Talk about a time you had to work with a very difficult person. What was the situation and how did you handle it?

"In my current role, I have a customer that flies off the handle very easily if things don't happen just right and I learned this from my first interactions with him. In seeing this happen from the start, I have always maintained a calm demeanor when he was upset and showed empathy by asking questions about his expectations and how to fix situations for him. To this day, I expect difficulty from him when we work together and the years we've had a working relationship together have better prepared me for more clients like him in the future."

At some point in any person's career, they have to work with a colleague or customer who is extremely difficult. Rather than looking to hear the fine details as to why this person was difficult, your interviewer will be looking to gain insight into how you personally handled the situation and others like it to ensure that a sound relationship was fostered even when you faced difficult circumstances. In your answer, some key things to focus on are your ability to be tolerant, understanding and a great communicator in these situations.

"A couple of years ago, a close colleague of mine had a very abrupt turnaround in her attitude and performance on the job. She was very curt and abrasive in conversations when she was normally very talkative and friendly on the job. After noticing some concerns in her work, I approached her with an open mind and asked her what was going on to cause these things to change. I showed concern and approached her as a friend and this approach prompted her to tell me about some issues happening in her personal life. By taking this approach, rather than getting upset or even made with her, I showed her that I cared and valued her as a person and my approach helped her open up and turn her life at work back around to the positive side."

If you are hired for this position here at Kimley-Horn, what do you think the biggest hurdle for you would be from the start?

"As you can see from my resume, most of my career experience is in the food industry. If fortunate enough to be hired for this position, the biggest area for learning for me would be the finance side of other industries like technology, telecommunications and healthcare. From day one, I would begin by thoroughly research the clients here at Kimley-Horn and speaking with as many industry experts that I know through business networking. While learning the ins and outs of other industries is the biggest learning curve for me, I see it as a great opportunity for me to become more proficient and effective in the work that I'd be doing for you."

For this question, you can showcase your research that you've done on both Kimley-Horn and the role you are interviewing for by being upfront and honest about what you feel would be the biggest learning curve for you if hired for the position and giving your plan for how you would approach this hurdle. In your answer, make sure that you highlight your skills and abilities in making a molehill out of a mountain on your way to success in this role.

"While this may sound funny to you at first, I think the biggest challenge for me from the start will be adapting to the great corporate lifestyle and culture here at Kimley-Horn. When I saw this position being open for applicants and I did my research, I was extremely excited to hear about the flexibility and openness to the ideas of your staff members. I've been working for six years in an environment that is very opposite of an open culture for new ideas and for me personally, it will feel foreign for me to bring new ideas to the team here and have them be accepted."

Talk about some of the safety related projects you've been involved in during your time in the industry. What safety related perspectives would you be able to bring to the clients here at Kimley-Horn?

"During my time working in the highway and road construction industry, I've been a part of some great design implementations to make roads safer. By utilizing detailed traffic studies/forecasts and animated 3D design, I've been a part of the design of many roundabout applications that take away all dangers of collisions at busy intersections. In my mind, eliminating the risk of head on and t-bone type collisions is a top priority to help save lives and I'd bring this philosophy when working with clients here."

A constant in the transportation industry has always been to make safety a top priority. As technology and innovation has greatly changed over time, safety procedures and processes have also greatly changed. To hear that you will have a continual eye gazing at safety with their clients, your interviewer is looking to hear about a project that you worked on that centered around safety. On top of you example, talk high level about your safety philosophy and how you'll help bring that to the clients of Kimley-Horn.

"During my years in the rail industry, highway crossing was always a top concern when building new lines or re-routing existing lines. To design and build things from the safest place possible, a team effort was always necessary. I have worked with civil engineers and executives of short rail lines to create lines that make sense from both a logistical and safety point of view so it is a win-win situation for everyone involved, including the general public. It is very easy for some to lose sight of the general public, but I never do in my work and I would see to it that no client would either."

At Kimley-Horn, you will have the opportunity to work with high level executives and leaders from the companies we contract with. What experience do you have in working with people at these levels?

"In my current role, I work directly under our Chief Financial Officer and sit on a couple of different committees that our Chief Executive Officer is on. Under the direction of my CFO, we have a great working relationship. I am comfortable approaching him at any moment with questions or to bring forward new ideas. He is aware of my strengths and respects my opinions on matters in my wheelhouse, so he never hesitates to come to me with important things. I think the keys to our strong relationship are the respect we show for each other and our open lines of communication."

As a business advisory and consulting firm, Kimley-Horn works with Managers, Directors, CEO's, CFO's, CAO's and leaders with other titles on all of our projects. Your role will likely involve working closely with these leaders. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are comfortable in working with the leadership team of the organization's clients by having you talk about your experience. Make sure that the examples you provide include some details on how you worked effectively to get the job done with the leaders you worked with.

