Web Developer Interview Questions to Ask

Web Developer being interviewed in conference room

Hiring new employees is always challenging, but hiring technical talent often adds a layer of complexity to the recruitment process. The demand for web developers, in particular, will continue to increase much faster than many other occupations. Asking the right web developer interview questions will help you find the right fit for your organization.

First, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with standard web developer classifications, skills, and education so that you understand the inevitable “tech-speak” that will occur during interviews. Also, writing a clear, detailed job description that explains both the technical and project management skills required for the role will increase your chances of attracting suitable candidates.

Once you’ve lined up interviews with your top candidates, the next step is to develop a set of web developer interview questions that uncover each candidate’s qualifications, temperament, and other important attributes. The three main areas you’ll want to cover in the interview process are:

General background, experience, and expertise
Technical proficiency and specific skills
Communication and project management skills

1. General Background, Experience, and Expertise

Start off on the right foot by asking open-ended, “icebreaker” web developer interview questions that allow the candidate to speak freely about their overall experience and expertise. The answers to these questions will also provide you with a roadmap for conducting the rest of the interview. They may include questions such as:

What made you decide to become a web developer?
How long have you been a web developer?
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What do you consider the hardest part of being a web developer?
What are your primary skills and expertise?
Do you consider yourself a full stack developer?
Why are you interested in working with this company?
What are currently some of your favorite websites or mobile apps?
Who do you look up to in the tech and web development fields? Who in the industry do you follow on social media?

2. Technical Proficiency and Specific Skills

It may be difficult for non-technical hiring managers and business owners to get the full picture of a candidate’s technical abilities based solely on questions about business requirements or project management. You can use online pre-employment assessments as convenient screening tools for the nuts and bolts of technical knowledge, but they won’t provide the full view.

The following web developer interview questions will help you uncover if the candidate has the level of technical proficiency needed to successfully fill the role in your business:

Which web development tools do you use?
Which programming languages are you most comfortable using?
Are you most comfortable with front-end or back-end development work? Why?
Explain the differences between a responsive and non-responsive website.
Which content management systems do you have experience using?
Describe your approach to troubleshooting a JavaScript error on a website.
How have you used APIs in previous web development projects?
Do you have hands-on experience using SQL to support a website’s functional database requirements?
How do you manage web development in a mobile-first environment?
What are the key differences between designing for desktop and mobile?
Tell me about a web application you’ve built, redesigned, or maintained.
What factors influence a web page’s load speed? Why is page load speed so important?
Describe a successful web development project you worked on (or are proud of.)
Describe a web development project that didn’t go as planned.
What is the most recent web development tool you learned to use?
How do you stay up to date with web development trends?

3. Communication and Project Management Skills

Technical know-how is only part of what makes a successful web developer. Web projects can take weeks or months to complete, and often involve multiple stakeholders. That means asking web developer interview questions that focus on project management and communication skills should also remain top of mind when meeting with candidates. Such questions may include:

What do you do when you realize you’re going to miss a deadline?
Have you ever managed other web developers or outside contractors?
Describe your process for kicking off a web development project?
How do you handle project scope creep?
Are you comfortable letting your manager know when they request something that isn’t a best practice?
How do you handle negative feedback?
How do you address competing priorities?
Give an example of how you explain technical web development projects to non-technical project stakeholders.
What do you consider your top three non-technical skills?
What are the top three non-technical skills all web developers should have?
Are you used to managing a budget for web development projects?

A Better Web Presence Starts With Finding the Right Talent

Adding a high-performing web developer to your team will have a positive impact on your business’s web presence and bottom line. Put your web developer interview questions to use and get started on finding the perfect candidates. You can connect with top developer talent today with a free job posting on Monster.