Here’s an interview for a senior software developer position using idioms. Review it to understand the meanings of idioms, and then answer questions with them. Get more English practice here.
The Interview: Senior Software Developer Candidate
Interviewer: “Thanks for coming in bright and early this morning! I know the commute can be a bit of a trek, but we like to start our sprints with plenty of daylight.”
Candidate: “Of course! I actually prefer starting early. It gives me time to hit the books on any new documentation or tech stacks we’re adopting before the Slack notifications start rolling in.”
Interviewer: “That’s a great habit. Speaking of pressure, things can get intense here during a deployment. Sometimes, when a bug is found in production, people can get bent out of shape and start pointing fingers. How do you handle that environment?”
Candidate: “I try to stay calm. There’s no point in getting angry; if you lose your head during a crisis, you’re more likely to delete the wrong database table. I focus on the code, not the drama.”
Interviewer: “I like that. Now, let’s talk about team dynamics. We had a developer recently who wasn’t exactly pulling their weight, which caused the rest of the team to run behind on their milestones. If you noticed a teammate lagging, how would you handle it?”
Candidate: “I’d check in with them first. Maybe they don’t feel so hot or they’re dealing with a personal issue. I’d offer to pair program to get them back on track. But if I’m the lead, I also have to be firm. I can’t have stakeholders constantly on me to ‘get the job done’—I’d need that person to step up so I can tell my manager to get off my back regarding the deadline.”
Interviewer: “Fair enough. Well, we have a whiteboarding challenge prepared for you. It’s a tricky algorithm problem involving Big O optimization. Give it your best shot!”
| Idiom | Definition | Sense | Example |
| get bent out of shape | irritable, not feeling like your normal self | negative | I know you don’t like switching to a new work team, but don’t get bent out of shape. It’s only temporary. |
| bright and early | early | positive | Let’s get up bright and early! We have a lot to accomplish today. |
| cut class | to skip class, to not go | neutral to negative | My friend has been cutting a lot of classes. I hope she doesn’t ruin her grades for this quarter. |
| get off ____ back | stop bothering someone, stop insisting | negative | My brother kept asking me for money. I told him to get off my back because I don’t have any. |
| give it _____ best shot | try very hard, make a good effort | positive | I’m worried about the exam to get into medical school, but I plan to give it my best shot. |
| hit the books | study | neutral | I had fun at the mall, but I have to go home now. It’s time to hit the books. |
| don’t lose your head / keep your head | don’t go crazy, don’t lose control | neutral | I know you’re very busy, but don’t lose your head. Take a deep breath and stay calm. My husband tends to keep his head in stressful situations. |
| not feeling … don’t / didn’t feel so hot | not feeling good, feeling a little sick | negative | I don’t want to miss work, but I’m not feeling so hot. I think I have the flu that has been going around. |
| not pulling ____ weight | to not do the appropriate amount of work when part of a team | negative | What’s wrong with John? He hasn’t been pulling his weight lately. Some one needs to talk to him. |
| running behind | late, behind schedule | neutral to negative | Sorry I’m so late! I got stuck in a long work meeting this morning, and I’ve been running behind ever since. |
Questions
1. Do you know anyone who gets bent out of shape easily? Describe this person. If you don’t know anyone, is there a famous person who gets bent out of shape, like a CEO or an athlete?
2. Do you like to get up bright and early every day?
3. Have you ever cut class? If so, when and why?
4. Do you know anyone that insists you should not nag or ask for things? This person might say get off my back. Or is there someone to whom you might say get off my back?
5. Describe a time or situation when you decided to give it your best shot.
6. When was the last time you had to hit the books?
7. Do you tend to lose your head when you’re under stress?
8. When was the last time you didn’t feel so hot?
9. Have you ever had a coworker or teammate who wasn’t pulling his or her weight?
10. Do you often run behind or are you generally on time?
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