Design of the Interview

Type of interview

While most co-op applicants have some type of work experience on their resume, the majority have never held a technical engineering job. For this reason, co-op recruiters typically conduct behavioral-based rather than technical interviews to judge the skills and qualifications of a candidate. 

Behavioral-Based

In a behavioral-based interview, the recruiter tries to gather a picture of the candidate’s future performance based on past behavior. The interviewer will also try to assess the student’s fit within the organization based on the student’s personal goals. An interviewee can expect questions that require specific stories rather than scripted answers in response. Because of this, students are advised to think about and prepare examples from previous experiences that illustrate multiple skills. Stories can come from a range of experiences including job, school, volunteer and student organization.

Sample question:

Tell me about a time in which you overcame a challenge when working as part of a team.

Technical

In a technical interview, the interviewer, almost certainly an engineer, will test a student’s problem solving and communication skills. The interviewee should expect to solve engineering problems and to communicate their thinking clearly and effectively.

Length and location of interview

Co-op applicants can expect an interview with our recruiters to last anywhere from twenty-five minutes (on campus) to a full day (site interview). As well, interviews are conducted both in person and over the phone.

Interview Preparation

Research

Prepare for an interview by researching the company with whom you will meet. Visit that company’s website to learn about its history and innovative projects. Conduct an internet search to learn about the company’s news appearances. Research your field of interest within the company and come prepared to discuss where and how you plan to contribute and how the company will benefit from your education and experience.   

Questions

Interviewers believe that good candidates come prepared with a list of meaningful questions. Consider asking questions that relate specifically to that company and that demonstrate your prior research. As well, don't be afraid to ask the recruiter to further explain the job for which you're applying if the description is unclear.    

Prepare examples

In a behavioral-based interview, the interviewee must be able to answer probing questions with specific (never general) examples of past experiences. Try to think of examples that illustrate the desired skills found in the job description. As well, study the information in your resume and be prepared to answer specific questions about the experiences and skills listed. 

Develop goals

Go into an interview with a clear idea of your goals, professional, academic and personal. Try to assess the company as a good fit professionally weighing factors like size, location and industry. Will the experience strengthen your academic interests or perhaps supplement an area where your knowledge is lacking? Personal goals like travelling, raising a family and pursuing hobbies may not be as important when deciding on a co-op job, but these factors might influence acceptance of a full-time position. Identifying your goals and what you expect to gain from a job will help you go into an interview with a clear head and sense of purpose.

The Ideal Candidate is…

A Problem solver

Interviewers want to see students who are enthusiastic about meeting challenges, whether in school or at work. Meeting challenges with the ability to adapt, to take the initiative and to assert oneself reveal a passion for engineering.

A leader

Leaders are students who give back to their school and community through volunteerism or assumption of leadership positions.

Well-rounded

A well-rounded candidate is somebody with diverse experiences (engineering, volunteer, leadership), a strong GPA, good communication skills and a desire to continually develop.

Goal-oriented

Students who know what they want in a job and company appear driven, confident and mature. 

Honest

Interviewers enjoy meeting students who communicate with an honest passion, rather than with rehearsed answers.

Interested!

We hear over and over again about the power of genuine interest in a company. A student who expresses sincere interest has a passion for a particular company’s line of work and a desire to contribute. This interest is often illustrated through the knowledge a student gains from quality research; having well-developed, company-specific questions; her chosen participation in outside activities, work experience and class choices; as well as her current events knowledge.

Personality

·         Tell us what classes you enjoy the most and why? 

·         What work achievements are you most proud of? Why?

·         Do you enjoy working on a team or do you prefer to work by yourself and why?

·         What type of problems do you enjoy solving?  Why?

Behavior

·         What was your role/responsibility for (extracurricular activity) and how did you benefit from the experience?

·         Tell me about your previous jobs/internships and what you took away from those experiences.

·         Describe your most eye-opening leadership moment.

·         Describe the most significant or creative presentation/idea that you developed/implemented.

·         Describe a schedule conflict that you have encountered in your work/projects and tell us how you handled it.

·         Tell me about a time when you worked effectively under pressure.

·         Describe a decision you made or a situation that you would have handled differently if you had to do it over again.  

·         Tell me about a time when you wrote a report that was well received. What do you attribute that to?

·         What is the most difficult and challenging technical obstacle/problem ever achieved?

·         Tell me about a complex technical problem you had to solve and the steps you took to solve it.

·         Tell me about a time when you had to balance competing priorities and did so successfully.

·         Describe a situation where you did not agree with the approach on a project and tell us your involvement in the outcome.

·         During a school project, describe a time when you asked another person to do a task and the work was not performed as you intended.  What did you do?

·         Gaining the cooperation of others can be difficult. Give a specific example of when you had to do that, and what challenges you faced. What was the outcome? What was the long-term impact on your ability to work with this person?

·         In your last job, give me a specific example of a time when you had to address an angry customer. What was the problem and what was the outcome? How would you assess your role in defusing the situation?

·         Tell me about a time you worked in a group and faced challenges with the group dynamic. What did you do?

·         How do you go about motivating a team member or co-worker?

Knowledge of company

·         What interests you about this position?