SharePoint Developer Skills you should look for

It will take much more than just basic programming skills to fulfill your business requirements using a unified and complex web platform such as SharePoint. Apart from the programming skills, programmers must have an understanding of how the implementation of Microsoft SharePoint will affect the business so that the SharePoint can be customized according to fit right in to meet the requirements of the end-users. That’s why you must also look in the developer for the following skills -

Excellent communication skills

A developer might have to work at various SharePoint sites across the world including overseas locations. This is where great communication skills can come in handy. They should be used effectively to build a good rapport and aiding in understanding the complicated problems of a business under different scenarios.

Strong programming skills

The most basic skill that is demanded from SharePoint developers is programming skills. They must have mastered various programming languages like HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, and more. They should also have their basics clear about associated servers and administration including SQL server administration, Windows server administration, and active directory control.

Skilled at developing custom web components

The most essential components of web pages within the SharePoint environment are web parts. The web pages are created, modified, and changed using such web parts. If a developer has the required skill of building tailored web parts then that SharePoint developer might just be able to create a solution for many other problems. But then again, this task demands the developer to master the .NET programming language.

Solid understanding of the industry’s processes

SharePoint developers can only prove to be beneficial to the company only if they know how their business works and most importantly how their industry works. Every industry has its way to operate the business and SharePoint developers must understand how they can leverage the advanced features of the web platform to improve their company’s efficiency. For this, they first need to help increase the efficiency of the day-to-day tasks in the industry.

Relevant Microsoft certifications

Microsoft provides various types of certifications for their flagship product SharePoint. If a candidate proves that they possess the skills and abilities to customize the platform as per the business environments and the needs of the users then they can get relevant certifications for it. Such certifications authenticate the mastery of a developer over the platform.

Web design skills

SharePoint is used to build both corporate intranets and extranet portals. In a good system, SharePoint will offer a centralized platform where both internal and external stakeholders can meet and collaborate on important projects. If this system was to become a reality then SharePoint developers must also have good web design skills up their sleeves so that they can build and operate a SharePoint site that functions well.

List of SharePoint Interview Questions and Answers

If you are thinking about increasing your brand value then the only tool that can help you get great results in SharePoint. But to manage this collaboration platform you need talented developers. I have written this blog to help you prepare for detailed and technical job interview questions and answers. That will help you get the right pick. Now, check out the following interview questions and answers to get through the hiring process -

1. What do you know about Microsoft SharePoint?

Microsoft SharePoint is a web browser-based collaboration and document management platform. You can use it to build websites with access to workspace and documents as well as host-defined apps like blogs and wikis. Many companies are also known to use it to ensure the security of their data. They use SharePoint to store, organize, share and access information from any device that is connected with the internet.

2. What are the important features of a SharePoint site?

The list of top SharePoint features is as given below -

Social Computing
Rich UI
Business Search Engine
Mobile App Integration
Azure Search
Outlook Integration
Site Mailbox
Enterprise search
Cloud App Model (CAM)
Improved discussion forums

3. What is MS Share-Point used for?

MS SharePoint has multiple purposes to fulfill. So, it acts as a back-end system that enables all the employees to communicate with each other by combining all their PCs and mobile devices into the system. And now talking about its different kind of uses -

Share documents: Anyone from the entire organization can now store and share the documents. And that’s not it, MS SharePoint now allows multiple employees to work on the same documents at the same time.
Intranet: Companies can provide a unique custom dashboard to each department employees can access these dashboards to check up on the regular updates offered by the company.
Extranet: Many vendors are seen to lease out the space or SharePoint site on the platform to other companies to upload all their customer data and other business information.
Websites: SharePoint also acts as a content management system. It allows you to sign in and make changes to your web pages. It also enables you to create or handle public-facing SharePoint sites.
Business Intelligence: You can now use charts and graphs to represent relationships between various inputs which could help you make smart and informed decisions. And all this happens because MS SharePoint allows you to organize your data effectively.
Collaboration: SharePoint is a collaboration platform hence it helps your employees to connect and coordinate their work on an ongoing project. You can get access to the project statuses, location, schedules of the team members, and much more using SharePoint.

