How to Answer: Tell me about a situation in which you could not create a specified hardware system in the timeframe you were given.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Computer Hardware Engineer job interview.
4. Tell me about a situation in which you could not create a specified hardware system in the timeframe you were given.
How to Answer
Every project you will work on will have both a budget and a deadline. Adhering to these is important and demonstrates your ability to effectively contribute to the organization's business objectives. When describing a project on which you missed a deadline while developing a specified hardware system, provide the interviewer with why you missed the deadline while taking responsibility for having missed it. This will demonstrate that you're committed to making your deadlines and that you take full responsibility for your work.
Written by William Swansen on September 13th, 2021
Answer Example
"Recently, while working on a new design for a complex computer hardware system, I ran into some issues related to collecting specifications I needed for some of the components from the vendor. I repeatedly contacted the vendor requesting the information without any response. Once my contact responded to me, they apologized, noting that they were out of the office and did not put a backup contact on their voicemail and email. I learned from this that when I do not get the information I need from a vendor, I should contact other individuals within the organization. I also make it a point to set up secondary and tertiary contacts for each of my suppliers to prevent this same thing from recurring."
Written by William Swansen on September 13th, 2021