Top 20 Engineering Interview Questions

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The engineering industry is as competitive as ever for top talent due to recent explosive growth. In fact, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts nearly 140,000 new engineering jobs to be available by 2026. This exponential growth and competitive market means preparing for key engineering interview questions is crucial, whether you are an industry veteran or a student seeking their first job. As part of Blue Signal’s white-glove service, we assist engineering candidates with preparing for their interviews. Our engineering recruiters provide insight into the hiring company, practice potential interview questions, and debrief with candidates after each interview. In order to best understand how to prepare for engineering interview questions, we must first examine the different types of interview questions and why hiring managers ask them.

Types of Engineering Interview Questions

Preparation is key to ensure candidates make a favorable impression on everyone they meet during the interview process. According to a survey from Glassdoor, 88% of hiring managers say that an informed candidate is what they are looking for when interviewing. Taking the initiative to learn and practice responses to potential engineering interview questions will set you apart from other candidates. Hiring managers leverage a myriad of interview questions to gain a comprehensive understanding of the candidate. Each type of interview question has its own purpose and will reveal something specific about the candidate. Ultimately, the interview questions seek to measure the candidate’s skill set and abilities as well as their cultural fit within the current team.

Image of two women seated in chairs at a table - one is leaning in and listening while the other speaks during an interview

Situational Interview Questions

Situational interview questions are based on specific scenarios that could conceivably await someone in the new role. They seek to focus on a given hypothetical situation and how the candidate would handle it. Situational engineering interview questions can be difficult, as a candidate is required to think on the spot. Likely, this is a skill the interviewer may be testing them on. Answering these questions well can prove that an engineering candidate is willing to take the lead, ask for help, stay calm under pressure, and/or make positive choices. Overall, they prove the candidate can overcome any situation they will be faced with in the job.

Competency-Based Interview Questions

Competency-based interview questions are used by interviewers to assess specific attributes, knowledge, and behaviors. For example, a hiring manager looking to understand more about a candidate’s behaviors may ask about different ways in which they used their analytical ability to solve a problem. Alternatively, if it is decision making that the interviewer is looking to assess, they may ask candidates to provide information about how they built strong professional rapport with colleagues to make informed decisions. While these interview questions may often seem to be situational, competency-based questions are far less likely to be hypothetical. This enables candidates to draw directly on real-life examples and be focused on specific competencies rather than a general approach.

Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions are asked to elicit information from candidates on how they would likely handle any range of real-world challenges based on previous, similar circumstances. Whereas situational engineering interview questions decipher how engineering candidates would approach certain scenarios, and competency-based questions prove they have the skills required for the role, behavioral questions determine if candidates possess the desired character traits the hiring manager is looking for. Such interview questions tend to be based on the principle that a candidate’s past behavior is the best predictor of their future behavior. These questions can touch on such aspects such as candidates’ ability to work as part of a team, client-facing skills, adaptability, time management skills, and more.

Top 20 Engineering Interview Questions

1. What is the most challenging engineering project you dealt with? How did you ensure it was a success?

2. Describe a written technical report or presentation you had to complete.

3. What steps do you take to keep your engineering skills current?

4. Why did you choose to study [engineering branch]?

5. Tell me about a time you failed (or succeeded) with [skill]. How did you react?

6. How do you deal with difficult coworkers/clients?

7. Which part of engineering is your favorite? What about your least favorite?

8. Which of your traits make you a stronger engineer? Do any of your traits hold you back?

9. What has been your biggest engineering success?

10. Can you tell me about your best manager and why you thought they were great?

A man and woman dressed professionally shaking hands in an office with word bubbles around highlighting engineering interview questions

11. Describe a time you demonstrated leadership skills at work.

12. Describe a time you used problem-solving skills to figure out a design problem.

13. Describe a time you had to work on a team, and something didn’t go well. What would you do differently?

14. Tell me about a time you got negative feedback on your work. How did you respond?

15. Have you identified and implemented any process improvements that led to cost reductions?

16. What software applications are you familiar with?

17. What programming languages do you prefer? Why do those appeal to you?

18. How would your friends (family, coworkers, professors) describe you?

19. Why are you interested in this role? Why are you interested in working at this company?

20. Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?