"Throughout my career, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with employees at all levels of the organizations that I've worked with. To me, working effectively with anyone requires a personal touch and a respectful approach. Whether I work with front line sales staff or members of the C-Suite, I take the time to get to know the person, their job and how I can best be of help to them in my role. This approach really helped me build a relationship with a Sales Executive that a few of my colleagues had struck out with in recent interactions."

If you were to join Kimley-Horn in this role, you will be counted on to lead projects. Talk about a time you had to lead a team of individuals. What leadership skills do you have that you will bring to the table here?

"In my current role, I've been asked on numerous occasions to lead finance projects for my organization and I always do so with open arms and an open mind. On a recent project, I pulled together a team that included members of sales, production and upper management. to make this project successful, it was up to me to know each team member's area of expertise and delegate tasks based on their knowledge. A great part of the teams success was due to my ability to lead in a manner that promoted communication among individuals who never had the chance to work together and I accomplished this through fun ice breaking activities with the team and regular email communications outside of our in-person meetings."

The ability to lead others in project work or any other aspect of a business comes down to the fine details and traits of being a great leader. The experience you have can come from many different areas and can include project management, supervising/managing or even mentoring others. When you answer this question, be sure to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively, bring unity, lead by example and empower/teach others and talk about how you will use these skills if hired at Kimley-Horn.

"As you can see from my background, I have extensive experience as a Sales Manager and Director and I know that the skills I honed in these roles will transfer nicely to this position. I have always found that leading teams is best accomplished by leading by example and walking the talk that I put out to my staff. I feel that I've also developed great skills in mentoring and coaching my staff and I've been commended on these skills by both sales leadership peers and my team. In this role, I would bring this same approach when working with clients."

Would you say that you are a goal oriented person on the job? Why would you say that?

"If hired for this position, one of the first things that you'll learn about me is that I am very driven to succeed in all that I do on the job. For me, personal drive definitely centers around goals and my desire to achieve them. I have the focus to set goals myself and to work towards goals that are set by my organization, my leaders or my customers and I would bring this ability with each client that I work with here at Kimley-Horn."

Success in business consulting is most often measured in the achievement of goals for clients and for this question, your interviewer will ideally be looking to hear that you are driven by goals and that you have the ability to set them as well. In your answer, give your interviewer the sense that you are goal oriented by giving an example or two of a time where you set and worked towards a goal as part of a team effort. Explain your part in the achievement of the goals and your ability to stay focused on the end result.

"I would definitely say that I am goal oriented in the work that I do on a daily basis. In project management, I work off of both time related goals and production related goals and these really drive my daily tasks and my delegation of responsibilities to other team members. If given the opportunity to come work for Kimley-Horn, my clients would greatly benefit from my ability to both set and achieve goals with them."

Part of our work here at Kimley-Horn entails obtaining buy-in from clients on energy conservation. How would you sell energy conservation ideas to clients?

"As you can probably already tell from our conversations so far, I am very passionate about sustainable energy and the need for every organization and person to keep that in the front of their mind in all of their efforts. I would approach clients with statistical data that proves the positive facts that sustainability projects can achieve. I understand that the clients here at Kimley-Horn are driven by data and I would be able to deliver that to them."

As Kimley-Horn moves into the future, part of the work that they do will be selling companies on the need to be more energy conscious and efficient. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear your tactics for educating clients on the importance of sustainability in their operations. The reality is that many clients don't have energy conservation at the top of their minds and your job will be to convince them otherwise. Be sure to speak passionately about this aspect of the job.

"Being a firm believer that utilizing energy on the earth in a wise way is the right thing to do, my approach with clients here at Kimley-Horn would be to take an educational approach that is empathetic to the environment and even their own pocketbooks. What most organizations don't realize is that while costs up front can sometimes be a little higher to implement energy savings programs, it doesn't take long for initial costs to be negated due to cost savings down the road."

Talk about a time that your thoroughness in inspecting a construction site helped identify a critical issue. What did you learn from that situation?

"With the current contractor that I work for, I am charged with final internal inspections of finished facilities. Being that a large portion of our business is new school construction, I take great pride in being thorough for the safety of the students and the staff. Last year, I flew to Kentucky to spend a few days onsite of a project that was finishing up. Upon inspecting the air conditioning unit and associated duct work, I noticed that the power supply was not sufficient enough for the main unit. Other inspectors may have quickly looked past this item as an oversight, but I immediately called in our project manager to have the issue taken care of the next day. I've found that the small things often get overlooked, so I take any time necessary on a site to go over every minor detail like this."

