Going into first EE job interview, need advice.

[shosh]

So I'm going into my first interview for a entry level EE job. the qualifications are:

-Thorough knowledge of process instrumentation and control systems

- Experience working with control systems will include knowledge of DDC, DCS
and PLC

-Experience designing and programming systems with PLCs, SCADA and HMI systems

This is for a company that designs actuators for oil companies. I'm trying to go through my process controls book from school, but boy, did I forget a lot. My experiences with PLCs is the micrologix 1000 trainer I built at home to get some practice in conjunction with an online youtube series.

So what are some typical questions will they ask in these interviews? What type of Engineering questions do people in this line of work ask? And what are the expectations do they have in an Entry level candidate?

 

[dr pepper]

Sounds like what I'm up to, only in the paper industry, been doing this 20+ years.

50% of an interview is the impression you give to your prospective employer, remember that.

I'm sure there will be lots of technical question advice coming along soon.

Good luck, its a interesting and sometimes rewarding career.

 

[shosh]

Thanks.
Can you tell me some of the fundamental ideas, equations, or theories implemented in your work?

 

[JimB]

So I'm going into my first interview for a entry level EE job. the qualifications are:

-Thorough knowledge of process instrumentation and control systems

- Experience working with control systems will include knowledge of DDC, DCS
and PLC

-Experience designing and programming systems with PLCs, SCADA and HMI systems

This is for a company that designs actuators for oil companies. I'm trying to go through my process controls book from school, but boy, did I forget a lot. My experiences with PLCs is the micrologix 1000 trainer I built at home to get some practice in conjunction with an online youtube series.

So what are some typical questions will they ask in these interviews? What type of Engineering questions do people in this line of work ask? And what are the expectations do they have in an Entry level candidate?

Call me Mr Cynical, but the expressions "thorough knowledge", "experience working with" and "experience designing" are not consistent with an "entry level" person. Or am I misunderstanding something here.

If I were interviewing someone who was obviously a beginner, I would ask him to describe something which he has worked with in the past, at university or college or during some work experience.
If the guy had no experience in my companies field, I would not be asking detailed questions about our type of equipment but ask if he understood some of the underlying principles of what it did and how it worked.

JimB

 

[jpanhalt]

One of the oldest and most frequently asked questions is, "What do you you have to offer us." Know about the company and be prepared. As JimB said, it may not be an entry level position, but the fact that you got an interview may mean there is something in your resume/record that sparked an interest. Keep yourself interesting.

It is not an objective test. You will not know the answer to every question. Don't BS, but show you know how to find the answer.

John

 

[simonbramble]

but show you know how to find the answer.

I agree... when I interview people, I am often looking for the way they got to an answer - the thought process - not necessarily the right answer. Everyone can make mistakes, but often the way someone approaches a problem tells me more about how they are as an engineer than getting the right answer

Also, it is not just your knowledge they will be assessing. It is your ability to think creatively, be a nice guy and how to fit into and work with a team of other people. No point in having a boffin who cannot integrate with people

 

[dr pepper]

OK then if you want to know more.
I have interviewed people, a couple of times when I have left and found my own replacement.

Because your starting out your experience is obviously very little, so your actual level of understanding isnt expected to be that of someone twice your age.

Employers ought to be looking for lads that are enthusiatic and actually want to learn the trade, I said 'ought' because in my experience personnel departments these days are impressed by silly buzzwords and people researching the business they are applying to.

As far as technical knowledge, the interviews I've attended (interviewee) there has usually been a set of drawings and questions have been asked to get me to show that I understand the drawings and various parts of the machinery, pumps, bearings, gearboxes, drives, contactors etc, also a few times theres been a box of parts on the table and I've been asked to identify them (if your canny you can tell a lot from how someone handles something, an experinced engineer will look for rating plates/signs of damage etc autonomously), inductors, proxys, clutches, capacitors, braking resistors, bearings, plc i/o cards, it might be worth while studying some machine drawings and looking through an engineers merchants catalogue to familiarise yourself with the general idea.

I'd be surpised if your asked any formulas, if you are then maybe ohms law, 3 phase power equations, zigler nichols pid, stored energy in a flywheel etc.

To prove your usefullness with scada you might also be expected to demonstrate some knowledge of pc hardware, including some dinosaur cruddy stuff, a lot of scada I've come accross dates to pre windows and uses at slots instead of pci.