First off, congratulations on making it this far!
In such a competitive market, with many skilled IT professionals actively applying for roles, reaching the interview stage is an achievement in itself. It means your skills, experience, and the way you’ve presented yourself have already made a strong impression.
An interview is not only your chance to demonstrate your technical expertise, but to show you’re engaged, adaptable, and serious about finding the right fit for both you and the organisation.
To help you approach your interview with confidence, we’ve put together five key questions that will help you stand out, gain valuable insights, and make sure you’re choosing a role where you achieve your career goals.
1. The Job
“What would success look like in this role over the next 6 to 12 months?”
In IT, priorities can shift quickly, think project delivery timelines, software releases, or cloud migration goals. This question shows you’re outcome‑focused and want a clear brief on expectations. It also gives you insight into whether they have a structured success plan, how they measure performance, and how your specialised skills can contribute from day one.
2. The Team
“How does the team collaborate across remote, hybrid, or in-office setups?”
In 2025 most NZ tech teams operate in mixed environments using tools like Jira, Slack, Teams, or GitHub. Collaboration styles are vital – for developers, engineers, security teams, and testers, workflow and communication can affect productivity and morale. This question helps determine if their work style matches how you do your best work, whether in sprints, cross‑functional squads, or more traditional structures.
3. Your Potential Manager
“What’s your favourite part of working here?”
In IT, leadership style and priorities can be the difference between a thriving team and high turnover. This human‑level question builds rapport while giving you clues about your future manager’s values – whether they’re passionate about mentoring, new technology adoption, or delivering business impact.
4. The Company Culture
“Can you tell me about the company culture, especially around innovation and adapting to new technologies?”
In New Zealand’s tech sector, companies that embrace continuous improvement, adopting AI, modernising infrastructure, improving DevOps pipelines – stay competitive. You’ll learn how open they are to experimenting with new tools and methodologies, how they handle change management, and whether they support creative problem‑solving.
5. Growth and Development
“How do you support professional growth and continuous learning?”
In IT, skill relevance is everything. Whether it’s upskilling in AWS, gaining Kubernetes certifications, or training in cybersecurity frameworks like NIST, you need an employer willing to invest in training. This question ensures you’ll be in an environment that supports career progression and keeps your skills competitive in a fast‑moving industry.
Bonus Tip: Master the Virtual Interview
In addition to these questions, preparing for virtual interviews is crucial in today’s job market. With many interviews now held over Zoom or Teams, being comfortable on video is essential.
Do a practice run, check your tech, test your camera and microphone, and rehearse your answers on screen. This will help you come across as confident, professional, and ready to succeed in any setting.
Want to get some more tips to get interview ready? Read our short interview guide here.
Ready for your next career opportunity? Get in touch with our friendly team for a chat.