Tips and Best Practices for Answering Engineering Interview Questions

It can feel daunting to prepare for a laundry list of potential engineering interview questions. To help ease the anxiety around interview preparation, Blue Signal partnered with our very own Bo Scott to provide insight on how to best prepare for these engineering interview questions. Bo is a Senior Executive Recruiter who specializes in IT, Emerging Technology, IoT, Cloud, Technology Sales, Unified Communications, Telecommunications, and Wireless roles. Based on his experience and expertise in the field, Bo recommends keeping two important points in mind when crafting responses to engineering interview questions. These pieces of advice will help candidates perform well in an engineering interview, and hopefully lead to landing the role.

The first tip is to remember that the interviewer is asking questions specifically about yourself, rather than your team. We all understand it takes a team effort to reach business goals, however, it is vital that you quantify, individualize, and specify your unique contributions to those achievements. Engineers rarely work alone, but they will bring their own strengths and weaknesses into their new team. Engineering candidates must focus on sharing what they have done to bring success to a business, team, or project.

Secondly, Bo emphasizes the importance of answering the engineering interview question that is being asked, rather than providing the answer a candidate believes the interviewer is looking for. This can be a difficult distinction to make. For example, an engineering interview question asking about what you have done is not a chance to share what you think they should do, or what you would do differently. One way to ensure you are concisely and accurately answering the question at hand is to draw examples from your experience to tell a story about your accomplishments – and, if applicable, how those experiences prepared for this potential new role.

While it is likely most of these engineering interview questions will be asked throughout the hiring process, it’s important to be prepared to answer any question thrown your way. Assume these interview questions will also be tailored toward the role’s industry, and area of expertise. Whether on your own or partnering with a recruiter, preparing for the engineering interview questions discussed gives you a critical advantage in the hiring process.

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Top 20 Interview Questions to Ask a Sales Executive

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Sales roles in particular have some of the highest turnover rates when compared to any other department or industry. Because of this, it’s important to productively utilize your time interviewing, on-boarding, and training a new sales executive. As a hiring manager, it’s crucial you go into each interview as prepared as possible in order to make the best decision.

Asking the right questions during an interview will lead to key insights you’ll need when weighing the options. Information related to the role, company culture, and a candidate’s work ethic are all important to touch on. Use this list of interview questions as your guide next time you’re hiring a sales executive. You may be surprised to see what insights you’re able to gain when you dive deeper than the stale “walk me through your sales experience” type of inquiries.

Sales Executive Interview Guide

Personality & Relationship Skills:

1. What’s your favorite part of a sales job/process? Least favorite?

This response will offer key insight when fitting candidates to your exact sales role. For example, if the role you’re looking to fill is 60% cold calling/prospecting and the candidate replies with this being their least favorite – the role most likely isn’t a fit. Often, sales executives will shy away from admitting something they don’t enjoy in fear of not coming across as a team player. There are multiple ways to frame this ask if you don’t think you’re getting a straightforward answer from a candidate. Asking “In your last position, how much time did you spend cultivating customer relationships versus hunting for new clients? Did you enjoy that?” often does the trick.

2. If you asked your manager what your biggest strength and weakness is, what would they say?

Asking sales executives about their strengths and weaknesses may seem like a basic interview task but it’s common for a reason. Framing this from the perspective of their current or previous manager will give you even more insight to their past experiences. This will also shed light on the candidate’s confidence level in those roles. Often, sales executives will dodge the weakness aspect of the question. Don’t take “none” for an answer and try to uncover how they are at “selling” themselves, and how they are at critical thinking/problem-solving.

3. Given these three terms: promotion, money, and recognition; put them in their order of importance.

This question will give insight into what a sales executive values in both their career and in life. As a follow up question, ask them to explain what each of those terms look like to them. Their answers will explain what they’ll be motivated most by and what they’ll use as a benchmark for success. Be sure to leverage the answer if you end up managing them, and you’ll already be ahead of the game.

4. If you had no obstacles and could start your dream job tomorrow, what would that role look like?

This more creative way of asking the tired “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” question will keep an interviewee on their toes. It still allows you to break down their short-term and long-term goals, but also sidesteps the possibility of a candidate providing a manufactured answer. Oftentimes, the 5-year question usually prompts a response that the candidate thinks you want to hear.