As a consultant overseeing major construction projects for clients, your inspection skills will counted on and be vital to the success of the clients of Kimley-Horn. Your interviewer is looking to hear that you are detailed in your inspection processes by having you talk about a time that your detail helped spot an issue and correct it before it was too late. Be sure to pull any lessons from that situation that you carry forward with you to this day that will help you in this consulting role.

"Having worked in residential construction for many years, I know the common areas where building mistakes can be detrimental to the home or building years down the road. Based on my experiences, I recently inspected a new home with several differing roof surfaces. The rain gutter system was putting all of the water into two spots and I knew this would cause major issues for the foundation of the house falling major rainfalls. To test my theory, I simply used a hose overnight to run water through the two main drainage areas to prove my point to the builder. Within days, the subcontractor was back onsite to reroute the gutter system to multiple exit points."

Talk about a time that you utilized a creative solution to help with an environmental issue on the job. What resources did you use to help make the creative solution a reality?

"During my time working for the state of New Jersey, I was tasked with water cleanup projects to help save natural lakes and ponds that were subject to major pollution from nearby factories. To first help sustain life in the waterways, I researched and attending some training on biofiltration systems. With the training I underwent, I utilized a strain of cabbage in the ponds that effectively filtered and destroyed many of the VOC's in the ponds. This allowed life in the waters to thrive while we searched for more solutions on the contaminants."

As an environmental engineer/expert, being creative and innovative should be a part of your soul and DNA. For this question, your interviewer will be looking for your ability to use education and/or research to come up with a creative solution to an issue. Be sure to speak in detail about the steps you took to put a creative plan into action and don't forget to talk about final results as well.

"Last year, I worked hand in hand with mechanical and design engineers on new wind turbines that would dramatically decrease the killing of birds and bats in the areas where wind farms currently existed. I utilized my knowledge of bird flight patterns and flight control to help convince the team that vertical turbines were the best route to take. While a little more costly to produce and get up and running, the lessened effect on the local ecosystems were well worth the efforts."

What roles are you comfortable assuming in working as part of a larger team?

"I am really comfortable working in any role within a team and I think my experiences throughout my career demonstrate this well. At many times in my career, I've been the legwork of team operations and have easily taken direction on projects and been able to hit pre-established deadlines. As well, I've lead many projects and have shown my ability to lead others in a team effort and the ability to delegate tasks and set milestones for projects. If hired for this position, you can be rest assured that I have the ability to be a key team players with your clients in helping better their business."

Coming to work for a consulting business requires the ability to work as part of a larger team on the projects you will be heading. Teamwork in this setting requires versatility and your interviewer will be looking to hear that you have that versatility in your answer to this question. Many times, you will be taking the bull by the horns and leading the way. Other times, you will be the worker bee researching behind the scenes. You may be tasked with being the organizer of projects behind the scenes as well. Make sure that you highlight your ability to be flexible when working as part of a team here.

"From a very young age in my career, I've always been a natural leader in a team based environment. My excellent communication skills, honesty, critical thinking and decision making skills have proven time and time again that I can lead others in the most effective way possible. And while being a leader comes naturally to me, I can easily let others take the lead on projects."

What factors would you consider when determining the feasibility of new engineering project as a consultant with Kimley-Horn?

"If hired for this position, I really wouldn't change anything about my current processes for evaluating projects from the start. For my process, I start by assuring that the need for the project is sound. Then, I establish a basic design of the project that take into account all measurements, resources, equipment and overall budget. At this point in time with clients, it would be important to ensure that they are able to take on all of those considerations of the project. With it being their resources, their labor and their budgets, I see this as the biggest aspect that I would be hired for as their consultant."

As a Engineering Consultant with Kimley-Horn, you will be counted upon to determine the practicality of projects that clients are considering and your interviewer will be looking to hear that you take a concise and methodical approach in considering all aspects of the project for the client. You will be counted on to be the expert in this aspect for the clients at Kimley-Horn, so make sure to project your confidence in your answer to your interviewer.

"Having went through formal training in project management skills five years ago, I've been able to take a much more high level approach to all of the project that I work on. As a consultant, this training would prove very beneficial in my approach of learning the business and operations of clients and the needs for the project I would be consulting on. Then, I'd be able to use my expertise in the field to be as cost effective and efficient as possible while delivering the best results possible."

Talk about a time that you successfully educated another individual or group in your area of expertise. What made your educational experience effective?

"Probably the aspect that I love the most about my current job is being the lead for training new hires into our department. Because of my years of experience and my innate ability to effectively orientate new employees, my director asked me to take this duty about four years ago. My approach with any new hire is to customize their training based on their knowledge and experience so the training is effective for them. What works for one person may not work for another and I always need to be fluid with this. I also prioritize the need to make orientation and training a hands on experience for the new hire because classroom learning can only take a person so far in the learning process."

