Electrician Interviews

[Greg Swartz]

Ok,
So today, I have 4 people interviewing for the Journeyman Ad that I posted. (probably had about 10 apprentices call too...) I advertised on Craigslist, the local workforce center, and the local IEC... the only place that I got hits on was Craigslist.

I am going to give a conduit bending test, a short written test, answer a single question test ("What would you do in this situation?"), and an interview...

Is that too much?

Suggestions for interview questions? I have about 10, but am looking for input.

Greg

 

[480sparky]

I've never had a test in the first go-around in the interview process. It's always been after the initial interview and I've been asked to come back. I suppost that's to weed out those who are not what they claim to be, and further talks and tests will narrow the field evern further. Of course, I'm assuming there were dozens of applicants.... you're only dealing with 4.

Don't be too judgemental in how the people do on the test.... as long as the results are acceptable, that should be good. Just because they don't do it 'your way' is no reason to keep them from consideration. Ten questions should be enough, as long as they're well-rounded in scope and aren't outside the area of expertise you're hiring for. If they can't do the first 5 or six, another twenty isn't going to help them.

 

[jjhoward]

Of course you want to assess the skill set of potential employees.

To me, it is also extremely important if I like the person's character.

You should be able to teach the employee skills they need, but it is tougher to change their character.

I have often hired someone that I liked, regardless of their skills. Their pay reflects their worth to the company. But I love spending time with people I like.

 

[satcom]

Ok,
So today, I have 4 people interviewing for the Journeyman Ad

If they are Journeyman we do not test, we interview for their job related skills, and look at and check, their employment history, if they are Jorneyman, they had to complete the labor department 4 year program, which indicates they had class room and actual on the job trainning for the 8000 hours, with out that they are not journeyman just someone that happened to been employeed in the electrical trade, and we thank them for comming and end the interview.

 

[COFFEE TIME]

how about an electrical bench test.. get them to wire up a couple of 3 ways & 4 ways say 3 of them.but put 3-3 ways on the table. and a contactor. troubleshoot a problem that you put there. stick a piece of paper between the contacts or cut the wire an just stick it under the screw.let him or her tell you why it's not working . just put a meter,screwdriver,wire strippers on the table. watch them work....

 

[hockeyoligist2]

One thing I used to do, which I will probably regret posting here.........

I would say to the person that I was interviewing: "You have a little spot of something on your face" and touch a part of my face. If they wiped their face as they would if looking in a mirror, as in, I touch the left they wipe their right side. I lowered my points on hiring them.

I did hire some that didn't pass the wipe test due to other reasons, such as, bosses brother-in-law, good references and work experience, ETC.

A note I need to add, I was not hiring basic electricians. I was hiring maintenance personnel. They had to be electricians, mechanics, machinists, designers, all built in to one.

They had to have strong common sense, the ability to see things as they are instead of a reflection.

Now that I have written this. I am sure I will catch a bunch of slack, but the ones I hired that didn't pass the test had problems reading blueprints, schematics, and putting it all together. Their troubleshooting skills were also very bad.

 

[NolaTigaBait]

One thing I used to do, which I will probably regret posting here.........

I would say to the person that I was interviewing: "You have a little spot of something on your face" and touch a part of my face. If they wiped their face as they would if looking in a mirror, as in, I touch the left they wipe their right side. I lowered my points on hiring them.

I did hire some that didn't pass the wipe test due to other reasons, such as, bosses brother-in-law, good references and work experience, ETC.

A note I need to add, I was not hiring basic electricians. I was hiring maintenance personnel. They had to be electricians, mechanics, machinists, designers, all built in to one.

They had to have strong common sense, the ability to see things as they are instead of a reflection.

Now that I have written this. I am sure I will catch a bunch of slack, but the ones I hired that didn't pass the test had problems reading blueprints, schematics, and putting it all together. Their troubleshooting skills were also very bad.

ok sigmund

 

[hockeyoligist2]

ok sigmund

I think a little different than most people so I can take that as a compliment!

 

[tonyou812]

My second boss gave me a though test for a two year apprentice job/ or helper position. His questions ranged in toughness. But I remember he asked me how to splice a 4 way fed and switched in the same jb box. And I gave him the answer right away because prior to that my old forman taught me that splice in and out so it was still fresh in my head. I got the job anyway and at the time I remember there was a pretty stiff competion.

