As one of the top technical recruitment agencies in the UK, the BMS Performance team are experts in sourcing the highest calibre technical candidates across the manufacturing, construction, and service and maintenance industries. We take all the hassle out of finding a new recruit, but you still need to conduct the interview.
The technical job market is candidate driven, giving job seekers the power to choose from a range of companies. During the interview process, they will be scoping you out as much as you are them, making it essential that you strike the perfect balance.
To help you, here are the top interview questions to ask your next engineering candidate.
- Why did you apply for this job role?
Asking candidates why they chose to apply for a job at your company will give you an insight into the reputation your business has, as well as how much research the candidate has done about your company.
- How would your co-workers describe you?
Technical job roles often require people to work as part of a team, so it bodes well to know how the candidate is seen through other people’s eyes. This will also help you determine whether they’ll gel with your existing engineering team.
- What’s the project you’re proudest of?
It’s important to be proud of the work you’re producing. By asking this question in an interview, you’ll get an idea of the capabilities of the candidate and whether they’re proud of their work.
- How do you deal with failure?
In the technical industry, trial and error is part of the job, so having candidates who know how to cope when things don’t go right is essential. Ask the candidate for an example of when they’ve failed and how they dealt with it.
- Where do you want to be in five years?
Hiring new staff costs money, not to mention the slow in productivity. Staff retention is essential, especially in competitive technical industries. By asking an employee where they want to be in five years (the average time people stay at a job), you can identify what is most important to them and put plans in place to retain them.
- What are you greatest strengths?
It’s a basic question, and for good reason. You need to identify whether the candidate can bridge a skills gap and bolster your team.
- What are your biggest weaknesses?
It’s natural to have weaknesses, and it’s important for employees to identify those areas. You can potentially put in motion plans to help them turn those weaknesses into strengths.
- What do you expect from an employer?
In such a competitive market, employers need to work hard to persuade candidates to join their team. The easiest way to do this is to ask them directly what they expect from an employer. If you interview multiple candidates, you can identify a pattern and adapt your management to match.
- What is your working style?
This question will allow you to see whether your company is compatible with the candidate’s working style, reducing the risk of a wrong hire.
- What do you want us to know that we haven’t yet asked?
There might be something the interviewee wants you to know but you haven’t asked yet. This question will give the candidate the chance to shine. It will also show them that you value their input and what they have to say – a key thing in a candidate driven market.
Find Technical Interviewees with BMS Performance
Make sure you’re only interviewing the very best candidates by using a technical recruitment agency like BMS Performance to take control of the hiring process for you. Get in touch to learn more about how we can introduce you to the best talent in the market.
