Engineering Interview Questions & Answers

My initial skype interview was with a representative from a company chosen to undertake the graduate recruitment on behalf of Alstom. This was an initial short interview and it lasted 20 to 30 minutes. I was asked about my background (degree, grade, projects etc) and there were some more general questions like "Describe your strengths". I was also given a 2 minute time to explain why I am suitable for this job. This video was recorded and sent to the company to assess.
After I successfully passed this stage I was invited to the company for a face to face interview which lasted one hour and a half. I was also asked to do a 10 minute presentation on a topic that I was given after the skype interview.

Being a perfectionist, how do you cope with strict deadlines when there is not adequate time to make everything perfect?
Part of the job requires making reports and generally paper work. How do you cope with this part of the job that is generally the most boring?

It is important to do your best in the tests (numerical etc) because they are part of the assessment. The interviews are of course very important but if there are many applicants, it is important to be successful in this step as well.
The interviewers were relaxed and friendly and they wanted to know about my background to see if I would be a good fit for the company. So there is no reason to stress about the interview because it is mostly a casual conversation even though there are certain questions that you are required to answer.

There was not an assessment center. During the second interview with the company I was asked to make a presentation on a topic that I was given prior to the interview.

The interviews comprised of a short phone interview, this was to gain an understanding of the applicant and the employer and was quite refreshingly informal. was a perfectly friendly conversation about the candidate and the employer. It was a 30 minute conversation about my cv and about the company. Once this was completed the company was very prompt in giving an invitation to the graduate assessment day, prior to the assessment day candidates were required to do a short online test to get a view of basic numeracy/logic/visual/memory skills.

Describe a situation where you have been faced with great difficulty and overcome it.

Do your research on the company, its that simple. the company is very forthcoming with its core values and principles, if you feel you match the company then just be yourself. the interview process is very informal and actually enjoyable which helps with any potential nerves.

The assessment day itself was very informal and very entertaining, a couple of group projects and a face to face interview with breaks in between for networking. Final interview to come, information was again provided very promptly.

Split into three groups, rotating between a CSR task, a management task and a face to face interview. there were no right or wrong answers in the two assessments. more looking at how you function as a team.

Standard interview questions. Why Engineering? Explain a time where you have demonstrated willingness to learn ect...

Interview is based on the JLR competencies.

12 questions in 45 mins. 3 competencies where tested, 4 per competency.

Ive gone into more detail about what the day entailed further down in the review. The whole day was quite relaxed not as stressful as I first anticipated. The staff are enthusiastic as should you be.

No difficult questions.

The interview is the main thing that you can prepare for. Recap on work/projects that you have completed, try and find areas in you work that fit within the JLR competencies framework (because this is what the interview is based on) and know the company, it's markets, products ect. There was ample time to have a conversation with my interviewer about the company. Having done the research I was able to contribute and show my enthusiasm for the company.

2 groups of 12. One was the morning group and another (the group I was in) was the afternoon group. First course of action was an introductory presentation and general administrative stuff.
Next was a light lunch where we were able to talk to some of the current apprentices.
After lunch, straight into the interviews. Assessors introduced themselves before taking us off for a 1-on-1 interview. Standard interview, nothing to catch you out. Do your research have something to talk about both you and the company prepared.
Next, Fact finding mission. Given a document which details a problem. Based on information provided, I was tasked on asking a number of questions to determine the fault of a product. Immediately proceeding this the assessor asks me questions about what I've found out.
After that was a group exercise, They're looking at how you communicate with others ect.
Finally a practical assessment. I assumed the role of a test engineer, testing a procedure. As well as carry out the procedure I had to highlight any shortcomings in the document.

The interview structure was 30 minutes test based upon a civil engineering highways problem regarding a new road planning application. this was then followed by a 15 minutes presentation based upon your findings. This was then followed by a 30 minutes interview regarding the candidate. This was more about what you bring to the team.

