use them.
Listen for: Two or three languages that allow them to design front-end applications. Additionally, an experienced Full Stack Developer should have some names of platforms that allow for back-end development as well.
<h3 class="h3-small">7. What are some of the most important qualities you can have as a Full Stack Developer?</h3>
You’ll be able to gauge your candidate’s competency and understanding of the role with their answer.
Listen for: Proficiency in various coding languages, acute attention to detail and a collaborative approach to teamwork.
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<h3 class="h3-small">8. Explain the coding languages and technologies required to develop a site from scratch.</h3>
This question is designed to help you better distinguish an entry-level Full Stack Developer from an experienced one. Someone struggling to explain their thoughts might not be prepared for the role.
Listen for: The types of tools and technologies your candidate is familiar with. The most popular ones include Backbone, GitHub, CodePen, Visual Studio Code, WebStorm, TypeScript, Electron and Slack.
<h3 class="h3-small">9. Provide an example of a project that you worked on developing. What tools did you choose to use and why?</h3>
The answer to this question should give you some insight into the methodology of your candidate as a Full Stack Developer. They should demonstrate a balanced ability to work on both front- and back-end development and a strong knowledge of the tools of the trade. 🛠️
Listen for: Proven examples of projects they worked on. Also, listen for language that shows a strong proficiency in the programs listed.
<h3 class="h3-small">10. What is the most challenging programming problem you’ve dealt with recently?</h3>
As a Developer, there are always going to be challenges that require creative problem-solving measures. You need to be sure that your candidate has the problem-solving and analytical skills to handle those challenges professionally.
Listen for: A demonstrated aptitude for collaboration and problem-solving in their answer. Make sure they provide specifics when they speak about how they overcame the challenge.
<h3 class="h3-small">11. If you were developing a project from scratch, how would you go about it and which languages would you use?</h3>
Ask this Full Stack Developer interview question to get a better idea of their process and project organization. If they’re easily able to come up with how they develop a project, that tells you they have the experience.
Listen for: A brainstorming stage, mention of creating a mockup, Git commits and other tools like an image editor, a development framework and a web server.
Soft skills questions
<h3 class="h3-small">12. How do you handle collaboration with people with varied personality types?</h3>
Ask this question to help you establish if your candidate is going to be able to work well with your team. Working in a collaborative environment requires shared mutual respect amongst everyone.
Listen for: Talk of communication, mutual respect, teamwork and participation. Your ideal Full Stack Developer candidate should display a sense of empathy, patience and openness. They should also show signs that they would help contribute to an inclusive workplace.
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<h3 class="h3-small">13. Can you tell me about your experience with mentoring and mentorships?</h3>
You can rephrase this interview question based on the type of Full Stack Developer you’re hiring for and also depending on a candidate’s specific work experience. Regardless of their experience level, mentoring is a big deal in the developer world. So, it would be helpful to ask about their experience with being mentored or mentoring their peers.
Listen for: A desire to help grow their teammates’ careers or an appreciation for their own mentorship experience. The right candidate should be open to lending a hand and they should also see the value in the mentor and mentee relationship.
<h3 class="h3-small">14. How do you respond to and take on constructive feedback?</h3>
Feedback is a vital part of anyone’s professional growth and development. As an employer, you need to know that your candidate will be able to embrace any constructive feedback productively.
Listen for: Someone who speaks of feedback as an opportunity for growth and development. They can both receive and deliver feedback professionally and positively.
<h3 class="h3-small">15. How do you relay important information to your team?</h3>
Your entire team must get the information they need to do their work in a timely and transparent fashion. You want to verify that your candidate has the necessary communication skills.
Listen for: A clear and concise communication style with their answer. Their response should indicate a willingness to provide follow-up clarification.
<h3 class="h3-small">16. How do you handle conflict within your team?</h3>
It’s only natural that conflict amongst team members will happen. When it does, it should get resolved quickly and empathetically, so as not to demoralize the rest of the team.
Listen for: Your candidate’s ability to de-escalate a tricky situation in the workplace. You will also want to pay attention to their conflict resolution skills and if they value active listening.
<h3 class="h3-small">17. How do you stay organized when managing multiple projects?</h3>
Your Developer candidate should display prioritization and multi-tasking skills. Additionally, they should be able to identify tools or techniques to maintain organization.
Listen for: Their ability to prioritize their workload, manage their time well and delegate to their team. No person is an island! 🏝️
Behavioral interview questions
<h3 class="h3-small">18. Can you tell me about a time when you went above and beyond to solve a problem at work?</h3>
It's essential for your team members to maintain healthy boundaries to protect their work-life balance, but occasionally, the job might require experience navigating tasks and situations that might not necessarily be part of the job description. This question will help you assess those abilities.
Listen for: A real-world scenario. You want to hear that they displayed sound judgment, applied logic to the situation and collaborated with their team to resolve the problem.
<h3 class="h3-small">19. How do you handle a team member who’s having a bad day?</h3>
You want to understand how your candidate will be affected by the moods of others. You also want to see what this person would do to check in with their colleague, make sure they’re okay and help them move forward.
Listen for: An understanding that everyone has bad days and it’s okay to not be okay sometimes. ❤️ Someone who can approach a situation like this with empathy, reasoning, calm and understanding will be a valuable addition to your team.
<h3 class="h3-small">20. Describe a work accomplishment you’re most proud of.</h3>
This is your candidate's chance to brag a little and demonstrate their abilities. It’ll provide you with a glimpse into their personality, passion, and dedication to their work.
Listen for: Excitement or pride as they talk about their accomplishments. If this person is motivated by being acknowledged for their achievements, can you meet that motivational need as a team and as a company?
<h3 class="h3-small">21. If your team members could describe you in three words, what would they be?</h3>
The words they pick can say much more about a person than you might think. For instance, say your candidate were to mention that their colleagues would describe them as “fun,” “outgoing” and “friendly.” On the surface, these are great things to have said about you. However, those aren’t the most notable characteristics to point out in a job interview.
Listen for: Words like “adaptable,” “patient”, “collaborative” and others that would describe a fabulous future colleague for your team.
<h3 class="h3-small">22. Has there ever been a time when your outside-the-box thinking helped solve a problem?</h3>
Sometimes a problem requires a different set of eyes to be seen clearly. The candidate should display the ability to see issues from different angles and develop creative solutions to overcome one of the many obstacles they’ll face in their work as a Full Stack Developer.
Listen for: Behaviors that display creativity, adaptability and solution-based action.
<h3 class="h3-small">23. Can you describe a time when you had to deal with a tight deadline?</h3>
The right Full Stack Developer candidate can prioritize and manage their time efficiently. They should also be able to stay calm under pressure and be a good example for the rest of their team.
Listen for: An ability to successfully manage their time without sacrificing the quality of work.
Hire a Full Stack Developer with Homerun
Remember what you’re looking for when you’re interviewing Full Stack Developers for your business. Many candidates might have the right skills and abilities, so be sure to also look for someone who is a values fit for your company and is in it for the long haul.
Now that you’ve got the right interview questions for a Full Stack Developer, it’s time to get set up with the right hiring tool. Homerun helps you organize and streamline your hiring workflow, making a good impression on candidates.
With Homerun you can:
- Share feedback on the candidates with the rest of your team
- Get a visual of the hiring workflow
- Email candidates and invite them to final interviews
- Share Full Stack assignments
- Keep everything related to the hiring process organized in one place
Build high-quality experiences for you and your candidates, and hire the best fit for your team at the same time. Ready to get started? 💪
Improve your hiring and interview workflow so you can focus on hiring your next Full Stack Developer.
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