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Top Interview Questions to Ask a Structural Engineer

Perusing a résumé gives you a high-level overview of engineering candidate; useful for deciding on which ones to bring in for a face-to-face meeting. The interview offers the best opportunity to truly vet a candidate’s skill set and experience – provided you and your team ask the right questions. Queries that explore what lies behind their technical abilities ensures the right hire gets made.

With hiring a top-notch structural engineer in mind, here are a few ideas to help your team make the right decision on a candidate. Good luck in your efforts!

Ask About Tangible Experience With the Software Tools Used at Your Firm

Onboarding a new structural engineer becomes an easier process if they are already familiar with the engineering software tools used at your office. Ask a few questions aimed at finding out their experience level with widely used applications in engineering. AutoCAD and MathCAD are the most obvious examples.

Additionally, verify their familiarity with any applications listed on their résumé. This helps find out whether a candidate is embellishing their skill set. It is also a useful line of questioning when speaking with the interviewee’s references.

Are They a Team Player?

Collaboration is becoming more vital throughout the technology world, and structural engineering is no different. Regarding the project-based experience detailed in the candidate’s professional history, frame a few questions to find out more about their ability to be a team player. Do they tend to perform best as a “lone wolf,” or do they thrive working on a team of other talented engineers?

Find out about any experience with projects using modern methodologies, like Agile or DevOps. Both are making inroads outside of traditional IT departments.

Behavioral Questions Are a Must

Asking a few behavioral questions helps get a feel for a candidate’s performance when in your office. To further explore their work history, find out how they reacted when faced with an angry client or a demanding boss. Describe a hypothetical scenario typical of your own engineering office to better gauge their match with your company’s culture.

Leveraging questions aimed at finding out more about a structural engineering candidate’s abilities, their affinity for teamwork and how well they’ll fit in at your office ultimately ensures the right choice for your company.

When you need additional insights on building a great engineering team, talk to the experts at Synerfac. As one of the top technical staffing agencies in Greensboro and the rest of Research Triangle, we supply the best candidates for your company’s needs. Schedule some time with us soon!

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