Sughew,
Many companies have adopted "Behavioral Based Interviewing" techniques. You may be asked questions about specific experieneces you have had, or situations that you have been in. They may or may not tell you in advance that this is what they are doing.
If asked those types of questions, then answer them with specific examples that relate to what was asked. DO NOT answer them generically with what you would do if you were in a situation. They want to drill down and see how you have previosuly handled issues or situations. It is predicated on the the idea that past behavior is the best indicator of future performance
Here are some of my favorite questions to ask engineering candidates (along with some explanations of why I ask them):
1) What is the most difficult technical challenge you have faced?
(This is a really good way to evaluate the scope of complexity that the candidate is capable of handling. If the answer is lame or shallow, I know the candidate is too. If the answer is deep and complex, I can drill down further with specific follow-ups to ensure I'm not getting smoke blown up my skirt.)
2) Tell me about a time when you had an impossible deadline. What was the situation, and how did you deal with it?
(This is a great way to tell how they handle pressure and deadlines. I'm looking for a person that knows how to re-write the rules, and leverage outside resources, to allow her/him to achieve a successful outcome. In 'Star Trek" parlance, I want to find out if the candidate knows how to reprogram the computer to allow for success in the no-win scenario.)
3) Tell me about your biggest technical failure.
(This is a deal breaker for me. If I get some comment like "I've never had a real technical failure.", then I know I can't trust the candidate to be honest with me, and/or the candidate has never really pushed her/himself in terms of design or projects. It doesn't matter which it is, both are unacceptable for an experienced engineer. Every really good engineer that I have known has had at least one zinger of a program or project where they had a major OOPS! I know every good engineer makes an error or two. I want to know how he/she handled it, and recovered from it. It gets down to the difference between a professional, and an amateur. Both make mistakes, but a PRO knows how to recover from them. Be honest with this type of question, and then describe how you made lemonade out of lemons.)
One other piece of advice based on the most bizarre interview I've ever had with a candidate: Don't refer to yourself in third person. I once interviewed a candidate whose first name was Hamesh. He answered my questions like this:
Question:
Tell me about a time when you dealt with an angry customer, either in person, or on the phone?
Answer:
"Hamesh would do this, and Hamesh would do that. Hamesh would do blah, blah, blah . . .." I have no earthly idea what he actually said, as I was in shock as to how he referred to himself. It was as if he was talking about someone who wasn't even in the room. I happened to have one of our directors sitting in on the interview with me. That candiate was recurring fodder for humorous dialog between us for several years! Bizarre! I cancelled his remaining interview appointments after me, and escorted him personally to the front lobby!
Good luck with your interview!
-Tony Staples
