The question: What the letters “E” and “I” stand for in a bending equation for structural beam.
The answer: E for “Modulus elasticity and I for moment of inertia. Then you are expected to explain the concepts involved.
Such questions are asked at interviews to know whether you are a practicing engineer or you just write reports and do documentation, point out expert career coaches.
Recruiting managers want to know exactly what type of an engineer you are and gauge your abilities. You may be asked what type of engineering tasks you would love to do. If you have answered ‘anything’, you might have dug your grave yourself. You see, there are engineers who are well versed with manufacturing process and some others are good at drawing products or designing really big systems. You must know the difference between a bench engineer and an engineer on the floor. The bench engineer’s tool is a pencil while that of the one on the floor is a screw driver.
Do you know what a typical engineering interviewer would like to assess a candidate? Here are a few tips to make you ready for an engineering interview that may cover any engineering discipline:
Your knowledge of software
If you are quizzed about software packages like SolidWorks,Pro/ENGINEER and AutoCAD, it means recruiting manager wants to know whether you have more than superficial knowledge. You may be asked to say how best you can use a particular software package. Here the employers is trying to probe your fluency, or applied expertise. It is okay to be familiar with say COSMOSWorks; but it is entirely different to know whether you know how to use the program for finite-element analysis on the LED Osram Sylvania manufactures, which don’t mind getting cold but hate to get hot.
Your acquaintance with the latest
You must always update your knowledge. Technically and technologically you were up-to-date two years ago doesn’t mean you are still up-to-date today. Technology changes every day and you have to keep pace with the developments. You must always ask yourself what you have been doing to master the latest technology. If you want to be noticed, you must be able to share whatever you know about the chosen continuing education activities with the interviewer. If you are pursuing any professional license course or you are completing a short-term online course, you must tell the interviewer so.
Problem solving skills
You may be capable of solving engineering problems theoretically, but you must be able to convince the interviewer that you have the knack and skill of making your hands dirty to make a thing work the way it should. Often times, you may be asked questions which disclose your technical interests. You may be asked whether you fix minor problems of your car or whether you enjoy attending to any domestic problem. These types of questions are asked to test your practical knowledge.
Customer relations and teamwork
Engineering knowledge and engineering business are two different things. In school you design something to please yourself, but when you are in the manufacturing and product designing setup, you have come up to the expectations of your clients; you may be shown a toolbox and asked to make a similar thing that can as well respond to voice commands. So at an interview you must be prepared to answer questions relating to customer care and concerns and be ready with stories that tell your accomplishment in that area. You must also be mentally prepared to explain how you had cooperated and collaborated with your colleagues in the team to meet the exacting demands of clients. Employers expect their employees to add value to the group both with their technical skills and creativity.