Regardless, planning for the future of any employee you decide to hire is important. Thinking in terms of the future benefits not only the sales executive, but the manager and company as a whole as well. When forecasting team strategy, you’ll need to know your sales executives are here for the long haul. To help avoid even higher turnover rates, asking this question weeds out the candidates who aren’t truly passionate about the position, and helps you determine whether or not you’d be able to offer them their dream job, either now or in the future.

5. Tell me about a time when you collaborated with other sales team members and those outside of the sales team.

This answer will be key when deciding if they’re a team player or a lone ranger in the field. If one or the other is important to the role, the response can be extremely useful. In most sales roles, relationship building and collaboration skills are essential, so don’t be shy with follow up questions if you need more information! Asking “What impact were you able to make or what goals did you achieve?” can lead to further insights. Again, this will depend on the exact position the interview is related to. If the role will have a high amount of internal collaboration with a team – focus on that, and vice versa.

Ideal Work Environment Insights:

6. What type of work environment do you thrive in?

This question and answer often gets overlooked but can be one of the most detrimental if discovered post-hire. In order for a sales executive to thrive in any position, the environment and culture around them needs to be a fit. Take the candidate’s response and compare their preference to the environment they will be in at your company. Does it seem like a match? If you don’t value the same things here, turnover can be expected and moving forward with the hiring process wouldn’t make sense.

Another thing to consider is that all 2022 hiring trends point to the remote and hybrid workforce continuing to grow. Experts predict that by 2025, roughly 36.2 million employees in the US will work remotely. If the role you’re hiring for permits, be sure to ask candidates key questions surrounding their remote working experience. Ask if they thrive most in a remote, hybrid, or in-office work setting. From there, you should be able to gauge if they require consistent team interaction to succeed, or if they are sufficient working independently majority of the time.

7. Have you ever had a manager you didn’t like? Why?

Management styles can alter the success of a hire in the same way as a work environment. Dive deep into the candidate’s ideal management style and compare it to your own. Can you see yourself working closely with this candidate? Do they seem eager to learn from you and willing to take direction? These are all good follow-up questions to ask yourself after reflecting on their answer.

Also, be sure to note how they portrayed their past experiences. Did they bad-mouth their previous manager, or did they offer facts and expand on the lesson they learned from their experience? Venting and talking negatively about a past role or leader can be a sign of arrogance and lead to a toxic relationship down the road.

8. Which sales metrics do you pay attention to and why?

In sales, personal drive is essential. Asking what metrics they specifically look at when determining success for themselves will give great insight into how they operate. Are they motivated by the same things you use to track success and promotions? If not, it may be hard for the sales executive to feel fulfilled and experience growth in the role.

Ability to Remain Resilient:

9. What do you do to regroup and recover when you have a bad day? Bad week? Bad month?

Sales requires a lot of resilience and the ability to deal with rejection frequently. Asking if sales executives have an established coping mechanism will be telling in how dedicated they are to succeeding in their role. You’ll also be able to reflect on how much experience they’re bringing to the table. This is especially important if the role you’re hiring for will require a lot of cold-calling. Have the sales executive provide personal examples of this experience, which will shed light on how they’ve succeeded in previous roles.

10. How do you motivate yourself?

Along with overcoming rejection, sales roles typically require a good amount of self-motivation. Similar to the previous question, asking how a candidate motivates themselves will highlight their work ethic. An ideal sales executive will have a detailed answer based on past experiences.

11. Describe a time when you had a difficult prospect but were able to persevere and win the sale.

Ideally, the last two questions will lead into a version of this question naturally - but if not, it’s a good one to follow up with. Don’t be afraid to ask for specifics! Some sales executives are pros at misdirection. Candidates who give vague, wordy answers should be a red flag. By asking for a specific time when candidates managed a difficult prospect, and how the situation played out, you’ll be able to gather the details you need to trust their skills. An ideal sales executive will offer insight on lessons they learned and will be able to explain how they applied that knowledge to future situations – preferably without having to be asked. This highlights strong customer service and interpersonal skills that are essential in any good sales executive.