The role that you are interviewing for with Kimley-Horn will likely involve providing education to clients in your area of expertise. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are comfortable and effective in providing education by having you talk about a time that you have done so. In the example that you provide, try to point out some key items to making business education successful like developing a plan/goals, respecting differing viewpoints/opinions, making it hands on and making it fun.

"As you can see from my resume, I've spent the last seven years working in the corporate tax field. While in this job, I worked very independently for a private organization, so I've been out of the training and education side for a while now. During my first job out of college as a CPA though, I was very adept at providing education to the clients that I worked with on a daily basis. What I learned in that experience was the importance of putting material out there in a manner that the person being trained understood. As well, talking to clients and understanding my client's wants and needs were very important for me to be able to best educate them. I really believe that these skills would enable me to hit the ground running with Kimley-Horn and your clients would benefit greatly."

Part of our consulting business here at Kimley-Horn is advising clients on new technology and advancements in environmental engineering. When have you had to learn and implement new technology during your career?

"Over the last couple of years, my projects with major urban areas have incorporated roof gardens on buildings. Once believed to be incorporated in ancient Babylon, the rooftop gardens do a great job of absorbing CO2 and giving off oxygen while lessening the need for air conditioning in the buildings. During the process of learning about implementing the gardens, I trained many different contractors on our process for building and sustaining these gardens. I am very comfortable in the role of providing education to others and think I'd be a huge asset to the clients here at Kimley-Horn."

As a consultant, you must be well versed in changing technology in the environmental engineering field. As you answer this question, be sure to speak to your ability to both learn new systems/technologies while also being able to educate others on the advancements as well. If you have a particular time that you did this, be sure to let your interviewer know.

"Having worked in the auto industry for many years, I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the design and implementation of the current electric cars that are on the market. As a leader of the program with General Motors, I was tasked with bringing new ideas to our design and engineering teams. I helped build great training programs for staff to help build buy-in to the new technology and to help put ideas into motion for new vehicles on the road."

We value accountability at Kimley-Horn. If a customer sent a formal complaint about an interaction with you, how would you handle it?

"I understand that Kimley-Horn has put a lot of work into building these long-term client relationships. If one of your clients complained about my communication with them, I would take full responsibility for my actions and issue an apology. I would also be open to feedback to avoid future incidences. Rest assured, in my 15 years of employment, I have not had any clients complain to my employer about my work ethic or delivery of service."

Assure the interviewer that you are a person of integrity who will take responsibility for any shortcomings in the workplace. Briefly explain to the interviewer that you will handle Kimley-Horn customers with great care.

"Constructive feedback is difficult to swallow at times, but it's helpful for me to remember that everyone receives constructive feedback from time to time. I will always do what is required of me to renew a client relationship."

What experience do you have in leading or overseeing the work of others? How will this be beneficial to Kimley-Horn if you are hired in a consulting role here?

"From my early days as a foreman for a small commercial contractor to where I'm currently at with a large commercial contractor, I have many years of leading teams and delegating work among large teams of laborers. My big picture mind knows the tasks it takes to finish a project efficiently and my leadership style bodes well for motivating others and delegating work efficiently. In my dream of moving to a consulting role with Kimley-Horn, these skills would prove very beneficial for your clients."

In the construction consulting industry, you will be charged with leading the clients of Kimley-Horn in their construction endeavors. From your resume, your interviewer can likely get some sense of the experience you have in leading others. But, for this question, they are looking to hear from you directly both about your experiences that you have in leading and supervising others and your comfortability in doing so. However you answer the question, ensure that your interviewer leaves your conversation knowing that you have the ability to lead others into big projects.

"If hired here at Kimley-Horn, I would come with many years of experience in leading teams of workers on the job site. Having been trained in the many leadership styles, I try to be as adaptive as possible to my audience. I can be a coach, a servant leader and a democratic style leader if the situation calls for it. If warranted with your clients, I can also provide the visionary leadership style necessary to see big projects through to the end."

Throughout your career, what types of roles and positions have you worked closely with and which roles are you most comfortable working with?

"Since graduating from college, you can see that I've been employed with my current organization for almost 12 years. In my role, I've grown into the VP of Engineering role. In this role for almost three years now, I get to work closely with our CEO and CFO on upcoming projects. I have regular weekly touchpoints with each leader. I've learned that they look to me for expertise and we have a great working relationship because I speak openly and honestly in my areas of expertise. They continually tell me that they appreciate my no bull approach with them. I think the clients here at Kimley-Horn will appreciate that about me as well."

