Blog
Drupal Interview Questions To Ask Your Candidates
When it comes to hiring a skilled Drupal developer, asking the right interview questions is crucial. Drupal is a powerful content management system (CMS) written in PHP that offers a wide range of features and flexibility. With so many professionals available in the world, the choice of the right person may be challenging. Here we will explore a comprehensive list of key topics and questions to ask during a Drupal interview.
What You Should Pay Attention To While Choosing A Developer
The main challenge lies in distinguishing the right talent for your project or team. Consider several options and core characteristics, including hard and soft skills and experience in a particular niche or industry.
Once you’ve decided on your scope and put it down in words for a job description, you can start looking for candidates. If you are looking for general specialists, starting with Drupal site builders might be a good idea. The skills of a site builder should, of course, include knowledge of PHP codes and JavaScript, frameworks, and basic project management. Business analysis and customer-related skills can be an advantage.
On the other hand, back-end developers should be skilled in coding and have knowledge of architecture, design, and development. They are generally capable of modifying or improving existing modules. And it’s definitely typical for a good developer to know HTML, CSS, Object-oriented PHP, and JavaScript. Also, before hiring a Drupal developer, you should ensure they have an existing history of contributing to the code.
The other Drupal-oriented specialists’ skills depend on their position and the aims of your project. Front-end developers should be mainly concentrated on the appearance of your platform, they might not be as proficient in coding as back-end devs, but they should know basic PHP, CSS, HTML, JS, and basic Drupal architecture. They also should take reasonable care to test across operating systems and devices.
You might ask, "What about the education of a candidate?" While a computer science or engineering background can be a great advantage, it’s not an obligatory condition nowadays. Many developers have learned most of the necessary skills by reading and practicing. At times, this kind of education might be more extensive than the university one, as the specialists can pick up on the newest technologies and any technological changes.
General Topics To Discuss With Candidates
When choosing a potential team member, it is necessary to assess his skills and knowledge comprehensively. Soft skills can often be seen during the interview process, and it is only sometimes worth focusing on. However, when it comes to experience, skills, and ability to apply them, you should be more attentive and precise in questioning.
It would be easier to divide the interview into several blocks and learn more about your candidate and their depth of knowledge of the technology, industry, and specific niche.
Block 1: Drupal CMS, Installation and Module Development
First, gauging a candidate's understanding of the Drupal installation process is essential. Ask about their familiarity with the necessary prerequisites and recommended configurations for a successful installation. Additionally, delve into their knowledge of Drupal as a content management system, highlighting its key features and advantages. Explore their experience developing custom Drupal modules, their understanding of contributed modules, and how they extend Drupal's functionality using PHP.
Block 2: Drupal Distributions, Cron, and Cache
Moving forward, evaluate a candidate's expertise in working with Drupal distributions. Inquire about their understanding of the differences between a standard installation and distributions and if they have hands-on experience with specific distributions. Assess their knowledge of Drupal's cron system, including configuring and managing tasks efficiently. Furthermore, explore their understanding of the Drupal caching system, including best practices for configuration and management to optimize performance.
Block 3: SEO, User Permissions, and Security
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial aspect of any website. Ask candidates how Drupal supports SEO and what strategies they would employ to improve a site's search engine visibility. Inquire about their approach to managing user permissions and access control within Drupal, ensuring they fully grasp Drupal's permission system. Additionally, assess their understanding of security measures and best practices in Drupal, including their familiarity with common vulnerabilities and how to mitigate them.
Block 4: Theme and Templates, Hooks, and System Architecture
A candidate's proficiency in Drupal theming and template customization is essential. Ask about their experience creating and customizing Drupal themes and whether they have worked with popular theme frameworks. Gauge their knowledge of Drupal hooks and how they are used to interact with core modules and functionality. Furthermore, delve into their understanding of Drupal's system architecture, including conceptual layers, database systems, and the relationship between custom modules and core functionality.
Drupal Interview Questions for Freshers
To ensure your desired candidate fits perfectly within your organization, ask them some specific questions. These Drupal developer interview questions are designed to assess a fresher's familiarity with the technology, their ability to apply their knowledge in practical scenarios, level of collaboration and communication skills, and problem-solving approach. Additionally, you can consider practical coding exercises or assignments to evaluate their technical abilities further. And, of course, don’t forget to ask for portfolios and feedback from previous projects.
What versions of Drupal have you worked with during your training or personal projects?
Look for candidates with experience with the latest version of Drupal, as it indicates they are up-to-date with the platform's advancements and improvements.
What was your role or responsibility in the development of those Drupal projects?
Freshers should clearly articulate their role in the development of sites. They should demonstrate knowledge of site building, theming, custom module development, or other relevant tasks.
How would you approach optimizing a website's performance to improve its speed and efficiency?
Developers should offer strategies to optimize Drupal performance, such as implementing caching techniques, utilizing content delivery networks (CDNs), optimizing database queries, or leveraging Drupal's built-in performance optimization features.
Based on your learning experience, which Drupal modules do you find helpful and would recommend to customers? Why?
Drupal engineers should suggest Drupal modules based on their understanding of specific customer needs. Look for candidates who can explain the benefits and features of the modules they recommend.
Have you worked with Views in Drupal? If yes, please provide an example of how you used Views in a project or describe its purpose and functionality.
Developers should describe their experience using Views, a powerful module in Drupal for creating custom queries and displaying data. They should provide an example of utilizing Views to meet a specific project requirement.
Did you collaborate with individuals or teams during your training or personal projects? If yes, describe the nature of the collaboration and your role in the project.
Newbies should describe their experiences collaborating with others, such as designers, developers, or clients. Look for effective communication, teamwork, and the ability to work well with diverse stakeholders.
Have you integrated any third-party applications or web services with Drupal during your training or personal projects? If yes, which ones did you work with, and how did you handle the integration?
It will be a plus if engineers mention any experience integrating third-party applications or services with Drupal. Look for candidates who can explain the integration process and its benefits to the project.
Remember, the Drupal interview questions and answers may vary based on your specific project requirements and the skill level you are looking for. Consider these guidelines as a starting point and tailor your evaluation criteria to meet your needs.
Read more
