How to Prep for Your First Engineering Interview

Getting your first engineering job can be a stressful adventure. You have to create the perfect résumé, apply to countless positions and then sit back and wait. Eventually you’ll get called for your first interview. This is exciting and terrifying for most students. But, it doesn’t have to be too bad if you prepare yourself.  Here are the tips I give all my students for their first engineering interview.

Learn about the Company

At this point, you should already know the basics about the company. But now, you need to learn more detailed information, especially info that pertains to the job you’re interviewing for if you can find it. Things to find out:

• what projects they are known for
• what’s their specialty/expertise
• are they looking into expanding into other areas
• who’s the CEO
• do they have any well-known clients
• where are offices/divisions located – what work is done at each one

Insider Scoop

It’s really helpful if you can find someone who works at the company and ask them questions. You’ll be able to get a lot more insight from an actual person than a website.

If you’re interviewing at a company near your university there’s a good chance your professors might have info they can share or, better yet, they might know people who work there. Use your profs as a resource when possible; they want to help you succeed.

Websites like glassdoor.com with employee reviews can also be helpful.

Prepare to Shine

Your goal of the interview is to show the company that you’ll be a valuable resource for them. They want people who are fast learners, self motivated and able to work well with others. The way to convey this idea is to give them insight into your background.

Since this is an entry-level job you may or may not have prior experience. Obviously, if you’ve done an internship or co-op you’ll want to discuss your responsibilities and what you were able to accomplish. Discussing quantifiable results is always a great idea.

Saying “I saved the company x dollars by doing xyz” is better than just saying ” I made improvements to a process”. Also let them know how your previous work will help you quickly make an impact for their company. How can you help them? What can you bring to the team?

If you’ve only been in school and haven’t done an internship then you’ll need to change it up. This is where all those projects you disliked will come in handy.

What you can do is use those class projects to show what your strengths and capabilities are. Senior design projects are great for this! What theories and concepts did you apply? How did you analyze data? How did you do testing? How’d you stay within budget?

Just think about all the projects you’ve done and relate them to the position you’re trying to get.

What to Bring to Your Engineering Interview

• Résumés are a must! They may not have copies for everyone. Sometimes people get pulled in at the last moment to help with interviews so you want to have résumés if you need them.
• Paper and pen – you gotta have them. You’ll want to take notes. You won’t always get business cards so be ready to write names of those you interview with.
• A copy of your senior design report (or other big project) is good too. That’ll give you the chance to show them your previous work.
• A list of professional references – not all companies want this but some still do. Bring it just in case!
• A list of questions to ask them.  You’ll come up with questions during the interview but it’s a good idea to have some prepared in advance if you need them.

Personal Stuff

Dress professionally. This sounds like common sense but some people just don’t get it. Suits with clean, polished shoes for the guys. For the girls, you can either do a suit with a skirt or pants. If you choose the skirt option make sure it’s not too short or tight.

Shoes should be professional, not 3″ stilettos. You shouldn’t look like you’re heading to the club right after you leave the place.

Remember, you’ll be dealing with engineers. Engineers typically dress conservatively so keep this in mind.

Make eye contact and smile. A firm handshake goes a long way too. If you’re really nervous you might try to make a joke about it to settle you down.

Sell Yourself

• Confidence is key! They aren’t going to want to hire you if it looks like you’re unsure of your own abilities. Show that you are confident with what you know and your ability to learn. Demonstrate it when going over your past positions and/or course projects.
• Problem solve out loud – sometimes you may be given an example scenario and they want to know what you would do. Don’t just sit there quietly and then give the answer. Instead, walk them through your reasoning as you come to a conclusion. This way they can see how you think and develop solutions. This provides a lot of insight to a manager.
• Ask questions for yourself – they are interviewing you but you are also interviewing them. Ask questions that will help you decide if the company is a good fit for you. This will give the impression that you aren’t just searching for any old job out of desperation. It’ll show you’re trying to select the option best suited to you. Save the questions about pay and benefits for a later time though.

Give Thanks

It may sound old-fashioned but a thank you is still a requirement. Promptly send a thank you email to those that interviewed you. Send a message written specifically for each interviewer, not a generic one.

If you feel like you left something important out during the conversation, bring it up here. Also, explain what you learned during the visit and why you think you’d be a great asset to the team. This is your last chance to make a good impression – make it worthwhile!

Summary

Getting your first engineering interview and job can be tough. If you do your research and prepare though it’ll be much less stressful. Plus, you just might land your dream job! Good luck!