A consultant role with Kimley-Horn may require you working with CEO's, Presidents and high executive leaders of organizations and your interviewer is ideally looking to hear that you have experience working with this level of leadership and that you are comfortable in that relationship. If you have experience working with this level, draw on your experiences to talk about how you'll be effective in a consulting role with Kimley-Horn. If you don't have direct experience working with this level of leadership, pull from your personality and your relationship building skills to project to your interviewer that you'll be comfortable in the consulting role.

"Throughout my career, I've sat on different committees and led projects that involved our Senior Vice President and our Production Managers. I work really well with leaders at this level by speaking openly and honestly while asking a lot of clarifying questions. I regularly keep them updated on statuses of projects and communicating issues that may arise."

In your point of view, what environmental issue will require the most attention in ten years?

"To me, the availability of quality water on our planet will continue to be a major issue and if desperate measures aren't taken, it will continue to worsen as we move forward. Water is one of the key elements of survival in the human race and that's why I've dedicated a lot of my effort in my career towards wastewater treatment using nanotechnology."

As you come to Kimley-Horn to interview, your interviewer has a pretty good understanding of your skills and abilities that you'll bring to the table by looking at your past work history and speaking to references. For this question, your interviewer is looking to hear your philosophical view on what you believe is the key environmental issue in ten years. Be sure to speak openly and honestly with what you feel is the key issue and focus your answer on why you believe it is important and give some ideas with how you feel it can be monitored and fixed.

"I think to truly answer this question and all of the issues that face our field moving forward, we have to look at overpopulation of the planet and how we will deal with pollution, water and natural resource issues. Each year, global industrialization and expansion creates less and less natural areas on the globe and resources like forests are wiped out on a regular basis. There are many theories to tackling this issue and more research and education of the general public will be important."

If hired here at Kimley-Horn, what transportation industries would you feel most comfortable working in? Which industries would you feel you need more education/experience in?

"As you can see from my experience, I've spent the last eight years working in logistics in the marine shipping industry. Being on the west coast, most of my experience falls within shipping across and up and down the Pacific Ocean. If hired for this position, I could be an organizational expert in marine logistics. I'd also have a lot of ability to utilize my knowledge here in both the rail and highway industries as well."

As consultants in the transportation industry, Kimley-Horn consults many different transportation industries. This can include rail, aviation, marine and road. For this question, your interviewer is simply looking to gauge your experience and comfort in working with different sub-industries within the transportation sector. Be open and honest with your interviewer in your answer while also keeping an open mind to transferring your skills over into new areas.

"As you can see from my resume, I've worked for many years with large aviation transportation organizations like UPS and FedEx. During my time with those organizations, I've implemented many safety, security and efficiency measures and would love to continue consulting in aviation. While I don't have direct experience in road or rail, I'd love to take my skills to those areas as well with some training and direction."

What interests you in joining the business consulting world here at Kimley-Horn?

"At this point in my career, I feel like I have really maxed out my capabilities in my current role as the IT Director with my current organization. Over the past two or three years, I've found so much fulfillment in my work when I've been helping others and providing education to them that I've narrowed my job search down to the IT consulting field. The prospect of helping other IT departments grow and become more efficient under my consultation is an adventure that I would love to embark on here at Kimley-Horn!"

Anytime the question regarding why you want to join the company is asked, it is very important to do your research on the organization and the position you are interviewing for so you can match your skills and desires to the job. In your answer here, be sure that you also speak to the potential move to a consultative type role if this will be the first time for you with a consulting organization. Be sure to highlight your qualities that make you an ideal fit for the job.

"As I've grown in my role in the Training & Education department with my current employer, I've gravitated toward leadership development and succession planning with my organization and I'd like to bring these skills to work here at Kimley-Horn as this position fits right in that mold. Using my experience and knowledge, you'll quickly find that I have a great ability to work alongside and train the top level executives with your clients in a manner that is professional and effective at the same time. My experiences in both healthcare and manufacturing sound like they'd fit well with your client base as well."

Talk about a time that you applied a new technology or new information to your work as an engineer?

"Having been an engineer for over 20 years, today's digital age has certainly altered the way that we work on a day to day basis and I've loved every minute of being on the forefront of these changes. In my current role, I am utilizing nanotechnology that wasn't available even five years ago to create UV resistant and waterproof glass that just wasn't able to be produced before. I'd love to help bring innovation to the clients here at Kimley-Horn in this consultant role."

During your career as an engineer up to this point, you've likely had to learn and work with new technology or information that has improved the way that you perform your work. Ideally with this question, your interviewer is looking to see that you are flexible in working with new technologies and/or processes as you consults across different businesses and industries. Prior to your interview, think of an example of a time that showed your ability to be open to new ways of doing things through advancements in technology and talk about why this ability is important in a consulting role.

