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jcommin jcommin is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,805
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Quote:
Originally Posted by unclebilly View Post
I am looking to hire a few mechanical design engineers.

Normally, one of my interview questions is, “Are you mechanically inclined?”

Almost everyone says yes.

My follow up is, “Tell me about a project you have taken on in you home life where you have built or repaired something.”

Today, after an incident with one of my senior engineers, I decided to change up my follow up question... it will now be, “Have you ever changed the tube in a grease gun?”

If they say yes, the follow up will be, “How did it go?”

Alternatively, I am considering bringing a new and clean tube of grease and grease gun and asking the applicant how they would install it, and how the grease gun works. Obviously, I wouldn’t let them get grease all over the place.

What are your thoughts? What weird questions have you been asked at interviews before.
These are questions I would not ask. I paint in pastels and I love art. I have been painting for years - taking on a mechanical project at home, not so much. I can use tools. I'm an ME and have been in manufacturing for over 45 years. You wouldn't want to judge my skill sets based on grades or if I can put a clutch in a car.

I don't believe in GPAs - everyone gets good grade and all that tells me is you studied hard.

Questions I ask:

I will ask "have you ever failed?" What happened?, did you recover? what did you learn?

"Give me 2 numbers that add up to 4?" When I get the answer, ex: 2 plus 2, I respond how about 3 plus 1 or 8 minus 4.

"Can you describe to me what a vending machine is if I have never seen one before?"

that's just a few - I'm looking to see if they have the ability to think, looking for creativity. I'm looking for a creative edge.
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Jim

1983 944n/a
2003 Mercedes CLK 500 - totaled. Sanwiched on the Kennedy Expressway
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