Sales Executive Expertise & Other Skills:

12. Explain the steps you take from the beginning of the sales process to the end.

Look for detailed answers here that point to their confidence and industry expertise. See which tasks will be similar to the role you’re hiring for. Make note of what will need to be retrained and what will be a breeze for them to pick up when it comes to transitioning into your company’s processes.

13. Pitch me our company’s product/service.

This question is a spin on the classic “sell me something” concept and shows how much knowledge the candidate already has. The biggest underlying insight you’ll gain from this question is the amount of research they did to prepare for this interview with your company. A sales executive with a firm understanding of what the company does and the products and services they provide will ultimately be a dedicated addition to the team. Those who did their homework should be noted, as it directly reflects one’s work ethic and initiative.

14. What’s your proudest sales accomplishment?

This question leads to insights into the candidate’s skill level, confidence, and how large or small of sales they are used to closing. This will also point to their passion for the industry. From their response, you should be able to tell what gets them excited about sales.

15. Have you used CRM software before? If so, which one and how advanced are your skills?

This may seem like a basic, technical question but it allows for major bonus points if the candidate will be able to breeze through learning software during training. Even if the candidate hasn’t worked hands-on with the exact software you use, you can ask them if they’re familiar or have heard of it as follow-up questions. Even a little bit of familiarity and knowledge is better than starting from scratch!

16. How do you stay knowledgeable about your target audience?

A dedicated and passionate sales executive will take the initiative to stay up to date on their industry’s trends and updates. Ask what specific resources they leverage or how often they review industry news. Watch for vague answers here, this is one candidates may try to talk themselves into a circle about if they don’t have a solid answer. Bonus points if they can tell you a bit of recent news they’ve heard with specifics on how they are planning to implement it into their process.

Company Culture Fit:

17. Why did you apply for this position?

This question is a great way to uncover why they’re looking to leave or why they left their current role. Be sure to take notes on how they talk about their previous or current company. As mentioned earlier, bad-mouthing of any kind should be a red flag. This question will also give insights into what drew them to your company specifically. If the vision that was portrayed to the candidate doesn’t fit what you want it to, this then gives you insight on how to better market yourself as an employer.

18. Are you ready to jump on a sales call right now?

In other words, this question asks, “Did you do any research on our company and product offerings?” This will show either a strong work ethic and desire for the role, or a lack of ambition. If you like the answer you receive, another great follow-up could be “If you were to start the job tomorrow, what would you be doing tonight to prepare?” Again, this will shine a light on their motivation and drive to succeed in this role.

19. Why do you want to work here/sell our product/service?

It’s no secret that an employee who is passionate and invested in the company they’re working for will out preform those who aren’t. Gallup's report on employee engagement shows that companies with a highly engaged workforce have 21% higher profitability. This question allows sales executives to open up about what they find intriguing about the role and overall company. Play close attention to see if any buzzwords from your company’s core values show up in their response. Finding candidates that have similar values to what your company is striving for is an excellent bonus.

20. How do you think our company can improve?

Loyalty plays a big role in employee retention. If you can decide which candidates already have initial loyalty to your brand, that’s a big plus! By asking what the company can do to improve, you’re really asking “How much do you care about the company succeeding?” This is a good question to watch for some common red flags as well. Often, you’ll be able to notice if the candidate is the type to tell you what you want to hear, or if they are critical thinkers. Those that answer honestly and critically are more likely to work through challenges to help better the company.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, not all sales roles are created equal. Leverage these interview questions as an outline but be sure to adjust to fit each role’s specific needs. While it’s very important to prepare and have a roadmap for leading the interview, don’t be afraid to get creative and be ready to pivot with follow-up questions based on candidate’s answers.

Once you’ve ran through all the questions you prepared, a great way to wrap up the interview process is by opening up the floor to them to ask you questions. Sales executives who ask questions show they are inquisitive about the role and company culture – which means they are trying to picture themselves there. Declining to ask any further questions is a tell that they may have bad communication skills and may be afraid to ask for what they want – not a skill you want in a strong sales executive. In this sense, be prepared to answer some questions of your own! 67% of employed Americans say that job interviews influence their decision to accept a job – so be sure to portray your enthusiasm for the role, company, product, and/or service offered. LinkedIn reported that the most important considerations in accepting new jobs are compensation (49%), professional development (33%), and better work/life balance (29%). Make it a point to touch on these key points to get sales executives excited about joining the team.