"As a manufacturing engineer by trade, I've worked with many of the recent advancements in robotic technology to help boost production output and quality. Last year, I helped implement a new production line for light bulbs that utilized a fully automated assembly process where machine tenders were operating all processes from a touch screen. The project required a lot of research and education for my engineering team and we all welcomed that with open arms."

What are some of the bigger energy sustainability projects that you've been a part of during your career or training?

"With my current organization, I have traveled throughout central and South America to help design and build geothermal power plants for countries in dire need of efficient and environmentally friendly electricity. These projects have put me working with people from all over the world and I've learned so much great information that I can pass forward to the clients here at Kimley-Horn."

In looking to move to the consulting world at Kimley-Horn, your prior experience in energy sustainability projects will prove to be an asset for the clients that you will work with. Talk in detail to your interviewer about a major project or two that you were a part of. As you speak, be sure to reiterate that this type of project would be beneficial to clients that you will work with at Kimley-Horn.

"Solar energy has always been a passion of mine. I've had the opportunity to work with the installation of photovoltaic cells on the sides of large skyscrapers and the implementation of solar power towers in countries around the world. The power of the sun to create energy on earth is so powerful and I truly believe that our technology is just touching the surface of what we can harness. I would look forward to working with clients on new and exciting projects as we move into the future."

Being successful in the consulting industry requires adaptability and the ability to learn a business fast. What would be your approach to help you learn the ins and outs of a new client?

"As you can see from my resume, I've been in corporate training and education for over ten years. In my current role, I have to use similar techniques working with different departments to try and tailor programs that meet their specific needs. I feel that my current approach of hosting an intake meeting with leaders would be effective in a consulting role with external customers. The current intake meetings that I lead are an opportunity for me to ask questions and learn as much as I can about my customers. In turn, it is an opportunity for me to lay the groundwork for the project and set expectations. Do you see this as an effective approach for this role?"

Kimley-Horn contracts with businesses in different industries for their services and it is likely that your job would require you to learn the fine details of each business that you would work with. Demonstrate your ability to be flexible by giving examples of times you've had to do this during your career. As well, describe the approach that you would take to get the know the businesses you would be working with so you can apply your knowledge and expertise toward helping them.

"Having worked in quality roles for most of my career in both the private and public sectors, I think my career experiences have shaped me well for this role. Transitioning to a consultative role would definitely be a transition for me and the biggest transition will be this need to work in many different industries. For me, researching clients, their business and their industry will be the first step to my approach in learning about them. I want to make a great first impression when I am face to face with a new client and that first impression starts with my knowledge. Then, my openness and ability to communicate would take over when I am working directly with clients. I know the right questions to ask for laying out quality initiative projects and I know the right things to educate clients on."

At Kimley-Horn, we look to hire those who will be a long term fit. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

"Ideally, 5 years from now, I would love to see myself growing into a more prominent leadership role within your organization. My career interests align very nicely with your company's goals which helps me to see a great long-term fit here."

It's impossible to know where you will be in 5 years but you need to assure the interviewer that, given all possible circumstances, you could see yourself as a long-term fit for the position at Kimley-Horn.

"5 years from now, I would like to supervise or manage a team of my own with Kimley-Horn. I feel like I am progressing in my career at a rate that will make this a possibility."

Customer service is our top priority at Kimley-Horn. What is your customer service philosophy?

"I noticed on your website that you put a lot of value into your customers by actively listening to their needs. You also survey them regularly while staying on top of industry trends so that you can provide them with innovative new services. To me, customer service goes beyond friendliness and efficiency. You need to understand your customer's business needs and have the ability to analyze their future needs so that you can respond appropriately to their business landscape changes."

Because Kimley-Horn puts so much effort into their customer service reputation, the interviewer needs to be confident that your customer service values align with theirs. Be sure to research the Kimley-Horn website and take note of any keywords they use when it comes to their customers. Match your language with theirs.

"As overused as this phrase may be, 'Service with a smile' has always been my customer service philosophy. Very few people can resist a great smile and a friendly interaction! Friendliness warms customers up, makes them more inclined to work with you, and also diffuses a conflict quickly."

Kimley-Horn values philanthropy and community giving. How do you choose to give back to others?

"I work a lot but, when I do have free time, I spend that with my grand-kids. It helps to give my son a bit of a break as he is a full-time single dad. In addition to this, I volunteer at the local drop-in center every Christmas to help feed the homeless. Giving back is very important to me."

The interviewer would like to know that you are socially responsible and a team player - even outside of the workplace. Your answer can be as simple as babysitting your grand-kids every Sunday, to a standing-volunteer gig, to charitable contributions.

"Volunteering and charitable acts are important to me. I spend time volunteering at the local drop-in center every Sunday."

How do you stay organized and on track when working on a long-term project?