4. How many versions of SharePoint are available?

A list of different versions of SharePoint is as mentioned below -

SharePoint 2001
SharePoint server portal 2003
SharePoint 2007
SharePoint 2010
SharePoint 2013
SharePoint 2016
SharePoint 2019
SharePoint Online

5. What do you mean by Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server?

MS SharePoint portal server is a portal server that connects all the individuals, teams, and information across all kinds of business processes that are running in an organization. With the help of single sign-on and enterprise apps integration abilities, the SharePoint portal server can collect necessary data from numerous systems to secure it at one location.

This server has to offer varied project preparation and management tools that help you facilitate end-to-end collaboration by information aggregation, looking, and organization. The MS portal server enables the personalization and customization of the content database and its layout in the portal through audience targeting so that the users can get quick access to the relevant data.

6. How to create a list with a column in SharePoint?

In SharePoint, you want to create a list with a column then you must follow the steps below -

Step 1: Go to the Homepage of your site, click on the +New. A drop menu will appear, select the List option there.

Step 2: Now, enter the Name of the list that you want to create and fill in the Description if you want (Description is optional).

Step 3: After that, your list will be created and you can see that your list has two items — Title, and +Add Column.

Step 4: Click on the +Add Column, you will see that a list of items appears on the screen, select items according to your requirement.

Step 5: Enter the Column Name and click on the Save.

Follow these steps and your list with a site column is created.

7. What’s CAML, and why would you employ it?

CAML stands for Co-operative Application Nomenclature, which is an associate degree XML primarily based on language. The SharePoint view and fields are created using the information provided by it. CAML is also responsible for table definition throughout website positioning.

The HTML output to the user in the SharePoint results is due to the CAML which is also blamed for cacophonic information. The primary SharePoint site collection is developed and customized by CAML and is employed for a spread of circumstances.

8. What is the picture library, and how to create a picture library in SharePoint?

The picture library is where you can store and update your images. You can use these stored pictures in your SharePoint site collection or you can share them with other users too. Follow the steps below to create a picture library -

Step 1: Go to the Homepage of your site, click on the +New, select App from the drop-down menu.

Step 2: Search for a picture library, once you find the picture library, click on that option.

Step 3: Provide the name for the picture library and click on the Create option.

The picture library is created as soon as you hit the create button.

9. What is SharePoint Sandbox, and why is it used?

Sandbox is used to maintain the stability of the SharePoint farm. It is achieved by restricting all the actions that may cause issues related to performance, security, and more. All the normal functionalities of MS SharePoint operate as usual; just the Sandbox runs in an isolation area.

10. How to resolve the issue when no search results are shown for the existing content?

If you want to fix this search related issue then you must follow the steps below -

Step 1: Browse to the affected SharePoint Online site.

Step 2: Click on the Settings menu, and select Site settings.

Step 3: Under Site Collection Administration, select Search Result Sources

Step 4: After that, ensure that Local SharePoint Results has the default checkmark assigned to it.

Step 5: If not, click the drop-down arrow for Local SharePoint Results, and Set as Default.

Final Words

MS SharePoint has proved to be an effective tool in the modern age that can accelerate your business growth and enhance the efficiency of its operations. So you got the right tool now you just need the right person for the job and you are good to go. But to find some good SharePoint developers, you also need to ask some good SharePoint interview questions. Then and only then will you be able to ensure the best implementation of this web-based collaboration platform.

The best way to prepare for the good questions is to extract them from real-life problems — something that SharePoint developers had to face in their day-to-day work. You can also ask them questions related to their most recent work like if they have solved any problems recently. If yes then how?

Additionally, you just need to spend more time during the hiring process to select the right SharePoint developer for the job. When you spend more time, the chance is you will find someone that would exceed your expectations.

You can take out the candidates that do not possess enough technical skills and knowledge during an initial screening phase by using pre-employment assessment screens. This will also save you a lot of time. You can ask your candidates to take an online test to show their practical knowledge of SharePoint by using its various versions and their features. This is one of the best ways to assess the required skills of your job candidates.

I hope you have enjoyed reading the article, comment below if you have any further queries or suggestions.

Top SharePoint Developer Interview Questions