When preparing for the undertaking of hiring new staff, remember that Blue Signal can help alleviate the stress. As experts in the hiring process, our recruiters can help not only coach you through the interviews, but help with sourcing candidates, scheduling interviews, negotiating hiring terms, and so much more. Contact us today to get matched with a specialist in your industry!

Why Do Bad Interviews Happen to Good Candidates?

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In the recruiting and staffing space, we’ve all seen perfect-on-paper candidates deliver bad interviews. Despite having the ideal qualifications and experience, their interview performance ranged anywhere from lackluster to downright terrible. However, interviews are not the tell-all of how candidates will perform in the role. It’s important to not judge a book by its cover – good candidates can give bad interviews, and bad candidates can give good interviews. Taking into consideration that the average cost of a bad hire is up to 30% of the employee’s first year compensation, it’s important to hire the right people – not just the ones that interview well. As a hiring manager, it’s crucial to recognize the signs of good candidates having bad interviews, and vice versa. Consider the following factors to understand why bad interviews happen to good candidates.

Bad Interviews Can Happen Because They’re Nervous

Interview nerves are common, whether it’s from public speaking anxiety or even pure excitement about the opportunity. Regardless of preparation, interview anxiety can make a candidate appear less confident – they may stumble over their words, speak too fast, fidget with their hands/hair, or appear disorganized. These things can lead to cause for concern from an interviewer’s perspective and result in a bad interview overall.

What To Do as the Interviewer

Ease the candidate’s nerves in the very beginning by assuring the interview will be more of an open conversation than a test. The more relaxed a candidate feels, the more likely they will give honest and clear answers. You can alleviate tension in the beginning of the interview by asking open-ended questions that make the candidate feel more comfortable, such as asking about themselves, how they heard about the role, or their interests outside of work. Breaking the ice with these questions will ease the candidates’ nerves and encourage them to be their authentic selves. Lastly, don’t make a snap judgement. Allow the interview to run its course and give the candidate time to open up and relax. Judge the interview holistically, rather than passing judgement based on the first three minutes.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Ease Nerves:

  • How would you describe yourself?
  • How did you hear about our company?
  • What do you like to do outside of work?
Graphic displaying questions to ask candidates to ease nerves in bad interviews

Their Interview Skills are Rusty

A stable job history is an important factor to consider during the hiring process to weed out job-hoppers. Committed job candidates can go anywhere between 2-10 years between interviews, almost guaranteeing rusty interviewing skills. Passive candidates may also be out of practice because they aren’t actively looking for a new role. Interviewing skills are like learning a new language, it takes practice and consistent refinement. Thus, those who haven’t interviewed in a while may find themselves re-learning the ropes.

What To Do as the Interviewer

Look at their employment history and recognize the time that has passed between the last time they interviewed; this could be their first time interviewing – virtually or in-person – since the pandemic. To gauge their interviewing hiatus, you could ask how their job search is going so far, how their 5-year plan has changed since the last time they interviewed, or how the scope of their current role has changed since they were hired.

Remember that interview nerves are expected, and may be amplified if they haven’t interviewed in a while. Interview nerves and out-of-practice interview skills are a lethal combination for bad interviews, even if the candidate is highly qualified for the role. On the same note, be wary of overly confident candidates – memorized responses that include fluff and exaggerated buzzwords may be an indicator of a serial interviewer. Be sure to dive deep into candidates’ answers and ask about specific accomplishments or tasks in their previous roles.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Gauge Their Interview Hiatus:

  • How long have you been at your current company?
  • What experiences have helped you prepare for this role?
  • How have your goals changed since the last time you were job searching?
Graphic displaying text that reads questions to ask candidates to guage their interview hiatus during bad interviews

Their Job Skillset Doesn’t Translate to Interviewing

The skillset required for interviewing can sometimes be very different than the skillset needed for the job. A standard interview process judges a candidate’s ability to sell themselves for the role, which requires excellent communication and people-facing skills. This could easily be exemplified for someone in management or sales roles. However, depending on the candidate’s field, this may not be their expertise. Those who are in engineering or IT roles may possess the technical skills for the role, but could have a hard time translating it during an interview since they may not interface with people regularly.

