Engineers are an integral part of any company and team. Whether they are computer, electrical, biomedical, or structural engineers they all need to be highly qualified and prepared with critical thinking skills.
All engineers have gone through extensive training and schooling, but to pick the most qualified one will require special questions to truly get to know them and their abilities.
Questions should not just focus on their qualifications, but also on their background and areas of strength and weakness. Below are some of the questions to ask when hiring engineers.
Qualifications
The very first thing that should be asked is what are the qualifications of the engineer. This includes their level of education, awards received, certifications, GPA, and skills.
You will have to determine what you value most and what your minimum qualifications are regarding each category. For example, will you only accept a masters agree or above? Is there a certification that Is necessary?
And then consider if you would be willing to hire someone tentatively on the basis that they meet the requirements with 6 months of starting work. The engineer’s qualifications are a great place to start, but there is much more that goes into the hiring of an engineer.
Technical Skills
Even though the engineer might have stated that they have certain skills it is always advised to ask at least one question that tests their technical skills.
This can be presented in 2 ways. The first way is to present the problem to them right before entering the interview, and the other way is to ask them in the middle of the interview. Make sure that the question is directly related to the job they would be completing to see if they really know their stuff.
After they answer the question always take time to review it with them and have an open discussion to see how their mind works. It is more important that they are able to think critically about the problem than them getting it exactly right.
Strengths and Weaknesses
When hiring an engineer, they will most likely not be working alone, so you need to consider them as part of a team. Asking about their strengths and weaknesses will allow you to assess them in the team context.
If this engineer has a strength that you are lacking on your team, it can be very beneficial to hire them. On the contrary if their strengths and weaknesses align with those of your current team, the team may benefit more from a different engineer. Try your best to create a balanced team that will set you up for success. You can further assess their abilities through skills tests and behavioral assessments.
Experience
You want an engineer that is more than just a good GPA. Ask about the engineer’s experiences outside of the classroom. This could be from volunteering, internships, or jobs. A well-rounded candidate is one that has experiences actually applying the knowledge and completing projects successfully.
Pay close attention to the experiences that are mentioned and see if any are particularly similar or different from your company. They may be well prepared for the work they would be completing for you or they may bring a whole new skill set that you did not even know you needed.
Hiring an engineer can be very stressful, especially if you are looking for someone specific. Use these questions as a guide to learn more about them but remember to keep an open mind.
Sometimes the people who look unimpressive on paper, just might have something about them that makes them perfect for the job. Also, pay attention to their enthusiasm, the more excitement about your company they have, the more likely they will be to work hard towards your mission.
