A skilled worker who specializes in a certain career or sector of work is known as a tradesman or tradesperson. In contrast to an apprentice, who is learning the profession, tradesmen often have work experience, on-the-job learning, and frequently formal vocational schooling. let’s get to know about Electrician Interview Questions.
Wiring of structures, fibred optic cables, stationary machinery, and associated equipment is the specialty of an electrician. Electricians work on new electrical component installations as well as the repair and maintenance of current electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also specialize in data and cable lines, as well as wiring ships, aircraft, and other mobile platforms.
Ever since the inception of harnessing electricity as a means for the supply of energy, humans have ever since grown exponentially in improving its usage. Hence electricians have become vital in this day and age of technological advancement with a growing need for them in all sectors. For a firm or individual entity to hire an electrician to effectively carry out their duties in a skilled and optimised manner, one must consider asking the correct questions to narrow down the most fitting candidate. In today’s highly competitive climate, it is necessary to keep in mind the current market scenario.
Overview Of An Electrician
- Responsibilities
Electricians are generally responsible for:
- Testing, assembling and installing electrical systems.
- Installing circuit breakers and connecting the proper wire to transformers.
- Informing managers and co-workers about potential dangers.
- Arranging the electrical plan in accordance with blueprints and safety regulations.
- Fabrication of appropriate materials
- Developing a comprehensive understanding of the tools required for a task.
- Skills
Electricians would be required to remember how to wire and diagnose electrical problems.
These abilities include the following:
- Understanding blueprints.
- Electricians require a basic understanding of the installation of cables, circuit breakers, fittings, and enclosures.
- To guarantee worker safety, experience with oscilloscopes, voltmeters, and ohmmeters is required.
- Ability to conduct strenuous physical labour.
- Electrical identification and risk evaluation abilities.
- Resuscitation and the intervention of electrical injuries are required first aid abilities.
- Qualifications
Electricians must have graduated from high school. They must also have finished an apprenticeship or an equivalent programme and possess a current electrician’s licence.
- Salary
Several factors determine the salary of an electrician such as:
- Qualification
- Location
- Structure of Reports (Quantity of direct reports and the rank of the manager to whom they report)
- Higher than expected Objectives in terms of performance.
Expected Electrician Interview Questions
Interviews are unpredictable and questions are subject to change as per the interviewer. Below are some sample questions, the explanations and example answers.
General Electrician Interview Questions
The soft qualities required for any job, such as timeliness, communication, work ethic, and career aspirations, are often covered by common electrician interview questions under the general category. It’s also an excellent moment to evaluate a candidate’s attitude or demeanour to see whether they’d be a suitable fit for your firm. Remember, your new hire will represent your business in the field, so it’s important to ask the right questions and ensure the candidate fits your business and company culture.
1. What motivates you to pursue a career in the electrical industry?
Interviewers frequently ask open-ended questions to determine how a job prospect behaves and communicates when confronted with a difficult situation. Look for someone who keeps strong eye contact and has a confident demeanour. These abilities reveal a lot about the tech’s communication abilities and how he or she will interact with clients.
2. What do you know about our electrical company?
How did they hear about the position? Did they investigate your firm and did they research before applying? Hiring managers tend to consider applicants more seriously when they clearly demonstrate they’ve made an effort to learn more by scouring your company website, visiting social media sites, and talking to your current or past employees. It is an indication of the candidate’s desire to work for your company.
3. What is your reason for scouring for a new job?
Make sure to ask about a new hire’s motivations to determine whether their long-term career goals mesh with your company’s core values. Why did they leave their last employer? Was it voluntary? Are they looking to make more money? Improve work-life-balance?
4. What prior experience and/or certification do you have that qualifies you for this electrical position?
This question often elicits a multi-layered answer with details about on-the-job experience, classroom training, electrician apprentice training, licensure, national certifications, etc. While applicants usually include this information on their resume and cover letter, you can uncover additional skills, such as specialty certifications or a knack for customer service.
5. Why did you leave your former position, and why are you interested in working for us?
Job applicants who were recently terminated or frequently hop from job to job should raise a red flag. Give the electrician job candidate the opportunity to articulate their reasons for leaving to determine whether the same issues could be problematic at your company.