What To Do as the Interviewer

It’s important to recognize the difference between an interviewing skillset and the skillset required for the role. Take into consideration the candidate’s field and how communication skills are involved. Focus on the job requirement and tailor questions to highlight the candidate’s skills and experience in that area. For example, pose questions about the candidate’s background, relevant certifications or degrees, how they’ve utilized their skillet in previous roles, or specific projects they’ve worked on. Let the candidate sell themselves through explanation of skills, rather than their delivery of answers.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Understand Their Skillset:

  • What educational training have you had that has helped your career?
  • How have you used (X skill) in previous roles?
  • Do you prefer working independently or within a team?
Graphic displaying an interview with text overlaying reading questions to ask candidates to understand their skillset

They’re Being Asked the Wrong Questions

As the interviewer, you’re responsible for determining if the candidate is the right fit for the role by asking questions that speak to both their technical skills and personality. If the candidate isn’t engaged in the interview or is answering unclearly (and it can’t be attributed to the things mentioned above), it might be worth looking introspectively. Are the questions you’re asking the cause of these bad interviews?

What You Can Do as the Interviewer

If applicable, set up a pre-interview call with the candidate’s recruiter. This will allow you to gather details about the candidate you can specifically ask about during your interview. Next, review your interview questions. Do they specifically target the skills needed for the role? Are they relevant to this candidate’s experience? How do they assess the candidate’s cultural fit? Are they open-ended, allowing for a natural flow of conversation?

That being said, it’s always better to ditch the script once the interview is off and running. Allow the conversation to naturally spark new questions that’ll give you a deeper understanding of the candidate’s experience and skills. This will also give the candidate a better opportunity to showcase their achievements, work ethic, and personality the way they want to.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Encourage Thoughtful Responses

  • Instead of “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” ask “What career goals are you hoping this job will fulfill for you?”
  • Instead of “What is a difficult situation you’ve overcome?” ask “What strategies do you use to diffuse difficult situations?”
  • Instead of “What is your greatest strength?” ask “Which attribute best qualifies you for this role and why?”
Graphic showing two forms of questions, with a background image of people shaking hands

Red Flags in Bad Interviews

If you notice any of the red flags below during an interview, it may be a sign that your candidate is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Be wary of these signs and utilize them to determine if a candidate gave a bad interview from the reasons mentioned above, or if they truly aren’t the right fit.

Vague examples: If the candidate uses examples without quantifiable achievements, they may be all talk and no action.

Highlighting the negative: Highlighting the negative in previous roles or employers could be a warning sign that they are likely going to continue that behavior at your company.

Lack of goals: Having a lack of goals signifies a lack of motivation. If a candidate doesn’t have career or personal aspirations, they’re less likely to contribute to your company’s goals.

Defensive response and body language: Candidates that have defensive responses and body language during interviews are likely to have a problem with authority and criticism. Make sure that their work ethic will mesh well with your management style.

Self-centric answers: This is particularly important for candidates that will be working on teams. If a candidate only focuses on self-accomplishments and successes, their ego may become a problem. Recognize the difference between confidence and arrogance.

What You Can Do as a Hiring Manager to Mitigate Bad Interviews

The hiring process can reveal a lot about future employees, but it’s important to consider that great candidates can be shadowed by bad interviews. As a hiring authority, it’s vital to take into consideration the potential factors driving bad interviews – nerves, out-of-practice interview skills, non-transferable skillets, or monotonous interview questions. If you feel like the candidate could still be a fit after the first interview, set up another time to meet with them. As the hiring process progresses with a well-suited candidate, the factors listed above should vanish. However, if the bad interviews can’t be attributed to those factors, you need to be wary of the interview red flags that may indicate an avid job hopper. Set your potential candidates up for success by acknowledging these components and tailoring your interview process for optimal results.

If you need guidance on the interview process or additional resources for effective interviewing, reach out to Blue Signal. As your partner in the hiring process, our recruiting team is positioned to support both hiring managers and candidates through the process. With our help, quality candidates are guaranteed to shine through, without the headache of enduring bad interviews.