Preparing for an interview at Main Sail requires a balanced approach. You must demonstrate sharp technical skills while showing that you understand the operational context of your code. Your interviewers want to see that you can write clean, maintainable software and that you appreciate the business processes your software is designed to optimize.

To succeed, you should focus your preparation on four core evaluation criteria:

Role-Related Knowledge – You must show deep proficiency in the specific technology stack of the position you are targeting, whether that is SAP ABAP, SAP Fiori, modern web development frameworks, or industrial systems engineering. Be ready to explain not just how a technology works, but why you chose to use it over alternative solutions.

Problem-Solving & Systems Thinking – Interviewers will evaluate how you break down complex, ambiguous problems into structured, logical components. You should practice walking through your architectural and design decisions aloud, demonstrating a structured methodology for troubleshooting and system design.

Client-Facing Communication – Because Main Sail operates as a professional services and consulting firm, software engineers must communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders. You should practice translating complex engineering challenges into clear business outcomes.

Adaptability & Execution – You will be evaluated on your ability to deliver high-quality code within established frameworks, security compliance guidelines, and project timelines. Highlighting your experience with Agile methodologies and structured software development lifecycles is key.

The interview process for the Software Engineer position at Main Sail is designed to be thorough yet highly collaborative. Candidates can expect a streamlined, multi-stage evaluation process that focuses heavily on practical experience, technical competence, and cultural alignment. The process is structured to respect the candidate's time while ensuring a mutual fit for both the technical team and the client-facing requirements.

The journey begins with an initial phone screen conducted by a recruiter or talent acquisition representative. This conversation focuses primarily on your professional background, past project experiences, and your alignment with the specific requirements of the role. It is a conversational screen designed to understand your career goals, salary expectations, and overall fit for Main Sail's consulting model.

Following a successful initial screen, you will transition to the technical evaluation phase. This stage typically involves an in-depth technical discussion or a practical assessment tailored to your specific domain expertise. Rather than testing you on abstract competitive programming puzzles, this stage focuses on your real-world coding practices, system design capabilities, and platform-specific knowledge.

The final stage is a comprehensive interview with the hiring manager and key team members. This session combines deeper technical questioning, behavioral scenarios, and an open forum to discuss the company culture, project pipelines, and expectations for the role. It is an opportunity for both parties to ensure that the technical and cultural fit is aligned for long-term success.

The timeline above outlines the typical progression from the initial touchpoint to the final decision. Candidates should use this visual roadmap to pace their preparation, ensuring they focus on high-level experience early on before diving deep into technical and behavioral scenarios for the later rounds.

To excel in the Main Sail interview process, you must understand the specific domains where your skills will be tested. Depending on the exact focus of the Software Engineer role you are pursuing, your evaluators will look closely at several distinct technical areas.

Enterprise Application Development (SAP Ecosystem)

For roles involving enterprise systems, your mastery of the SAP ecosystem is a critical differentiator. Interviewers will assess your ability to develop, extend, and optimize enterprise applications that integrate seamlessly with legacy backend systems.

Be ready to go over:

• ABAP Development – Object-oriented ABAP, BAPIs, BADIs, user exits, and database performance tuning.
• Fiori & UI5 – Modern front-end development, OData service consumption, MVC architecture, and user experience guidelines.
• Data Integration – Connecting SAP backends with external web services, APIs, and middleware systems.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Bullet list of specialized topics:
  • SAP HANA CDS views optimization
  • Gateway service development and security configurations
  • Custom Fiori launchpad integrations

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through how you would diagnose and resolve a performance bottleneck in a custom Fiori application that loads large datasets from an ABAP backend."
• "Explain your approach to implementing custom business logic using BADIs without compromising the upgradability of the standard SAP system."

Full-Stack Web Development

If you are interviewing for a web development position, the focus shifts to modern web standards, application security, and responsive architecture. Evaluators want to see that you can build highly performant web applications that run reliably across diverse client environments.

Be ready to go over:

• Frontend Frameworks – Modern JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3, and responsive design patterns.
• Backend Services – RESTful API design, server-side logic, and database management.
• Application Security – Implementing secure authentication, authorization, and data encryption practices.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Bullet list of specialized topics:
  • Progressive Web Application (PWA) architecture
  • Complex state management in single-page applications
  • CI/CD pipeline configuration for automated deployments

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you structure your frontend code to ensure high maintainability and ease of testing in a multi-developer environment?"
• "Describe how you would implement robust user authentication and role-based access control in a custom web application."

Business Process & Industrial Engineering

For hybrid roles like Business Process Engineers or Industrial Engineers, the technical evaluation focuses on system workflows, data analysis, and process optimization. You must demonstrate that you can model complex physical or business operations and translate them into functional software specifications.

Be ready to go over:

• Process Mapping – Visualizing and documenting complex operational workflows to identify inefficiencies.
• Data-Driven Optimization – Using statistical analysis and operational data to drive system improvements.
• Systems Integration – Connecting operational technology with enterprise software platforms.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Bullet list of specialized topics:
  • Queueing theory and throughput analysis in industrial environments
  • Integration of IoT or automated tracking technologies into ERP systems
  • Lean Six Sigma methodologies applied to software delivery

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time when you identified a major process bottleneck in an operational workflow. How did you design a software or system solution to resolve it?"
• "How do you ensure that your process models remain accurate and actionable when dealing with highly dynamic, unpredictable operational environments?"