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Whether you’re a veteran engineer, or just graduated last week, you’ll want to take the time to prepare for your upcoming interview. After all, skilled engineers are in high demand all over the country, and the way you answer your interview questions will give employers insight into just how skilled you are.
When you know what kinds of questions you’ll be asked during your interview, you can walk in with the confidence necessary to show you’re the most qualified candidate. Doing your research can also give you valuable insights into industry standards, the company you’ll be working for, and many other important aspects of being an engineer.
Overall, employers want to know if you’ll be a good fit for their company, so the more you know about the potentially tough questions they’ll ask, the better.
With that in mind, this article will outline 40 of the most common and important questions engineering candidates receive, as well as provide few sample answers to help you prepare.
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Two common types of questions you might encounter are open-ended and behavioral interview questions. Both types of questions will try to gain an understanding of your experience working in the field, so the employer can see if you know the proper way to react to certain situations.
Open-ended questions. These questions serve to give the employer more information about your experiences. Think of questions like “tell me about yourself?” or ones that start with “tell me about a time when…” Be sure to highlight your strengths as much as possible and give straightforward answers.
Behavioral interview questions. Also known as situational questions, these questions require you to hypothesize your response to a workplace situation or challenge. Think of questions like “Tell me about a time you failed.”
They test your judgment and decision making skills. Use the STAR response technique to answer these questions (situation, task, action, result).
When working as an engineer, your projects will be of immense importance to everyone around you. Therefore, it’s vital that you know the right way to approach your work, as well as any workplace challenges you might run into.
Typically, your answers to general questions will serve as an employer’s first impression of you. Keep that in mind, so you can be prepared to answer them as strongly as possible.
Can you tell me about your educational background?
Do you have any prior experience working as an engineer?
What can you contribute to our company?
Where do you see yourself in five years? What are your goals?
What sets you apart from other candidates?
Would you consider yourself an organized person?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Question: Tell me about yourself.
Example 1:
“I’m a passionate electrical engineer with over 15 years of experience working in homes all across Wacona County. I’ve actually been in over a thousand homes, working on everything from small rewiring projects, to assisting with massive home renovations.”
Example 2:
“I’m a modern software engineer with eight years of experience developing software for small businesses and larger companies. Last year I created an app for Candle Inc., which actually increased their website traffic by 10%, and overall candle sales by 17%.”
Example 3:
“I’m an experienced civil engineer who’s worked with the state of Vermont for the last five years, and worked in the Home Depot lumberyard for ten years prior to that. Over the last six months, I’ve been working with a team to design and build a new suspension bridge over the Holden River, which is estimated to improve local traffic flow by up to 25%.”
Engineers regularly communicate with clients to create projects and work with a team to complete projects. Therefore, you should expect to answer some teamwork questions in your interview.
Do you consider yourself a team player?
Have you ever had experience with a difficult client? If so, how did you satisfy them?
How would you communicate with clients?
If there was an issue between two of your team members, what steps would you take to bring the team together?
Describe a situation where you used teamwork to overcome a challenge.
What approach would you take to communicate productively with a diverse team?
Can you describe an ideal manager or supervisor?
In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of working in a team?
What makes a team successful?
Question: In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of working in a team?
Example:
“I think one of the greatest benefits of working in a team is team diversity, and how it can lead to increased productivity. Especially when designing blueprints or building unique structures, I find that working with a diverse team allows us to feed off of each other’s ideas and learn from one another. Overall, I’m a firm believer that people with different backgrounds and personalities contribute more insights on how to work together and overcome challenges.”
Engineering is an important and precise job. With that in mind, expect employers to ask about your experience, as they want to ensure that you have what it takes to design and produce quality projects.
What makes someone a great engineer?
Out of the projects you’ve worked on, which one was your favorite and most successful?
How long have you worked as an engineer?
What is your experience keeping to a budget?
Do you have experience working with engineering software programs?
How have you improved as an engineer over the past year?
Describe how you would create and present a technical report.
Do you have the security clearance that’s required to work on classified projects?
What kind of safety procedures do you usually have in place when working on a project?
Are you able to manage your time and stay on schedule with your projects?
Question: What makes someone a great engineer?
Example:
“A great engineer has experience in the field building a variety of structures. She knows how to communicate with his team and clients, as well as use that communication to garner new, innovative ideas. She works hard, and never gives up when faced with challenges.”
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Being an engineer is all about creating new functional and innovative designs. Expect the hiring manager to ask you a few questions about your ability to bring a refreshing angle to the field.
How do you stay updated with the latest technology?
Have you ever been able to save money when working on a project?
If a client wanted to do something you were unable to do, how would you innovate to meet their expectations?
How do you work with surprises you may encounter on the job?
What steps do you take when drawing up a new project?
Can you tell me about a design that inspires you?
If one of your team members had a new idea, how would you respond?
Question: If a client wanted to do something you were unable to do, how would you innovate to meet their expectations?
Example:
“When I worked for a homeowner in Upstate NY, he asked me to build a barn with an extremely minimal budget. Though I informed him that the project would be difficult, he insisted that the barn be built as he designed it.”
“Luckily, I was able to contact another client of mine who had been dismantling a cabin on his property. I got permission to collect a fair amount of reclaimed wood from the site, and then revisited the design with the new materials considered in the budget. After a long chat, the homeowner and I were able to re-design the barn to be slightly smaller, but include two pocket doors I reclaimed in order to save space.”
Engineering requires precision, and when you account for human error, sometimes it’s impossible for things to be perfect. Knowing this, employers want to ensure that even when you make a mistake, you’re willing and able to fix it.
Tell me about a time you failed. How did you react?
Can you describe a time when you used your problem-solving skills to overcome a design challenge?
Describe the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced while working on a project.
When working on a new project, how do you ensure that you don’t make mistakes?
Describe a time when your team failed. In hindsight, how would you have done things differently?
How do you respond to constructive criticism?
Question: How do you respond to constructive criticism?
Example:
“I find constructive criticism to be extremely valuable, especially in my field. There was one time when I had spent a few hours designing a bridge on the Holden River. I began designing the piers, but the valley we were building over was rather wide and deep.
“My supervisor noticed this and approached me to suggest that we expand the length of the bridge. This was meant to eliminate some of the longer, more costly piers, which would help us keep to budget. I found his criticism of my work to be a useful learning experience, and I redesigned my blueprints to meet the parameters he suggested.”