Understand their motivations for wanting to work for your business, and then use their answers in the future to recruit top talent and build a strong pipeline of electrician candidates. You may even discover additional benefits or perks you can implement to retain existing employees and stand out from your competition.
6. Have you got a current driver’s licence and a spotless driving record?
Your technicians who work on electrical equipment must drive to customers’ homes in your company trucks, so a valid driver’s license is paramount. Most electrician apprentice programs and licensing agencies require electrician technicians to hold a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
7. Could you forward us a few of your references?
You can assess an applicant’s written communication skills, as well as the ability to follow directions, by asking them to email a list of at least three references. You can also gauge their interest in the position by how quickly they email their references. Ask them to explain their relationship to the reference, how long they’ve known them, and provide current contact information for each.
Behavioral /Situational Job Interview Questions
Behavioural or situational questions give applicants the opportunity for show-and-tell, with more emphasis placed on the “show” part of the equation. Interviewers need to assess an applicant’s ability for problem-solving, following safety precautions, and their overall comfort with using technology on the job.
Today’s electricians utilize technology on the job to streamline operations by deploying smartphones, mobile tablets, and electrician field service management software.
1. Describe a specific electrical job where you sacrificed safety for speed.
While this might seem like a trick question—since electrical safety should never be compromised for speed—the types of responses you glean can be very telling. Not only can this question weed out electrician candidates who don’t hold safety in high regard, it provides a measure of their honesty and integrity.
2. Please provide an example of how you changed a dissatisfied customer into a satisfied one.
Customers are more likely to be satisfied when electricians focus on customer care and assistance. Happy clients turn into repeat business, often via follow-up calls or word-of-mouth referrals. Techs who listen to customers and show empathy, clearly explain the process, and educate them on all available solutions to provide better customer service.
3. A customer expresses anger or frustration over a bill. How do you respond?
How an applicant responds to this question reveals a lot about their personality, attitude, customer service style, and ability to work under pressure. The ideal candidate should take the time to clearly communicate all of the steps and associated costs involved with the service, but not throw your company under the bus. A negative customer experience will cost you money in lost business and unsatisfied customers.
4. What are the most common safety infractions you encounter, and how would you mitigate them?
Safety plays a critical role in all electrical work, whether it means following proper safety protocols in a customer’s home or business, or preventing injury while on the job. Assess an applicant’s knowledge for electrical safety, then ask how the candidate would address common electrical safety violations on the job.
5. Here’s a specific electrical job scenario. Explain your process for handling the call.
Electricians work with their hands and gain specialized training. Give them a specific electrical task and ask them to explain their step-by-step process for diagnosing and fixing the problem. What questions do they ask the customer? What resources do they need? What safety measures do they take? Does the customer require a follow-up visit?
Remember, this is your opportunity to gauge how they would perform on the job—from start to finish—to get a clear understanding of their strengths, and potential flaws.
Technical Skills Questions To Ask Electricians
A hiring manager can assess an applicant’s technical ability and know-how from educational degrees, certifications, past experience, and other electrician training listed on their resumes.
To get a good idea of an applicant’s technical skill, consider asking the following technical questions:
1. What are the differences between a fuse and circuit breaker?
An electrician candidate must understand the unique roles fuses and circuit breakers play in protecting electrical systems and preventing fires and shock. While both interrupt the flow of electricity, fuses melt when they detect too much heat, while circuit breakers trip when they detect unsafe surges of electricity.
2. Do you have any experience troubleshooting a PLC (programmable logic controller)?
PLCs translate user commands for electronically controlled machines. Module failure, loss of power, dampness, overheating, and faulty network connectivity are all common causes of PLC control system failure. A knowledge of PLCs is important for electricians working in commercial and industrial settings.
3. Name some common defects of PLC?
Any time you give an answer during an interview, you may expect follow-up questions. These suggest that the interviewer needs extra information or has a strong interest in the subject and wishes to learn more about it. Follow-up questions are addressed in the same straightforward and simple manner as normal queries.
4. Do you have experience working with or servicing a transformer?
If your business serves factories or industrial settings, electrician candidates must have experience inspecting, troubleshooting, and repairing transformers. A transformer uses mutual induction to transfer electrical current from one circuit to another while maintaining a constant frequency.
