Software Architect

CHAPTER 9An Outline for Software Architecture Job Interview Questions

Preparing for potential software architecture questions increases the odds of acing an interview. Never attend an interview without compiling a list of queries that could help you focus on specific software architecture topics. This approach falls under the interview defensive strategy concept covered in Chapter 8, “Preparing for a Software Architecture Interview: A Winning Strategy.”

The more questions an applicant can anticipate before an interview, the better the chances of standing out among the competition. To accomplish this, first carefully study the job description and understand the business and technological imperatives of the hiring organization before speculating on the questions an interviewer might ask.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a framework for possible interview questions in different categories, as shown in the list that follows. A software architecture candidate should feel free to expand on these topics as needed.

• Behavioral questions These questions prepare software architecture candidates for demonstrating communication, interpersonal relationship, and leadership capabilities.
• Skill assessment questions The answers to these questions typically reveal the competency level, experience, and training history of applicants.
• Architecture attributes questions These are questions about functional and nonfunctional requirements for applications and systems.
• Software architecture ...