Notes on Interviewing Engineer Applicants
Engineer recruitment is an effective way to find the best engineering candidate for your available position. You need to be sure that the recruiter you employ to help with the hiring process intends on carrying out a thorough interview process. Due to the technical nature of the position, interviewing engineer applicants can be particularly challenging. The impressions of these applicants during the interview process offer an excellent tool to help you decide whom to hire.
1. Prepare a list of questions that you would like to have asked of all applicants. This not only makes your job easier, it also facilitates fairness and equal treatment. It will also be easier to make comparisons of all the candidates based on how they answer your questions.
2. Ask open-ended questions to encourage the engineer applicants to talk. You could also ask questions that will require the candidates to provide technical details or touch on technical concepts. Engineering applicants must be allowed to demonstrate that they are technically capable and adept. Pay attention to whether an applicant is truly knowledgeable or simply showing off through the use of technical terms and industry jargon.
3. Ask behavior-based questions. Usually, questions about how the applicant handled a previous technical or job-related problem will do the trick. This way, you can have some insight into what type of personality the applicant has or how he or she behaves on the job. Basically, you can gauge whether or not the applicant appears to be a team player.
4. Listen very carefully, especially when the applicant is detailing his or her previous experience. Be aware of any glaring inconsistencies. Lies or exaggerations should not be tolerated.
5. Set up a practical rating scale so you can easily compare the applicants to each other. At the end of the day, this will help make your job easier, as you can quickly determine which candidates stood out from the rest.
Engineering recruitment can be carried out efficiently and effectively if these tips are kept in mind.