Mechanical and Maintenance Engineering Interview Questions: Our Advice
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If you’re a Hiring Manager working in the Engineering, Technical and Manufacturing sectors, you know firsthand how challenging it can be to source and secure the top talent in the market. 

You’re trying to find someone with extensive technical knowledge of mechanical systems and soft skills ranging from problem-solving and crisis management to communication and leadership. 

So, in a candidate-driven market, where you sometimes only get one chance to interview a candidate, how do you determine whether an applicant is a good fit for your team and the role? 

In our latest blog, we run through our top interview questions for Engineers, focusing on those working in mechanical and maintenance engineering jobs in the UK. 

Behavioural Questions for Engineers 

Behavioural interview questions are designed to allow the candidate to demonstrate their skills and experience by providing examples of previous projects or situations. The idea is that by showing how they behaved on a previous project, an employer can determine how they will perform in the future. 

The ideal way for a candidate to respond to a behavioural question is the STAR format: 

  • Situation – provide context or background. 
  • Task – outline the problem or task. 
  • Action – detail what happened and why. 
  • Result – what was the outcome? 

Behavioural questions can be tailored to the key competencies outlined in the job description. For example, you may be looking for a Maintenance Engineer who works well under pressure or a Mechanical Design Engineer with strong client relationship skills. 

Some examples of engineering behavioural questions include: 

  • Tell me about your most successful engineering project. What was your role, what made it successful and what did you learn from the process? 
  • Can you talk me through an engineering project that failed or nearly failed? What happened, how did you try to address the problems, and how did you communicate the failure to your stakeholders? 

These questions can help an employer gauge the level of experience the Engineer has gained through their careers. They offer applicants the opportunity to highlight a wide range of skills including communication, problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, crisis management and teamwork. 

Technical Questions for Engineers 

Engineers working for Technical and Manufacturing organisations are often expected to demonstrate a strong technical track record. While you don’t always need an Engineer to have experience with your specific processes and software, it’s useful to understand how skilful they are and how well they will adapt within your team. 

Technical questions could include: 

  • Which CAD systems do you have experience with? Which is your favourite and why? 
  • What do you understand by RCM? Is this something you have experience of? 
  • What process do you follow when trying to diagnose a major equipment malfunction? 
  • Can you talk me through a new technical skill you’ve gained in the past 12 months? How did you learn it and how does it benefit your job? 

While it’s near impossible to measure technical proficiency in an interview without a technical test, as a Hiring Manager you will be able to see how easily and fluently the candidate can talk about systems and processes. You’ll also be able to see how passionate they are about learning new and emerging technological advances. 

Soft Skills for Engineers 

Many soft skills can be captured as part of behavioural questions, but you may want to add a few final questions to your interview to hone in on a particular skill or trait.  

Here are some examples of soft skill interview questions for Engineers: 

  • How would you describe your leadership style? Can you tell me about a time when you’ve had to lead a team under pressure? 
  • Have you had experience with budget management? Can you tell me about a project when you had to reduce costs? How did you decide where to focus and how did you communicate the reductions? 
  • How do you explain complex information to people with limited technical knowledge? 

Motivational Questions for Engineers 

These questions can be used to bookend the interview and help you get to know the candidate a bit better. They are crucial for understanding cultural fit and will give Hiring Managers an idea of their future goals and aspirations. 

  • Can you tell me why you chose to become an Engineer? Why did you choose to specialise in your specific field? 
  • Where do you see yourself in the next five years? 
  • What made you want to apply for this position? 
  • What do you think about our products? What improvements would you make? 

Need More Advice on Engineering Interview Questions? 

CV Consulting is a UK engineering recruitment agency specialising in Engineering, Technical and Manufacturing sectors. We can help you find the best talent in the market and support you throughout the entire recruitment process  from candidate shortlisting and interview preparation through to offer negotiation and onboarding. 

If you’d like to talk to someone about your recruitment needs or advice on finding the best engineering professionals, contact our team today.