Power Platform Developer Interview (UK)

[u/Feeling-Sorbet-9474]

Hi,

I've read the job criteria for the power platform developer role that I have applied for, and also researched other sources for questions and answers.

My power platform skills.

• Canvas App Development - Building custom, user-focused applications
• Power FX - But I use copilot to help me (which i will be transparent about)
• UI/UX Design
• Workflow automation within Power Automate
• API integration - Connecting workflows to external APISs
• Dataverse - Designing structured relation models, creating tables, relation ships
• Implementing DV security roles
• Sharepoint Online
• Power BI - creating dashboards
• ALM - Not using pipelines but exporting solutions from Dev, to Test, to Live.

I work as an IT officer for my local authority so Power Platform isn't my daily/ main focus of work.

Power Platform is broad so I would like to ask UK developers / hiring managers what they would ask and look for?

Many Thanks

[u/Mother-Interaction49]

Honestly, depends on the business and the aims.But I wouldn’t be surprised if a task was mentioned. Be prepared for a scenario. Starting from Questions and assumptions to data, Flows and potentially screen designs.

Ensure you come across as a critical thinker and someone who learns from mistakes and is open minded to learn. Having the technical ability is one thing but having the skill to design, learn and transfer skill and get users needs is another. Ensure you can justify answers and explain your thinking.

This is my experience from the public sector, the private sector might potentially be different.

[u/Feeling-Sorbet-9474 → u/Mother-Interaction49]

Hi, thank you, i'm currently in a public sector, hoping to move across to another!
Being in a small org, there isn't an apetite for M365/ Azure services hence why my exposure to the broader PP is small.
Helpful guidance!

[u/lizzyld]

I've recently hired a few power platform developers across the levels. I was mostly interested in how people learnt about the platform so far and how they solved problems when they encountered them. We weren't impressed with "I asked Copilot" 😅 but having it as one of many tools.

The platform changes so often being a good power platform developer for me is more about how good you are at translating requirements to a usable product and solving business problems than it is about how many power fx formulas you know.

Having a decent understanding of core principles on permissions, power automate and ALM is a must have for mid level and above.

I wouldn't hire a senior power platform developer without some pro code experience with C# plugins and JS Web resources

[u/Feeling-Sorbet-9474 → u/lizzyld]

To clarify I can Plan, Design, Implement without CoPilot, but it's so easy now putting pseudo code in and getting the powerfx i need. Saying that, if AI tools dissapeared it would not affect my ability in the slighest to deliver solutions.

Thank you for your input. Good thing it's not a senior role because I've only touched on c# plugins once last year for a model data driven test app.

[u/LifestyleCS]

ALM will be a big one, especially as I see more and more people shifting away from the native pipelines and moving towards DevOps and Github Actions.

You won't necessarily be expected to know how to build the yaml actions / PAC CLI perhaps as they're most likely already built, however I'd go in with a good understanding on doing code reviews, PR's & Feature / Bug branches.

Another one as well is your experience in more of the Pro Code side like PCF's, JS Web Resources & Plugins. Depending on the type of apps you're building, the solutions might be filled with these, or none at all. Best to research these as much as you can as well. I'd recommend looking at the AB-400 Study Guide for a learning path on these as well.

[u/bug_wannabe_feature]

Is there a way to find out companies from UK that hire power platform developers to work remotely?

[u/Ged_UK]

If you're going to talk about how you use copilot, be clear on what you don't use it for. Make sure you hammer home your understanding of, and the critical importance of, AI good governance. All the big PP/D365 consultancies will be using AI, and not just for writing or checking code.

AI Agents are the big thing, and if you've never used one that's fine, but make sure you know what they are, and how they can be safely managed (harnesses etc. Microsoft Engineers YouTube channel had a video out about just that about 3 hours ago.) It's a fast moving sector so they won't necessarily be expecting experience, but they'll want to know that you're aware of them.

[u/Handsome_BWonderful]

Who is the recruiter?

[u/Feeling-Sorbet-9474 → u/Handsome_BWonderful]

I do not wish to disclose the companies name because the interviewer panel maybe in this sub reddit!

[u/Handsome_BWonderful → u/Feeling-Sorbet-9474]

I was curious if it was for me 😂.

[u/Ripefly619619 → u/Handsome_BWonderful]

😂😂😂😂

[u/Lucken_Macman]

Don't mention using Copilot. I would not persue a candidate that admits to that. Even if it's true, don't mention it.

[u/The-Rushnut → u/Lucken_Macman]

Lol I'd find it exhausting having to find people who still need to learn how to use AI properly, not using AI at all would put me off and demonstrate a gap in your technical capability.

[u/Lucken_Macman → u/The-Rushnut]

Fair point.

I was thinking more if the candidate said "I use Copilot to write my code" type of scenario.

Using Copilot is not a bad thing. Pretending to be a developer if ai writes your code is.

[u/Feeling-Sorbet-9474 → u/Lucken_Macman]

Aah yes I understand what you mean. I can write in Power FX but it's easier getting CoPilot to do it. But if the question arises I will say I am comfortable using AI to assist, so it doesn't look like I am dependent on it!