4. Lay out your knowledge of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
Electricians utilize a variety of PPE while working on electrical systems, from non-conductive protective helmets to flame-resistant clothing and insulating gloves. Electrical contractors must ensure their technicians understand safety procedures and have convenient access to necessary PPE.
5. How would you prevent over-lamping?
Over-lamping occurs when you place a high-wattage light bulb in a lower-wattage fixture. It causes arcing and often starts fires. Electrician interview candidates must understand how to spot over-lamping while inspecting an electrical system or fixture, and offer solutions.
6. What method do you use to calculate wire fill?
Another question that is both technical and operational. You must comprehend wire fill and what it entails. Then you must explain how you calculate wire fill and select the appropriate components. Performing both of these tasks will establish your suitability for an electrician’s position.
7. Are you capable of following plans to bend both EMT and RMC conduit?
This is a question that is both operational and technical in nature. You must understand the meanings of the abbreviations EMT and RMC, as well as how to bend these sorts of conduits. The simplest method to respond to this issue is to first explain the various sorts of conduits, then describe how you would bend them.
8. How do you figure out how many amps you can put on a 500 mcm thhn conductor?
You’re presumably aware that this is yet another topic that is both technical and operational. Your response should contain an explanation of the wiring as well as a statement about how many amps it can handle. Keep your response short and direct, and be prepared for follow-up inquiries.
Technology And Tools Questions
While interviewing electrician candidates, make sure to ask about previous, on-the-job experience with CRM technology and other tools. Today’s electricians utilize field service technology to increase efficiencies, enhance communication, and grow ticket sizes.
Use the opportunity to learn about the candidate’s experience, ask about specific tools and software, and understand their views on how technology enhances the workplace.
1. How do you view mobile technology and its role in the future of the electrical industry?
Electrical contractors increasingly rely on technology to streamline business operations and boost technician efficiency. How an applicant responds to this question tells you a lot about their knowledge of current technology and industry trends. If your business uses electrician software, asking about technological skills can help you determine whether the candidate is a good fit.
2. What is your experience with using mobile technology on the job?
This question helps you understand a candidate’s previous experience, as well as their level of comfort using technology on the job. It’s also a strong predictor of the candidate’s training requirements. Electricians often provide estimates, communicate with dispatch, and collect payments from their mobile devices.
3. What tools have you used to convey choices to a consumer after identifying the problem?
While in the field, electrician technicians need to clearly articulate the problem and all available solutions. Modern electrician software helps techs present varying levels of service, such as good-better-and-best, so customers can understand their options and make an informed decision. A lack of tangible experience shouldn’t automatically disqualify a candidate; it just means you’ll need to provide additional training.
You’ll likely realize new recruits have experience using technology and want to work for a forward-thinking company.
Wage Questions To Ask In An Electrician Interview
Most applicants don’t feel comfortable asking about pay upfront, but salary expectations matter a great deal when considering one job applicant over another. As a business owner, you need to be prepared to pay competitive salaries and offer enticing benefits to attract top job candidates and reduce costly turnover rates.
For example, if your company offers performance pay versus hourly rates, candidates need to understand how your commission and bonus structure affects the position. If you expect electricians to sell more services on every call, be sure to make that clear.
Some simple payroll questions include:
- What are your wage expectations?
- Have you ever worked for a company that uses performance-based pay?
- What are your expectations for bonuses?
Conclusion
In a highly competitive job market, it’s important to separate the casual seekers from the serious electrician candidates. Asking the right questions from the get-go can help you identify new recruits worth investing your time and money in, who will stick around and grow, as you scale your electrical business. If you’re new to hiring electricians, consider hosting a mock interview with members of your team. It is good to keep the interview light hearted as opposed to an intimidating one. The interviewer must remember that the candidate must be able to answer honestly and with ease. Therefore, it is advisable to build a rapport with the applicant and stave off an uncomfortable situation.
Lastly, remember to end the interview on a kind note regardless of the trajectory. This is to not diminish the confidence of the candidate and allow them to keep going forward in their job hunt.
