"While developing a software program as a monolithic app is more straightforward and easier, using the microservice approach has its advantages. These include isolating each service so they operate independently, robustly, and do not depend on each other. This results in a program that performs faster and is more efficient. The drawback is that it creates multiple points of failure involving each microservice. Given a choice, I would typically develop an application using the microservice approach, assuming that my team was familiar with this and that it was a common practice within my organization."

As a senior software engineer, you normally have a great deal of autonomy and can choose how you approach application development. However, your choice must align with the talents and experience of your team as well as the common practices used by the organization you are working with. When preparing for an interview, you should research the organization, its software development group, and the specific job you're applying for. This will provide you with the information you need to answer questions like this in the context of the organization's current operations.