This was the only stage in the recruitment process. They advised me that from the initial assessment they wanted to know my about my basic understanding about highways and if I could interpret a CAD drawing. There were several deliberate mistakes made on the drawing which were very basic such as no dimension. There was also a test on your understanding of how a road structure is made. There was codes provided with adequate information on them such as concrete specification. This was all to be presented to the panel of judges after 30 minutes.

resources provided were:
scaled ruler, pen, pencil and calculator, 2 A4 sheets of relevant codes and a A3 drawing of the proposed planning application.

Name a time that you lead a difficult situation? (this was to test what I call a difficult)
Recall a time when a situation was negative and you turned it positive?
what type of team player are you? (leader, person who gives ideas)

Keep relaxed. Remember you are as capable of getting the job as anyone else is. Think outside the box. it is your time to show them what you know and what positivity you can offer them.

This wasn't a graduate scheme but I asked would they offer support in my achieving my charter ship and they said yes. Ensure you ask relevant question to you rather then general questions.

The assessment was one to one followed by a presentation. They were looking for my confidence to shine through in the presentation.

Online tests before the phone interview. Phone interview had standard competency questions lasting about 25-30mins.

In face to face, 2 interviewers were present; one from the HR asking competency questions and the other a Senior Engineering Manager asking more engineering related questions.

Questions by the HR were pretty basic standard questions such as "Why do you want to work at TfL and why this role?", "Tell me a time when you done 'xyz', what was the situation etc etc?".

Questions by the Senior Engineer were more of situational questions which engineering related problems which are pretty straight forward in all honesty as long as you know your stuff. Format was pretty much, the HR and Senior Engineer took turns to ask a question and asked maybe about 5 each.

There was a presentation at the Assessment Centre which you get given a brief a week before to prepare (I only got mine a day before as they had first sent a brief a week before and got an email saying ignore that one we'll send a new one. With the weekend in between I waited but never got it so emailed them 3/4 days before, no reply. So I rang 2 days before and they sent it a day before the actual assessment day - others had got a week to prepare! They did say that they'll note it down and let others know so they can assess me accordingly, however when I was being asked questions in the Presentation by the Senior Manager I later found out that he wasn't told that I only had a day and not a week since when he asked very deep into detail questions I mentioned having just a day and not a week like others and he was like "Really? I never knew that." and the HR then try to cover up saying "Yes I was told" although the main questions being marked on at the presentation were from the Senior Manager as the presentation was Engineering related.)

Group exercise was fairly straightforward which at the end you have to write a report individually which is an email replying back to your manager based on the things discussed in the group meeting.

There was a exercise called 'fast-track' which is a problem solving exercise with 5 problems and 30mins to complete - I don't think anyone on the day managed to complete all 5 so it's quite difficult to complete within the time (they send you an example a week before, however it way too simple compared to the actual one, can complete that 1 problem in like 30seconds!)

For a given situation in the presentation I was asked; "Which technologies would you use to solve these problems?" (which was pretty easy to answer!)... then they follow up asking "How does this technology actually work? What goes on inside the system so it works how you want it to?" (Quite difficult)

For the presentation, make sure you are given the full week - if not then contact them straight away and tell them to send it!! As many people that had a full week still found the time they had way too less to prepare! In the 'Fast' Track' don't complete the problems in the order they are in, as at the start you think that all problems have the same number of cards with information, but the ones near the end have less cards with less information and therefore are easier to complete correctly! For the interview, make sure you are aware between the differences of electronic and electrical engineering and also make your mind up as to which role you would want to do! Electrical consists on working on the underground transport, electronic consists of ITS Technologies and the overground transport such as buses of TfL, DLRs, as well as helping traffic flow of other transports such as cars and bicycles!

Presentation which you get a week to prepare for (well you should anyway!) and you present on the day - 10mins presenting, about 15/20mins questions.

Interview which last about 30/45mins with HR and Senior Engineering Manager.

Group task which you get 30 mins for, followed by individual report which you get 20/30mins for.

'Fast Track' problem solving exercise which you have 30mins to complete (maybe the hardest thing on the day!).