What to expect at Python/JavaScript interviews: a guide for juniors

An interview is not an exam where you have to pass 100%. It's a dialogue.
But in order not to get stuck, it is important to understand what exactly is asked of beginner Python and JavaScript developers — and how to prepare for it 🧠

🐍 Python questions in interviews

1. ✅ Basic syntax

• What is a variable?

• How does = differ from ==?

• What does if, elif, else do?

• How does for and while work?

💡 The employer wants to understand whether you can formulate simple logic

2. 🔄 Data types

• What is the difference between list, tuple, set, dict?

• What will be displayed: a = [1, 2]; b = a; b.append(3); print(a)?

• What is None?

3. 🧩 Functions

• How to write and call a function?

• What are default arguments?

• What are *args and **kwargs?

• What will the function return without return?

4. 🧪 Logic tasks

def reverse_words(text):
    # Example: "hello world" → "world hello"

📜 Frequently asked questions:

💡 Example of a typical question

def func(val, lst=[]):
    lst.append(val)
    return lst

print(func(1))  # ?
print(func(2))  # ?

Catch: the value of lst is saved between calls if you do not pass your list.

🌐 JavaScript questions in interviews

1. 🧠 Language basics

• What are the variables var, let, const?

• What is scope?

• How does == differ from ===?

2. 🔄 Types and conversions

• What is undefined, null, NaN?

• Type typeof and its features

• Explicit and implicit type conversion

3. 🧩 Callbacks, async/await, and promises

• How does setTimeout work?

• What is Promise and how do I use it?

• Async function that waits 1 second:

async function wait() {
  await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
  console.log("1 sec passed");
}

4. 🧪 Questions with code

for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
  setTimeout(() => console.log(i), 100);
}
// → 3, 3, 3

Catch: the variable var does not create a new scope

5. 💥 Important topics

🤝 Thinking questions

• How would you write an array filtering function?

• What would a simple server look like?

• How to optimize the code?

❗ This is a logic check, not an API check.

How to prepare?

1. Go through the basics on learnpython.org or javascript.info

2. Solve problems on Codewars, Leetcode (8kyu / Easy)

3. Write code by hand. A lot.

4. Make a mini-project (bot, website, script)

5. Ask a friend or AI to ask you questions

6. Learn and train with Kodik

7. Read useful posts in our Telegram community - you're not alone there.

💬 Write if you want a selection of 10 popular tasks from job interviews - with analysis and code!