Senior software engineer interview questions.
These prompts ask for a system the candidate has worked on, a hard call, or how they work with other engineers. See all interview questions.
Six questions for a recorded first round.
Add these prompts to a Hirekal interview and send the same set to every candidate. See interview workflows.
- 01
Walk through a system you helped design. What were the hard trade-offs?
- 02
Tell us about a production incident. What did you do first, and what did you change afterward?
- 03
How do you decide what to ship now versus what to leave for later?
- 04
Describe how you would lead a design review when two senior engineers disagree on the approach.
- 05
How do you break a large project into pieces other people can own?
- 06
Walk through how you would mentor a mid-level engineer who is stuck on a design, without taking the work away from them.
Questions for other roles.
Each set is written for a one-take recording, not a live coding session.
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Read the questionsQuestions about senior software engineer prompts.
How to use this set in a recorded first round.
What should you ask in a senior software engineer video interview?
Ask one thing at a time, and keep each prompt short enough for one take. This set focuses on design trade-offs, production incidents, scope, and how a senior engineer leads other people through the work.
How many questions should a recorded senior software engineer interview include?
This page lists 6. You do not have to use every prompt. Pick the ones that fit the role, then ask every candidate that same set.
Should every senior software engineer candidate answer the same questions?
Yes, for that interview. The same prompts, in the same order, make the recordings comparable.
Can I add these senior software engineer questions to a Hirekal interview?
Yes. Create the interview, add the prompts, and send the link. Candidates record in the browser. Your team watches before booking a live conversation.
Do these video answers get an automatic hiring score?
No. The prompts are not a score. Your team watches or reads the responses and decides who moves forward.
Send the questions. Review the recordings later.
Candidates record on their own time. Your team watches the same answers before scheduling the next conversation.