"I really pride myself on my ability to multitask and my ability to stay organized in key in multitasking. For me personally, organization starts with using technology to my advantage and I do this through the use of my Outlook calendar and tasks functions. I take time each day to update my tasks and project work and use my ability to prioritize tasks to ensure that the right things are being worked on. In looking to bring these skills to long-term project work with your clients, staying organized and on task will be extremely important for the success of both Kimley-Horn and your clients."

Working for Kimley-Horn in the role you are interviewing for will require an innate ability to manage projects from conception to final implementation. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you have the ability to maintain organization to meet deadlines and customer expectations. Talk about your personal methods for organizing project work and give any examples that you have of your methods being successful. In the consulting and advisory industry, customer satisfaction and word of mouth are integral to success and growth of a business and effective project management is key in satisfaction.

"In my work, the ability to stay organized and on track comes down to having a plan of attack for each project and keeping track of the plan as milestones are hit. If you are familiar with the program Trello, it really helps me organize all of the components of the projects that I work on and give me the ability to track who is doing what, what deadlines are coming and what milestones have been hit. But even with a great program like this, I always have the ability to re-prioritize due dates and new tasks as needed with any project."

In looking to make the move to an Engineering Consultant here at Kimley-Horn, how would you approach clients, and potential equal colleagues, as the expert in your field?

"For the past few years, I've really been looking to transition to the consulting field because of my broad area of expertise across many areas of electrical and mechanical engineering. When I was part of a company merger a couple of years ago, my manager commented on my ability to work with new staff and lead them into our new processes and procedures. My personable and knowledgeable approach went over well with my colleagues and is definitely an approach I would bring to clients here at Kimley-Horn."

For this question, your interview is really looking how you will effectively transition to a role as a consultant in the engineering field, working with clients across many different industries. Prior to your interview, prepare and be ready to talk about how you plan to make this transition to the consulting role. Be sure to highlight the ways that your education, skills and experiences will translate smoothly to working with leaders and engineers in different industries. Also be sure to talk about your personal approach you will take in the consultant role so that clients are assured that you are the expert that they are paying for.

"As you can see from my experience, I've worked in the manufacturing industry for many years and think my experience here will be a great asset to your clients. I am trained in Six Sigma and Lean principles and would be able to bring these strategies to help benefit engineering practices of your clients. If hired for this position, you'll quickly find that I have a passion for education and I feel that is a vital quality for being a successful consultant."

Part of our responsibility in consulting in the construction industry is overseeing a budget. What experience do you have in managing a construction budget?

"As a current project manager, I am tasked with both planning a budget for upcoming projects as well as managing budgets throughout the length of a project. During my time as a general contractor, I learned to do's and dont's of managing a strict budget all the way through. I learned that keeping detailed records of every cost of a project versus what was budgeted was very important. I also learned that communicating with my team on progress towards budget goal was very important as well. In this consultant role, I would feel very comfortable in helping clients set and achieve their budgets."

Working with clients at Kimley-Horn, you'll have the opportunity to work with them on many aspects of their project budget. Some clients will set their own total budget and you'll have to work around that budget to make it work. Others will look to you as the consultant to set the most cost-effective, yet realistic, budget possible. Talk about the experiences you have in working with a budget and make sure that you pinpoint your step by step approach to budgeting projects.

"If hired for this role with Kimley-Horn, you can rest assured that my comfort and ability in managing large scale budgets will greatly impact clients here. I am thorough in my budget planning skills by taking the time to research costs and getting bids for services that will be subcontracted. During the build, I pride myself on my organization to track all costs and reconcile all costs against the budget."

