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10 Perfect Interview Questions to Ask

Engineers
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By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
August 2, 2019

There are six major engineering branches (Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical,
Management and Geotechnical) “and literally hundreds of different subcategories of
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engineering under each,” according to Types of Engineering Degrees. As such, the idea of
interviewing engineers can become daunting.

When you prepare for an interview with an engineer, it is natural to delve into the weeds
of that candidate’s particular area of technological and engineering expertise. In addition
to engineering-speci c questions, you’ll want to inquire about their interpersonal
communications, team-work, customer service and related skills that tie to overall
performance and culture t.

In the article, Engineer Interview Questions, Alison Doyle does a great job of tapping into
an engineer’s problem solving, process and communication skills by identifying less-
technologically-focused questions. For example, Doyle suggests the following three
questions:

1. Tell me about the most challenging engineering project that you

have been involved with during the past year.
This question is apt because it immediately pulls the candidate into a speci c mindset of
describing what type of project details they consider to be ‘challenging,’ and why.
Assuming the interviewer probes beyond the initial question, the response will reveal not
only what particular project stretched them, but also how they navigated through the
challenges of that project and what the outcome was.

Related: Software Engineer Job Description Template

2. Describe the most challenging written technical report or

presentation that you’ve had to complete.
Again, the question focuses on a ‘most challenging’ initiative, but this time it further
focuses in on writing and/or communication skills. For a candidate to successfully
navigate this question, you might expect details of the report or presentation, building a
case for complexity and/or dif culty, but also evidence of their communications prowess
(or, lack thereof).

3. What checks and balances do you use to make sure that you
don’t make mistakes?

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This is a great thinking question. For those candidates who may never have thought about
a checks-and-balances system in this way, the question may spur their creative juices.

More than likely, a strong engineering candidate will have some sort of system in place,
even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. It may be as simple as running ideas and
initiatives by a colleague . Or, maybe they have notes or a digital system they use to assess
tasks or project steps.  The bottom line, though, is that you are seeking a candidate who
can elucidate an ability to reduce the margin of error, thus improve quality, productivity
and ultimately, corporate pro t margins.

In addition to Doyle’s suggestions, I consider the following questions to be illuminating:

4. In what instances have you demonstrated leadership skills, and

how would you describe your style?
Most employees, at one point or another and regardless of level, have been tasked to
guide another person or team of people. This may be for a very speci c task or could
involve a longer, more drawn-out initiative. By prompting the candidate with this
question, you gain a sense of how they de ne leadership as well as how they exude
leadership in their day to day. In today’s more collaborative culture, it is important to have
employees who know how to step up and steer the way, when needed.

Related: The New Employer Center — How It Works

5. What processes have you helped develop or singularly created

that enhanced engineering performance capabilities? What was
the impact of this process on your team’s/department’s/division’s
performance and/or how did this impact something bigger
company-wide?
This multilayered question is important. Because of the process-oriented nature of
engineering roles, it is likely that the candidate can provide a solid story that describes a
process they helped build. The key will be their ability to translate this initiative further
into a bottom-line impact.

6. Have you been involved in cost reductions? Have you shaved

expenses or been asked to work within a slashed budget?
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In most economic climates, cost reduction factors into a company’s success at some point.
Even if the company itself is doing well, it may be that a particular project has exceeded
the allocated budget, for example. Or, perhaps a new competitor has challenged pro t
margins, creating a battening down of nancial hatches. Whatever the case, a candidate’s
ability to prove they can help cut costs or work within a suddenly decreased budget
framework is important.

Doyle’s article inspired the nal four interview questions helpful in shaping specialty-
speci c engineering questions:

7. Why did you select civil engineering as your eld of major?

Of course, you can substitute civil engineering with mechanical, chemical, electrical
engineer, etc. Answers to this question may unearth a plethora of insights about the
candidate. Some candidates may answer from the gut and with passion when describing
how they decided to major in this area of specialty. Others may offer a more pragmatic or
mechanical response. Moreover, a candidate’s ability to be concise or to ramble on about
their career-paving story could enhance, or detract, from their interview.

Related: Why Recruiting for Personality Matters

8. How much oil is necessary to pollute the ocean?

This is an intriguing question and one that most likely would be posed to an
environmental engineer. A candidate’s ability to apply logical reasoning, prior experience
or studies on the topic will reveal itself in the answer.

9. Describe the differences between Corsim and Vissim models.

Corsim and Vissim models relate to traf c ow; as such, this question would apply well to
civil engineers. By demonstrating an understanding of the differences between the
models, a candidate may prove they have the depth of knowledge to make the
appropriate decision when called to employ either — or both — of these traf c analysis
tools.

10.  Describe the process you use for writing a piece of code, from
requirements to delivery.

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Designed for a software engineer, this question is helpful to extract a candidate’s ability
to communicate a process. It will also help the interviewer determine strengths and
potential weaknesses in the candidate’s chosen processes.

Learn More:
How to Conduct Better Job Interviews

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