Template

Technical interview template

Check that a candidate can do the technical work of the role by working on a realistic problem together — and hear how they think, not just whether they get the answer.

60 minutesFor One or two engineers or specialists, and the candidateAgenda room
Change the agenda first

The agenda, with a time for each part

  1. Introductions and the problem5 min
    • Here is the problem; what questions do you have?
  2. Working on it together35 min
    • Talk us through what you are thinking.
    • What would you check first?
  3. Trade-offs10 min
    • What would you change with more time, or at ten times the scale?
  4. Their questions7 min
    • What would you like to know about how we work?
  5. Next steps3 min
    • When will you hear back?

How the notes read afterwards

A made-up example, so you can see the shape. In a real call each line carries the words that were said and who said them.

Problem. Our export times out for large customers; design a fix.

Approach. Asked how large; proposed a background job with a progress email.

Trade-offs. Discussed what happens if a job fails halfway.

Score. Problem solving 4/5; communication 5/5; testing 3/5.

Running it well

Ways to change it

Take-homeA task of two or three hours, paid if longer, then a call to talk through it.
PairingWork on a small real task together in the candidate's preferred language.

When to skip it. For non-technical roles, obviously — and for senior people with public work you have already reviewed in depth, shorten it.

Questions

What is a technical interview?

An interview that assesses a candidate's technical skills, usually by working through a realistic problem while explaining their thinking.

What do technical interviewers look for?

How the candidate understands and breaks down a problem, the quality of their solution, how they communicate, and how they check and improve their work.

Should candidates be allowed to look things up in a technical interview?

Many teams allow it, because it reflects how the work is actually done.

What happens in the room

Everybody joins from the link, with no account. The agenda sits beside the call and each item fills in with what was said about it, under the name of the person who said it.

More templates

Reference callA call with someone who worked with your final candidate, to check what you heard in interviews and learn how best to support them if you hire them.Offer callTell the chosen candidate they have the job, walk through the offer clearly, answer their questions, and agree when they will decide — on a call, before the paperwork.Recruiting pipeline reviewRecruiters and hiring managers go through every open role: how many candidates are at each stage, where they get stuck, and what to change to fill the role in time.Campus recruiting debriefAfter a university hiring season or event: which schools and events found good candidates, how students experienced the process, who to make offers to, and what to change next year.Internship kickoffThe first proper meeting with a new intern: what they will work on, what they will learn, who helps them, and what a great summer looks like — so they can contribute from week one.Internship wrap-upAt the end of an internship: the intern shows what they did, gets honest feedback, gives theirs, and hears clearly what happens next — a return offer, a reference, or both.Job interviewA structured hour: their story, the job's hardest problem, and their questions.New hire 30-day check-inA month in: what makes sense, what does not, and what they need to do the job properly.

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