Interview Questions 2

[lindbls]

I'm going to be interviewing candidates soon for a licensed civil engineering position with the County government I currently work for. I'm seeking some creative interview questions that help gauge a persons qualifications, experience and ability to work effectively in a team environment. The person will be responsible for a variety of civil engineering projects (water, sewer, stormwater, solid waste). I can provide more detail if it would help.

I want to weed out the "paper tigers" and find someone qualified who can work well in a team environment, mentor and provide leadership to junior staff, and (ideally) bring both public and private experience to the table.

I want to avoid a full hour of "So, tell me about yourself" and "Why do you want to work here?" type questions.

Also, any ideas for "exercise questions" that can demonstrate experience?

 

[CarlPugh]

The first thing to do is give a simple written test. 2+2=4 and a few similiar problems. Every answer should be known and not be ambigous.
The second thing is to check the applicant's references.
This will get rid of 80% of the applicants. After that you will have time do a thorough review of the remaining 20%.

 

[ctopher]

cadnutcase,
great story! thanks

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[lewtam]

Cadnutcase - I've gone for a couple of jobs where they want a senior engineer for what amounted to undergraduate pay. Too bad money is usually one of the last things discussed in the interview process.

Hobbies/Sports/Interests - I don't read too much into what interests a candidate has, as long as they demonstrate they have interest in something beyond the end of their nose. I travel too much to be involved in organised team sports - I can't be relied on to be there for training or game time and it would be unfair on potential teamates, so my main form of steam blowoff is running wherever I am. How does that translate to my potential level of contribution to the team at work?

LewTam Inc.
Petrophysicist, Leading Hand, Natural Horseman, Prickle Farmer, Crack Shot, Venerable Yogi.

 

[RDK]

I don’t put much faith in references. The people will only give you names of people who will say nice things about them and the references will be scared to give any but the basic information on the candidate for fear of liability.

If you are checking references ask each reference for someone else who worked with the applicant and knows their work. Then ask the second level reference the same questions. By the third level reference you will get the actual truth about the person. I learned this from being a reference for several security clearances and being interviewed as part of the security clearance of others.

I know of some companies that are only allowed to confirm length of employment and the general duties assigned, no information of performance allowed.

The only question that I will ask a reference that actually tells me anything is “Would you re-hire this person for their old job?”

It’s the length of the pause that is most telling, not the actual resoponse.

Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[MikeHalloran]

Lew, my recent experience has been that many outfits demand that you agree to a salary before they will even grant an interview.

It happened today. I agreed to a low rate for a low level job, just to keep the wolf from the door, and was then granted an interview. As the interview progressed, the scope and responsibility of the job expanded.

I'll start tomorrow at the agreed rate, and see how it works out. Maybe they'e okay guys, but the experience left me feeling, er, pre-abused.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[RDK]

Mike

You should have been upfront with them in talking about the scope of the position being more than the initial scope.

You could still have taken the job for the agreed salary but left open the issue that the position was more than initially described. Now once you start the job and come back asking for more your new employer may feel that you were using them.

At the very least you have excluded further salary discussions for 6 months or more.

Good luck on your new job


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[Ashereng]

Mike,

As the interview progressed, the scope and responsibility of the job expanded.

I'll start tomorrow at the agreed rate, and see how it works out.

That seems really unfair.

They asked you to agree on the price you will pay for the car you are going to buy - before you coming into the showroom?

 

[RDK]

I don’t see any problem agreeing to at least a salary range before the interview.

After all it costs both parties time and money to hold the interview in the first place.

Not job interviews but I have gone through the selection process as a consultant and as a single practitioner its much like a job interview process, only to find at the end that the company will not be anywhere near my fee requirements.

I have even had a fee offer less than bare salary costs, less than they would have had to pay an employee. When I pointed out to them that they were offering far below the going salary let alone anything to cover overhead, insurance etc. I was bluntly told to take it of leave it. I simply got up thanked them for their time and left. I later heard that they tried to manage the project themselves and ended up with a real mess on their hands. Unfortunately due to not having at least a acceptable range in discussion at the start cost me several days plus expenses.

However if the scope of the job changes dramatically then the salary range should also change. Accepting a change in scope without discussing the possibility of a change is salary is dangerous to both parties.

I get the impression that Mike is going into the job with the expectation that after proving himself he can ask for a raise and since he has proven himself in a higher position than discussed the employer will be all too happy to grant it.

Wrong, they will feel that they have an agreement for the expanded work at the lower salary and will feel betrayed that they are being asked to implement a substantial raise after only a short time. They may not even realize that the scope of the job expanded, they may feel that they simply fleshed out the job description during the interview.

In any case it leaves open the real possibility that there will be a parting of ways and hard feelings in about 6 months.




Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[PsionSaint]

If you want to see some examples of out-of-left-field type questions in a technical interview, google "microsoft interview questions" and take a read through those websites. Microsoft is famous for the all-day interview where you might meet eight or nine people, each with a designed set of questions and a particular agenda.

The only one I've actually used when interviewing for my company is "How would you move Mount Fuji?". Most of our positions are project manager type so I'm looking for the person to respond with other questions like "How long do I have?" or "Is there a budget limit?". Basically things that show me this person can break down a huge task into managable pieces and coordinate resources to get things done.

The only other insight I've gained through the dozen or so interviews I've conducted is that I try to hire for motivation, initiative, character, ethics, etc. rather that hiring for particular skills or project experience. Presumably the person was granted an interview in the first place because he/she has a resume that communicates skills and experience. Now I want to find out about other traits that came into play during that experience. Unfortunately these other traits are also the hardest to interview people for...

 

[MikeHalloran]

No, I won't ask for a raise. I have no expectation of a future here.

I offered to fill in until they can find a "CAD Operator" who understands what the lines represent. We agreed that when they find such a person, or I find a job that pays better, I'm gone, no hard feelings on either side.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA