40 Interview Questions to Ask a DevOps Engineer

1. What are the most important considerations when selecting DevOps tools for your organization?
2. Walk me through some of the core benefits of DevOps on both the technical and business sides.
3. In your experience, what are the most important KPIs for DevOps?
4. Walk me through a typical DevOps lifecycle.
5. Explain the benefits of Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
6. Can you explain the “shift left” concept? Have you had success implementing this in your current or previous role?
7. What are the most important considerations when building out a DevOps process?
8. Tell me about how you’ve used continuous testing.
9. What are the key elements of continuous testing tools?
10. How do you collaborate with software engineers in your current role?

It’s up to DevOps engineers to introduce new processes and tools that support both development and operations teams. They must rely on their influence and persuasion skills to get teams on board with new processes and adopt new systems.

The below questions can help you find candidates who are well-versed at influencing and persuading others.

1. Tell me about a great idea of yours that you pitched to your colleagues or leadership team. How did you convey the idea, and what was the result?
2. Tell me about a time when you were able to encourage others to take a chance on a new project or idea.
3. Describe a time when you anticipated a problem and persuaded your team to take an alternate route. What happened?
4. Tell me about a time when you used your leadership skills to gain support for something that was initially strongly opposed.
5. Share a time when you successfully persuaded a colleague to support a controversial idea of yours.
6. Tell me about a time when you communicated clearly to sell your team on an idea and work together to achieve the goal.
7. Metaphors, analogies, or stories can sometimes be useful when making a case to get buy-in. Give me an example of a time when you were able to do so successfully.
8. Share a time when you convinced your colleagues to follow a new process. What steps did you take to persuade your team?
9. Tell me about a time when you had to persuade someone to follow a policy or guideline you don’t believe in.
10. Give me an example of a time when you used facts and reasoning to persuade a team member to accept your recommendation.

DevOps engineers are the important link between software development and ops teams. A great DevOps engineer knows how to open up the lines of communication between teams and help them work together to navigate obstacles.

The below questions can help you find candidates who have top-notch collaboration skills.

1. Tell me about a time when it was critical for you to establish an effective working relationship with someone outside of your department to complete an important assignment or project.
2. What is the toughest group that you have had to collaborate with? Describe how you handled it. What was the outcome?
3. Describe a time when you had to work effectively with another team that you had never worked with before.
4. Describe a time when you set aside your own priorities to help a team member. What did you do, and what was the result?
5. Tell me about a time when you wouldn’t have successfully completed a project without teamwork.
6. Have you ever been a member of a group or team where two people did not work well together? How did you resolve the situation?
7. Tell me about a time when you helped others compromise for the good of the team.
8. Give me an example of a time when you were willing to compromise on something relatively important to you so that your team could proceed with a project.
9. Tell me about the most memorable contribution you’ve made as part of a task group or special project team.

DevOps engineers must communicate complex ideas, processes, and systems daily. A great DevOps engineer knows how to communicate  complicated ideas clearly.

The below questions can help you find candidates who possess excellent written and spoken communication skills.

1. Tell me about a complex idea you had to explain to a colleague. How did you go about explaining it?
2. Describe a time when you should have documented something important but failed to do so. What happened, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Tell me about a sensitive situation (that you’re comfortable sharing, of course) that required you to communicate with intention and care.
4. Tell me about a situation in which you had to voice your opinion in a meeting or during a project.
5. Describe a time when you successfully communicated with someone even though you weren’t sure if they valued your perspective.
6. Describe a time when you didn’t communicate critical information to your manager or colleague. What was the outcome, and what did you learn from the situation?
7. Tell me about a time when you leveraged your written communication skills to make your point of view clear.
8. Give me an example of a time when you provided a direct report with information that helped them make a good decision.
9. Describe a time when your communication skills helped you successfully accomplish a project or task.
10. Tell me about a time when you had a misunderstanding with a colleague. What steps did you take to overcome your communication barriers?
11. Give me an example of a time when you were slow to share information with your direct reports or team members, and it had a negative impact.