Work sample test and structured interview for {role_name}

After shortlisting, assess candidates' skills with a work sample task, followed by an assessment and thorough evaluation.

How to structure the interview to assess skills and cultural fit for {role_name}

Work sample test (Home assignment)

Recruitment Bullet

Assess the candidate’s practical skills by assigning a real-world task similar to the work they would do if hired.

  • Title: Design a Scalable E-Commerce Platform Architecture
  • Objective: Assess the candidate’s ability to design a scalable, secure, and maintainable system architecture for an e-commerce platform.
  • Requirements:
    • Design the system architecture for an e-commerce platform that can handle high traffic and transactions.
    • Include considerations for security, scalability, load balancing, and data storage.
    • Provide a high-level diagram of the architecture with annotations explaining each component.
    • Write a brief document (1-2 pages) explaining your design decisions and how they align with the business goals.
  • Time Frame: 72 hours

Questions based on home assignment : 

Recruitment Bullet

Once done with work sample test evaluate the candidate’s technical proficiency based on the work sample task.

Technical questions

Recruitment Bullet

Duration : 10 minutes/question

  • Question: Can you explain how your design ensures scalability and handles peak traffic?
    • Expected Answer: The candidate should discuss load balancing, horizontal scaling, and the use of microservices or cloud-based solutions to handle peak traffic efficiently.
    • Sample Answer: "I’ve designed the system using a microservices architecture, allowing each service to scale independently. Load balancers distribute traffic evenly across servers, and auto-scaling groups ensure that additional instances are added during peak times."
  • Question: How did you address security concerns in your architecture?
    • Expected Answer: The candidate should mention secure authentication, data encryption, and protection against common vulnerabilities like SQL injection and DDoS attacks.
    • Sample Answer: "I implemented OAuth 2.0 for secure authentication and TLS encryption for data in transit. Additionally, I’ve included a web application firewall (WAF) to protect against common web vulnerabilities and ensured all API endpoints are secured."
  • Question: What were the key challenges you considered when designing the data storage solution?
    • Expected Answer: The candidate should discuss data consistency, redundancy, and performance optimization, mentioning the use of databases that fit the scale and requirements of the application.
    • Sample Answer: "To ensure data consistency and performance, I chose a combination of relational databases for transactional data and NoSQL databases for unstructured data. I also implemented data replication and sharding to manage large volumes of data efficiently."

Behavioral questions

Recruitment Bullet

Duration : 10 minutes/question

  • Question: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision regarding the architecture of a system. How did you approach the situation?
    • Expected Answer: The candidate should provide a specific example, highlighting their decision-making process, how they balanced trade-offs, and the outcome.
    • Sample Answer: "During a previous project, I had to decide whether to use a monolithic or microservices architecture. After consulting with the development team and stakeholders, I chose microservices despite the higher initial complexity, as it better suited the project’s long-term scalability needs. This decision proved beneficial as the system easily adapted to increasing demand."
  • Question: How do you handle disagreements with team members over architectural decisions?
    • Expected Answer: The candidate should demonstrate effective communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, showing how they handle conflicts constructively.
    • Sample Answer: "I focus on understanding the other person’s perspective and finding common ground. In one instance, we had differing views on the database technology to use. I organized a meeting to discuss the pros and cons of each option and facilitated a decision based on the project’s requirements, leading to a consensus that everyone was comfortable with."
  • Question: How do you ensure that your architectural designs align with the business goals of the organization?
    • Expected Answer: The candidate should describe their approach to gathering business requirements and ensuring that their technical solutions support the organization’s objectives.
    • Sample Answer: "I make it a priority to involve stakeholders early in the design process, ensuring I understand their goals and constraints. I then map these requirements to technical solutions, regularly reviewing the architecture with both technical and non-technical stakeholders to ensure alignment."

How to evaluate and compare candidates after interviews?

After interviews, it's important to evaluate and compare candidates based on a set of predefined criteria.Use scorecard to evaluate each candidate.

Recruitment Bullet

Sample scorecard based on pre-defined criteria. Here’s an example:

Criteria Sample Question Rating (1-5) Comments
Technical Knowledge How well does the candidate understand and apply architectural principles?
Problem-Solving Ability How effectively did the candidate solve the challenges in the work sample?
Communication Skills How clearly did the candidate explain their design choices and thought process?
Cultural Fit How well does the candidate’s approach align with the company’s values?
Decision-Making Did the candidate demonstrate sound judgment in their architectural decisions?
Collaboration How well did the candidate demonstrate teamwork and conflict resolution?

"Standardize interviews" – Use our customizable scorecard templates

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What criteria should be used to make the final hiring decision?

Final decisions should be based on the candidate's overall evaluation score, with a focus on important qualifications. Prioritize technical skills above everything else for a {role_name}, but do not forget about communication and cultural fit.

Recruitment Bullet

How to communicate the decision to candidates

Sample offer letter for {role_name}

[Company Letterhead]

‍

[Date]

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[Candidate’s Name]

[Candidate’s Address]

[City, State, Zip Code]

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Dear [Candidate’s Name],

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We are pleased to offer you the position of System Architect at [Company Name]. We were impressed with your experience and the insights you shared during the interview process.

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As a System Architect, you will play a key role in designing and overseeing the architecture of our software systems, contributing to the success of our projects and the growth of our company.

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Your starting salary will be [Salary Amount] per annum, and you will be eligible for [benefits, e.g., health insurance, retirement plans, etc.]. Your start date will be [Start Date].

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Please review the attached document outlining the terms and conditions of your employment. If you agree with the terms, please sign and return a copy of this letter by [Deadline Date].

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We look forward to welcoming you to our team.

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Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

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Sample rejection letter for {role_name}

[Company Letterhead]

‍

[Date]

‍

[Candidate’s Name]

[Candidate’s Address]

[City, State, Zip Code]

‍

Dear [Candidate’s Name],

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Thank you for taking the time to interview for the System Architect position at [Company Name]. We appreciate your interest in our company and the effort you put into the application process.

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After careful consideration, we have decided to move forward with another candidate who more closely matches the requirements for this role.

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We encourage you to apply for future openings that align with your skills and experience, and we wish you the best of luck in your job search.

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Thank you again for your interest in [Company Name].

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Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

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Hiring guide

About {role_name}

Job description

Source and shortlist candidates

Structured interview

Progression and salary