 

[Greg Swartz]

I've never had a test in the first go-around in the interview process. It's always been after the initial interview and I've been asked to come back. I suppost that's to weed out those who are not what they claim to be, and further talks and tests will narrow the field evern further. Of course, I'm assuming there were dozens of applicants.... you're only dealing with 4.

Don't be too judgemental in how the people do on the test.... as long as the results are acceptable, that should be good. Just because they don't do it 'your way' is no reason to keep them from consideration. Ten questions should be enough, as long as they're well-rounded in scope and aren't outside the area of expertise you're hiring for. If they can't do the first 5 or six, another twenty isn't going to help them.

It's your test, so of course it will work! :grin:

 

[electricmanscott]

One thing I used to do, which I will probably regret posting here.........

I would say to the person that I was interviewing: "You have a little spot of something on your face" and touch a part of my face. If they wiped their face as they would if looking in a mirror, as in, I touch the left they wipe their right side. I lowered my points on hiring them.

I did hire some that didn't pass the wipe test due to other reasons, such as, bosses brother-in-law, good references and work experience, ETC.

A note I need to add, I was not hiring basic electricians. I was hiring maintenance personnel. They had to be electricians, mechanics, machinists, designers, all built in to one.

They had to have strong common sense, the ability to see things as they are instead of a reflection.

Now that I have written this. I am sure I will catch a bunch of slack, but the ones I hired that didn't pass the test had problems reading blueprints, schematics, and putting it all together. Their troubleshooting skills were also very bad.

Why would you regret posting this, it sounds perfectly normal. :grin:

 

[hockeyoligist2]

Try a little experiment with the guys you work with. You already know their weak points, do the wipe test and see how it turns out! I got a quarter to bet that the weak troubleshooters fail and the strong ones don't!

 

[charlietuna]

Do you have them jump off the top of a six foot ladder too? Skill and knowledge is only a small part of this guy taking proper care of your customer base!

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I would say to the person that I was interviewing: "You have a little spot of something on your face" and touch a part of my face. If they wiped their face as they would if looking in a mirror, as in, I touch the left they wipe their right side. I lowered my points on hiring them.

I think 99% of the people in the world would do that. Why would you try to signal someone to wipe their left side when it is on your right side? If you signaled me by touching your right side, I would wipe my left side since that is the side you moved your hand to.

I guess I failed.

 

[480sparky]

Once they're all done, let us know know it worked out!

 

[ike5547]

I think 99% of the people in the world would do that. Why would you try to signal someone to wipe their left side when it is on your right side? If you signaled me by touching your right side, I would wipe my left side since that is the side you moved your hand to.

I guess I failed.

Not only that, I signal to other people that they have something on their face as if they were looking in a mirror.

If I signal with the right side, and they touch their right side, they fail my test and can't troubleshoot circuits.

And that's that.

 

[nolabama]

hire character not skillz
thats my opinion
i do like the idea of asking them to wire a 4 way circut with two three ways and a contactor
ask them to wire a three way with the hot in the light and not in the switch boxes - they should be ok if they can do that

 

[wbalsam1]

hire character not skillz
thats my opinion
i do like the idea of asking them to wire a 4 way circut with two three ways and a contactor
ask them to wire a three way with the hot in the light and not in the switch boxes - they should be ok if they can do that

Or an even tougher test....Ask them to wire a 4-way with the hot in the light while looking in a mirror and wiping their face.:grin::grin:

 

[cadpoint]

hire character not skillz
thats my opinion
i do like the idea of asking them to wire a 4 way circut with two three ways and a contactor

I'd Fail, but only if I couldn't sketch it out!

ask them to wire a three way with the hot in the light and not in the switch boxes - they should be ok if they can do that

We'll, I'll give the clue away, a true 3 way can have the lights in front or behind the switches, I'm missing your Jest...

 

[480sparky]

Not only that, I signal to other people that they have something on their face as if they were looking in a mirror.

If I signal with the right side, and they touch their right side, they fail my test and can't troubleshoot circuits.

And that's that.

Is there any imperical data you can provide to back up your feelings about this 'test'? I fail to see the significance of it. Circuits aren't in the habit of telling a technicial about something on their face.