12/28/2019 Engineering Job Interview Questions and Answers | Monster.co.

uk

Common engineering interview questions and answers

So, your CV made it to the shortlist and you have an interview lined up for a job at an engineering rm.
(https://www.monster.co.uk/jobs/search/?q=engineering-jobs) Doing well in an interview is all about
preparation (https://www.monster.co.uk/career-advice/article/how-to-prepare-for-an-interview) – so
spend a few hours beforehand planning your answers to common engineering job interview questions.

1. As part of your prep, sit down with the job spec itself and come up with examples of how your
skills and experience are relevant to the requirements listed. For instance, if it’s an aerospace
engineering role, make sure to highlight your experience using CAD for developing engine
speci cations, or the extensive hours you’ve spent in the testing lab.
 
2. Even if you don’t have direct examples or a lot of experience (https://www.monster.co.uk/career-
advice/article/How-To-Get-Into-Engineering), think laterally. Perhaps you haven’t dealt with clients
in a technical engineering context before, but instead can point to your communication and
interpersonal skills developed in previous roles to show the employer you have the aptitudes
required.
 
3. It’s also essential to brush up on the business you’re applying to and the sector more widely.
Browse their website and get to know the company’s history, values and place in the market. The
same goes for reading more widely about the sector (https://www.monster.co.uk/career-
advice/article/best-engineering- eld-for-the-future) – nd out who their local and national
competitors are and skim through the trade press to get to a feel for industry trends.
 
4. If you’re looking to progress to a higher position, you may not have experience in every aspect of
your desired job. This isn’t necessarily a problem, as long as you can show you’re being proactive
about it. Say you don’t have budgeting experience – perhaps sign up to an online course to get
your head around the essentials.

Types of engineering job interview questions

Whether you work in aerospace or automotive, railways or oil rigs, you’ll almost certainly be asked the
following kinds of questions:

Generic engineering interview questions: These aim to work out what you’re looking for and why you
want to work for the business – e.g. Why do you want to work in the wind energy sector?
Speci c questions about the role: These questions aim to probe your technical knowledge – e.g.
Share an experience in which you oversaw the assembly
https://www.monster.co.uk/career-advice/article/engineering-interview-questions of a eld of wind turbines. 1/4
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Scenario based questions: TheseEngineering Job Interview Questions and Answers | Monster.co.uk
aim to judge whether you’re a good t for the company. – e.g.
What would you do if your client set a deadline that you felt compromised project safety?
Strengths-based questions: These are looking to nd out about your personal traits – e.g. How do
you keep organised? What method do you use for managing your workload?

Here are some common types of engineering interview questions to help with your preparation.

Company knowledge questions

Example: "Why do you want to work for us?"

What the interviewer is really asking: They’re looking to nd out what you know about their business,
why you’ve chosen to apply to them over their competitors and how this job ts into your career
trajectory. Be sure to focus on why them and not why you want to work in the industry in general.
Example response: I’ve followed your company for a few years now and have been impressed by
your work, especially your 2013 breakthrough in turbine e ciency. I am keen to work for an
international rm that has the size to really tip the balance in favour of clean, green power – an area
that I believe is the future of energy.
 

Sector knowledge questions

Example: "What are the big challenges for the wind sector in the coming years?"

What the interviewer is really asking: They want to know if you understand the sector and have done
your homework – ultimately, they want to hire someone who cares about the industry and
understands future opportunities and risks. Be sure to show that engineering is a passionate interest
and not just a job to you!
Example response: There are some important challenges on the horizon, most speci cally, many
governments are reducing subsidies for the wind sector, meaning revenue is lower than it once was.
 

Speci c role-related questions

Example: "Describe the process of laying a wind turbine on the ocean oor"

What the interviewer is really asking: They want to see evidence that you have basic technical
knowledge of the eld. Show them that, if sent out to a work site tomorrow, you’d be able to handle
yourself.
Example response: You would describe the process of piling a wind turbine into the sea oor and
installing the blades. Go into as much technical detail as you can, citing where relevant real-world
experiences and potential pitfalls to avoid.
 

Problem solving questions

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12/28/2019  "You are charged with layingEngineering
Example: a new wind farm Questions
Job Interview in an offshore location
and Answers but discover that
| Monster.co.uk

preparatory work has missed that some parts of the seabed are unstable. What do you do?"

What the interviewer is really asking: They want to see how you think when you discover a problem –
what’s your step-by-step process for resolving such a situation?
Example response: I would call together a meeting of the engineering team and carry out an
assessment of the delay this issue would cause. I would then contact the customer to explain the
situation and provide estimates of the delay and potential solutions to the problem.
 

Personal attribute questions

Example: "How do you cope when given a tight deadline?"

What the interviewer is really asking: They want to get a feel for the ‘real’ you and see how you react
under stressful circumstances.  They want to hear how you’ll cope on both a practical and personal
level.
Example response: Tight deadlines are a challenge for anyone, so I try and take a practical approach.
As an immediate rst step I look at my workload and work out which tasks form part of the project’s
critical path, which can be pushed back, and which can be delegated. From there I develop a step-by-
step plan for completion of the project, ensuring that the client is informed about the situation and
what will be needed from them to progress.

The key is keeping a clear head. Tight deadlines are part of the job, so you can’t panic. Stay focused, plan
carefully and work closely with the rest of the team.
 

Experience questions
Example: "Tell us about a time when you discovered a critical fault in a product that required emergency
action."

What the interviewer is really asking: They want to learn how you react to problematic situations.
Again, they want to know what you do on a technical level, but also how you keep your cool under
pressure.
Example response: In 2014, I was the sub-project manager on a land installation in Yorkshire. We
discovered that three of the turbines had a critical technical fault. My rst response was to follow the
standard testing protocol the company had put in place. Once we discovered they still weren’t
working, I reported to the project manager with a detailed report of the issue and presented possible
solutions for consideration.

Now you’re ready for one interview, fancy nding another? Find more engineering jobs
(https://www.monster.co.uk/jobs/q-engineering-jobs.aspx) and job interview advice
(https://www.monster.co.uk/career-advice/job-interview-tips) at Monster.co.uk.
If you’re still planning your application, check out our engineering CV template
(https://www.monster.co.uk/career-advice/article/mechanical-engineer-cv-template) and cover letter 3/4
https://www.monster.co.uk/career-advice/article/engineering-interview-questions
 template.
12/28/2019 Engineering Job Interview Questions and Answers | Monster.co.uk

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