.NET developers work in all types of organizations doing all sorts of business, so they have to be prepared to answer a broad range of questions, some general, some narrowly focused. Web applications often contain three or more tiers, such as technologies sent to the client, maintaining server-side frameworks, or the ability to jump between the server-side, Web server and database frameworks. Developers may specialize in one or more of these, or have a multidisciplinary skill set. So while the term ".NET developer" is broad, it's also fairly abstract. Be prepared, then: If you're on the hunt for a new position you'll probably be asked general questions so managers can assess your level of expertise. The following are commonly asked interview questions. Gauging how current a .NET developer is can be summed up fairly quickly. Mike Giglio, recruiting manager at Randstad Technologies, begins with these simple questions. Which .NET framework are you currently working on? The interviewer wants to assess how up to date you are. There are frameworks that range anywhere from 1.1, 2.0, 3.5, and 4.0. Obviously, if you're working on a 4.0, you're working on the most current framework. Are you familiar with, and have you worked with, the latest technologies, like WCF, WPF or Silverlight? The answer to this question will vary depending on individual experience, but whatever your response (yes or no), follow-up with an explanation of what you do know about those technologies. Which languages have you worked with in .NET technologies? C#, VB.NET or C++ According to Chris Cosentino, Response Manager at Kforce's National Recruiting Center, interviews for mid-level developers usually start by sussing out the candidate’s general exposure to the framework as a whole and its overall architecture and life cycle, as well as languages they work with to support .NET and their platform. How many languages does .NET support right now and how is it able to support multiple languages? The interviewer would want to hear how Microsoft is compiled and how programming languages differ, as well as your knowledge of different applications and platforms that support them. The answers pertain to what kind of .NET developer they're seeking and their skill sets. Since front- and back-end developers usually are asked different questions, Consentino threw the next two into the mix. Front end question: What's your general focus -- WinForms or Web services? Is Javascript an object oriented language? "I’d want to know how the candidate would utilize it," he says. The answer would have to be more than a "yes," and should demonstrate your knowledge about prototyping with Javascript Back end question: "I’d start with the kind of database server. Is it Oracle based? If we’re looking for a SQL server, and the candidate is doing SQL programming, how does it pertain to the .NET platform?" If you've been writing your own code with SQL VS code, you'd show an in-depth knowledge, which is what Consentino wants. "If they’re only using Microsoft programs that come with the tool set, then they haven’t done much of their own writing and specifically not doing their own core coding." Ruth Mora, Business Development Manager at Modis, works with high level candidates and offered several scenarios for interviews. Here are a few that stood out. How would you identify under-performing or poorly performing loops? For this one, you'll need to understand performance monitoring -- for example, code performance and memory leaks -- and be able to discuss reviewing performance data in real time and from log files. What are some common issues you've faced in multi-threading environments? In this case, the interviewer wants to know if you can detect and debug a problem as well as write thread statement code. You may also want to discuss any special logging frameworks or debugging techniques that you've utilized. Mora says that candidates should be able to nimbly discuss inheritance and polymorphism and how to use them most effectively. A sample question might be: How does Java implement polymorphism? The interviewer wants to hear how class inheritance, as well as method overloading and overriding, are used in Java and how these affect objects. Interview Questions for .NET Developers
.NET developers work in all types of organizations doing all sorts of business, so they have to be prepared to answer a broad range of questions, some general, some narrowly focused. Web applications often contain three or more tiers, such as technologies sent to the client, maintaining server-side frameworks, or the ability to jump between the server-side, Web server and database frameworks. Developers may specialize in one or more of these, or have a multidisciplinary skill set. So while the term ".NET developer" is broad, it's also fairly abstract. Be prepared, then: If you're on the hunt for a new position you'll probably be asked general questions so managers can assess your level of expertise. The following are commonly asked interview questions. Gauging how current a .NET developer is can be summed up fairly quickly. Mike Giglio, recruiting manager at Randstad Technologies, begins with these simple questions. Which .NET framework are you currently working on? The interviewer wants to assess how up to date you are. There are frameworks that range anywhere from 1.1, 2.0, 3.5, and 4.0. Obviously, if you're working on a 4.0, you're working on the most current framework. Are you familiar with, and have you worked with, the latest technologies, like WCF, WPF or Silverlight? The answer to this question will vary depending on individual experience, but whatever your response (yes or no), follow-up with an explanation of what you do know about those technologies. Which languages have you worked with in .NET technologies? C#, VB.NET or C++ According to Chris Cosentino, Response Manager at Kforce's National Recruiting Center, interviews for mid-level developers usually start by sussing out the candidate’s general exposure to the framework as a whole and its overall architecture and life cycle, as well as languages they work with to support .NET and their platform. How many languages does .NET support right now and how is it able to support multiple languages? The interviewer would want to hear how Microsoft is compiled and how programming languages differ, as well as your knowledge of different applications and platforms that support them. The answers pertain to what kind of .NET developer they're seeking and their skill sets. Since front- and back-end developers usually are asked different questions, Consentino threw the next two into the mix. Front end question: What's your general focus -- WinForms or Web services? Is Javascript an object oriented language? "I’d want to know how the candidate would utilize it," he says. The answer would have to be more than a "yes," and should demonstrate your knowledge about prototyping with Javascript Back end question: "I’d start with the kind of database server. Is it Oracle based? If we’re looking for a SQL server, and the candidate is doing SQL programming, how does it pertain to the .NET platform?" If you've been writing your own code with SQL VS code, you'd show an in-depth knowledge, which is what Consentino wants. "If they’re only using Microsoft programs that come with the tool set, then they haven’t done much of their own writing and specifically not doing their own core coding." Ruth Mora, Business Development Manager at Modis, works with high level candidates and offered several scenarios for interviews. Here are a few that stood out. How would you identify under-performing or poorly performing loops? For this one, you'll need to understand performance monitoring -- for example, code performance and memory leaks -- and be able to discuss reviewing performance data in real time and from log files. What are some common issues you've faced in multi-threading environments? In this case, the interviewer wants to know if you can detect and debug a problem as well as write thread statement code. You may also want to discuss any special logging frameworks or debugging techniques that you've utilized. Mora says that candidates should be able to nimbly discuss inheritance and polymorphism and how to use them most effectively. A sample question might be: How does Java implement polymorphism? The interviewer wants to hear how class inheritance, as well as method overloading and overriding, are used in Java and how these affect objects. 
