7/13/2020 7 Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

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7 Engineer Interview Questions and

Answers
Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job,
review our list of top Engineer interview questions and answers.

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 What was the most challenging engineering project you've worked

on, and how did you overcome the difficulties it presented?

 Engineering projects require a lot of logical and analytical thinking

to solve problems that occur on the job. This question gives you an
understanding of how applicants think through and solve issues. What
to look for in an answer:
Firsthand experience with challenging engineering situations
The thought process for overcoming the challenges
Practical ways the applicant used engineering skills to overcome
adverse conditions

Example: "I was working on a civil engineering project that involved

making landslide predictions along mountain roadways. I had to
expand the data that I typically worked with to include climate change
information, as the different weather patterns increased the risk
factors."

 How do you present technical concepts to a nontechnical

audience during a stakeholder meeting or client presentation?

 Engineers have to collaborate with many departments, teams and

individuals during projects. Applicants should be skilled at verbal and
written communication of complex engineering concepts, even when
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they're not talking to fellow engineers. What to look for in an answer:

Confidence in communicating complex engineering topics to people of
any skill level
Strong understanding of the engineering concepts being presented
Understanding of layperson analogies for engineering topics

Example: "I try to give practical examples of engineering that the

person might be familiar with, based on what I know about them. For
example, if I'm in a meeting with a lot of sports fans, I might relate what
I'm saying to the way a stadium is structured."

 What type of engineering work do you have the greatest passion

for, and why do you enjoy it so much?

 Discover whether applicants are passionate about their

engineering specialty and the areas that excite them the most. You can
use input from this question to place successful applicants into the
teams that best match their interests. What to look for in an answer:
Enthusiasm for their engineering specialization
Reasoning behind why they enjoy that type of engineering
Examples of their previous engineering projects

Example: "My favorite engineering projects are those that directly lead
to quality of life increases for people. I helped draw up the plans for a
pediatric wing of a hospital, and I was thrilled that my work was going
to give the community another medical resource."

 How do you manage your time during a fast-paced engineering

project, and how have you improved your time management over the
course of your career?

 When engineering projects get off track, they cost your

organization a lot of time, money and other resources. This question
gives you the opportunity to see whether applicants have worked on
their time management skills and how they handle demanding
engineering projects. What to look for in an answer:
Ability to manage time throughout all parts of a project
Ongoing improvements in the applicant's engineering workflow
Insights into the applicant's engineering career path

Example: "I take the time to list out the parts of the project that have to
get done first, along with all the related dependencies. I work down this
list before I look at other parts of the engineering project."

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 What engineering resources do you use to stay on top of the latest

news, technology and developments in the field?

 If engineer applicants fall behind on innovations and knowledge in

their field, they may not be as effective as you'd like for a long-term
employee. This question shows you whether applicants proactively
look for ways to improve their skills. What to look for in an answer:
A willingness to learn about new engineering technology and concepts
Adaptability to new engineering processes
Enthusiasm for learning more about the engineering field

Example: "I subscribe to the Journal of Structural Engineering and

participate in a structural engineering Slack chat room. I learn a lot by
staying on top of the latest research and connecting with my peers in
an informal environment."

 What safeguards do you have in place for double-checking your

engineering work and ensuring that mistakes don't slip past you?

 Mistakes in engineering can have serious consequences. This

question shows you how serious applicants are when it comes to
safety measures and how they minimize potential issues in their work.
What to look for in an answer:
Adherence to engineering safety best practices
Knowledge of safety standards for the applicant's engineering
specialization
Drive to keep engineering projects safe

Example: "I use the error-checking features in my engineering solution

to double-check measurements and other math that I included. I also
get another set of eyes on my work, especially if I'm rushing to meet
deadlines."

 How would you manage a client or stakeholder who's pushing

back on parts of an engineering plan that are in place for safety
reasons?

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 Engineers are sometimes placed in difficult situations where

stakeholders don't understand why certain measures are in place. They
may try to convince the engineer that these elements can be dropped.
This question shows how applicants handle this difficult confrontation.
What to look for in an answer:
Ability to maintain the safety of an engineering project
Willingness to defend engineering plans when necessary
Excellent judgment calls in deciding which parts of the engineering plan
are essential

Example: "I completely understand your reasoning for wanting to

change this part of the project, but these parts are in place for public
safety. If we eliminated them from the project and someone got hurt
later on, we'd have to spend the time and money to redo it."

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