Kimley-Horn Interview Questions

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1. Talk about a time you had to work with a very difficult person. What was the situation and how did you handle it?
2. If you are hired for this position here at Kimley-Horn, what do you think the biggest hurdle for you would be from the start?
3. Talk about some of the safety related projects you've been involved in during your time in the industry. What safety related perspectives would you be able to bring to the clients here at Kimley-Horn?
4. At Kimley-Horn, you will have the opportunity to work with high level executives and leaders from the companies we contract with. What experience do you have in working with people at these levels?
5. If you were to join Kimley-Horn in this role, you will be counted on to lead projects. Talk about a time you had to lead a team of individuals. What leadership skills do you have that you will bring to the table here?
6. Would you say that you are a goal oriented person on the job? Why would you say that?
7. Part of our work here at Kimley-Horn entails obtaining buy-in from clients on energy conservation. How would you sell energy conservation ideas to clients?
8. Talk about a time that your thoroughness in inspecting a construction site helped identify a critical issue. What did you learn from that situation?
9. Talk about a time that you utilized a creative solution to help with an environmental issue on the job. What resources did you use to help make the creative solution a reality?
10. What roles are you comfortable assuming in working as part of a larger team?
11. What factors would you consider when determining the feasibility of new engineering project as a consultant with Kimley-Horn?
12. Talk about a time that you successfully educated another individual or group in your area of expertise. What made your educational experience effective?
13. Part of our consulting business here at Kimley-Horn is advising clients on new technology and advancements in environmental engineering. When have you had to learn and implement new technology during your career?
14. We value accountability at Kimley-Horn. If a customer sent a formal complaint about an interaction with you, how would you handle it?
15. What experience do you have in leading or overseeing the work of others? How will this be beneficial to Kimley-Horn if you are hired in a consulting role here?
16. Throughout your career, what types of roles and positions have you worked closely with and which roles are you most comfortable working with?
17. In your point of view, what environmental issue will require the most attention in ten years?
18. If hired here at Kimley-Horn, what transportation industries would you feel most comfortable working in? Which industries would you feel you need more education/experience in?
19. What interests you in joining the business consulting world here at Kimley-Horn?
20. Talk about a time that you applied a new technology or new information to your work as an engineer?
21. What are some of the bigger energy sustainability projects that you've been a part of during your career or training?
22. Being successful in the consulting industry requires adaptability and the ability to learn a business fast. What would be your approach to help you learn the ins and outs of a new client?
23. At Kimley-Horn, we look to hire those who will be a long term fit. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
24. Customer service is our top priority at Kimley-Horn. What is your customer service philosophy?
25. Kimley-Horn values philanthropy and community giving. How do you choose to give back to others?
26. How do you stay organized and on track when working on a long-term project?
27. In looking to make the move to an Engineering Consultant here at Kimley-Horn, how would you approach clients, and potential equal colleagues, as the expert in your field?
28. Part of our responsibility in consulting in the construction industry is overseeing a budget. What experience do you have in managing a construction budget?

Kimley-Horn Interview Questions

1. Talk about a time you had to work with a very difficult person. What was the situation and how did you handle it?

2. If you are hired for this position here at Kimley-Horn, what do you think the biggest hurdle for you would be from the start?

3. Talk about some of the safety related projects you've been involved in during your time in the industry. What safety related perspectives would you be able to bring to the clients here at Kimley-Horn?

4. At Kimley-Horn, you will have the opportunity to work with high level executives and leaders from the companies we contract with. What experience do you have in working with people at these levels?

5. If you were to join Kimley-Horn in this role, you will be counted on to lead projects. Talk about a time you had to lead a team of individuals. What leadership skills do you have that you will bring to the table here?

6. Would you say that you are a goal oriented person on the job? Why would you say that?

7. Part of our work here at Kimley-Horn entails obtaining buy-in from clients on energy conservation. How would you sell energy conservation ideas to clients?

8. Talk about a time that your thoroughness in inspecting a construction site helped identify a critical issue. What did you learn from that situation?

9. Talk about a time that you utilized a creative solution to help with an environmental issue on the job. What resources did you use to help make the creative solution a reality?

10. What roles are you comfortable assuming in working as part of a larger team?

11. What factors would you consider when determining the feasibility of new engineering project as a consultant with Kimley-Horn?

12. Talk about a time that you successfully educated another individual or group in your area of expertise. What made your educational experience effective?

13. Part of our consulting business here at Kimley-Horn is advising clients on new technology and advancements in environmental engineering. When have you had to learn and implement new technology during your career?

14. We value accountability at Kimley-Horn. If a customer sent a formal complaint about an interaction with you, how would you handle it?

15. What experience do you have in leading or overseeing the work of others? How will this be beneficial to Kimley-Horn if you are hired in a consulting role here?

16. Throughout your career, what types of roles and positions have you worked closely with and which roles are you most comfortable working with?

17. In your point of view, what environmental issue will require the most attention in ten years?

18. If hired here at Kimley-Horn, what transportation industries would you feel most comfortable working in? Which industries would you feel you need more education/experience in?

19. What interests you in joining the business consulting world here at Kimley-Horn?

20. Talk about a time that you applied a new technology or new information to your work as an engineer?

21. What are some of the bigger energy sustainability projects that you've been a part of during your career or training?

22. Being successful in the consulting industry requires adaptability and the ability to learn a business fast. What would be your approach to help you learn the ins and outs of a new client?

23. At Kimley-Horn, we look to hire those who will be a long term fit. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

24. Customer service is our top priority at Kimley-Horn. What is your customer service philosophy?

25. Kimley-Horn values philanthropy and community giving. How do you choose to give back to others?

26. How do you stay organized and on track when working on a long-term project?

27. In looking to make the move to an Engineering Consultant here at Kimley-Horn, how would you approach clients, and potential equal colleagues, as the expert in your field?

28. Part of our responsibility in consulting in the construction industry is overseeing a budget. What experience do you have in managing a construction budget?