What do you consider to be the hardest piece of work you've ever tackled, and what made it so difficult?

"Honestly, choosing to become an instrument technician has been the most difficult thing I've ever tackled. In the beginning, it seemed so time-consuming to try and learn so many different types of instruments. Not only did I have to know about them and what they did, but I also had to figure out how to fix them! There's definitely a reason why you spend up to 7 years as an apprentice--so that you can gain experience in all aspects of the job. There is also a lot of advice out there as to whether you should go to a technical college, get different types of certifications, or go straight to on-the-job training. I don't think any one person does it the same, but it's a long route regardless. I'm very glad that I put in the work to get to where I am today."

You may want to take a minute to think about this question. You not only want to give an example of something that most people would consider to be difficult, but you also need to discuss what made it so difficult for you. Do not use examples that include blaming others for lack of training or that you just didn't know better. Think of a situation where you really had to troubleshoot and use all of your technical knowledge, skills, and abilities to get something done, or even the choice to become an instrument technician in the first place.

Tell us about a time when it was difficult to talk to someone because of noise, distance, or obstructed vision. How did you adapt to the situation?

"This happens a lot when I'm working at process or manufacturing plants. We wear earplugs because it's noisy, and then if you're trying to communicate with someone, it's almost impossible to understand or hear what they are saying. Every place I've worked at has had its own version of how to combat this with hand signals. As long as everyone understands the signals, it actually works pretty well."

This has probably happened to everyone on the job at some point, but if it has not, be sure to be honest with your answer. Try to describe a specific situation where the difficulty arose, but most importantly, how you worked together as a team to creatively solve the problem.

We all have things that upset us. How do you handle anger at work?

"I do admit that there are things at work that upset me. When this happens, I try to see things from the other person's perspective to see what I am missing. I learned this with my family, and it usually works pretty well. I ask myself why I'm upset with someone--maybe my expectations aren't being met or I don't like the way they responded to something. It can usually be resolved pretty quickly with this method, in addition to talking to the person and working it out."

Every company wants employees who work well as a team and display great interpersonal skills all the time. However, this just isn't the reality. It is ok to admit that things upset you at work, but you also want to reiterate that you do work well with others, participate in team activities, and help others, as needed. Be sure to show a high level of maturity in your answer.

Describe a time when you felt you were being treated unfairly at work. What was the situation and how did you respond?

"I can't think of a lot of examples of this, but I do recall a time where my coworker and I were getting a lot of heat from our supervisor. We felt like we were constantly getting blamed for things that were beyond our control and were being treated unfairly because of it. It wasn't a big deal at first, but when it became an issue we both went and talked to him about it. In the end, we realized he was under a lot of pressure from his managers and was just passing along the annoyance to us. Once he realized how it was affecting us, he stopped and talked directly to his managers about the issues he was having."

You may or may not have an example of this situation at work, but if needed, give a general example outside of work. Make sure and explain the situation, who was involved, why you felt you were being treated unfairly, and most importantly, the action steps you took to resolve it. Do not give examples of yelling at coworkers or supervisors, leaving the job site to cool off, or any other extreme examples. Try to think of a time where you were able to show self-control and display an even temperament despite the unfair situation.

What type of work situations upset you the most and why?

"I don't get upset a lot at work, but when I do, it's usually because a coworker was consistently late to work. In this situation, I always talk to them and see what's going on. If necessary, I'll take it to the supervisor, but most of the time it can be worked out by letting them know how their tardiness affects me and others."

Your ability to maintain self-control and display an even temperament on the job says a lot about your maturity level. The interviewer is looking for a situation(s) that upsets you and how you effectively handle it while showing your maturity level. General example scenarios might include coworkers who consistently show up late to work, supervisors who don't value the opinions of others, high turnover rates, etc.

In general, do you think policies and procedures help our work or make it harder?

"Honestly, there are times the procedures really do seem to make my job a lot harder. However, I also know that they were probably born out of necessity - meaning someone got hurt, or almost got hurt. In the end, they are there for everyone's well-being. One time my supervisor was putting up safety cones in an area and he was just kind of putting one here and putting one there. Procedures are pretty specific, in these instances, for a certain number of cones based on the size of the area, spaced a certain number of feet apart. Although his way might have been quicker, it also might not have prevented the accident that he was trying to prevent in the first place."

You might be tempted to laugh a little at this question because of course, the answer is that policies and procedures help our work. However, if you think about it, policies and procedures can also make your work a lot harder. The interviewer is looking for the capacity for doing the job right, avoiding quick-fix approaches, and adhering to job standards. Try to give an example of a time you thought the job might have been a little more difficult because of the specific procedures, but that you also understood those procedures were born out of necessity (perhaps an accident occurred or a violation citation).

Have you ever made a decision when no policy existed to cover it? What was the situation and why was there no policy?

"If I find myself in a situation like this, my first thought would be to wonder why there is no policy in place for this decision. If it's a new piece of equipment or an updated piece of old equipment that is not covered by a policy, then I'll need to weigh out the pros and cons of the decisions I'm trying to make. I would talk to my coworkers and supervisors to get their input before we all make a decision together."

If you've never experienced this situation, be sure to be honest with your answer. Otherwise, give an example that illustrates that you adhered to specifications and job standards when applicable, and sought guidance/spoke up when there were none.

What do you do when something about your work doesn't make sense to you? What specifically did you do?

"Since I work with a wide variety of devices, there are often times when something about a particular instrument doesn't make sense to me. This might be because I've never worked on this exact type of equipment, or maybe it's been modified in some way. This is where common sense and troubleshooting techniques come in handy! It helps to think through all parts of the instrument - upstream, midstream, and downstream. If I can identify those, it will help a lot in trying to figure out the rest. I've even had to work with engineers to go over the schematics of an instrument because what we were seeing just doesn't make sense based on how it should be. I actually enjoy getting to figure this type of stuff out when it doesn't make sense to anyone else."

Instead of blindly following protocols, it is also important that you understand the what and why behind them. Seeking opportunities to learn when you don't understand can be a very telling factor about your initiative on the job. Try to give an example of when something small didn't make sense to you, the action you took to understand it, and how the job was completed. Do not give an example of just following instructions blindly even though you knew it didn't make sense.

Describe a time when you spoke up about something that you felt wasn't right.

"I've had to use my stop-work authority a few times when I was concerned that the job wasn't being done safely. It's always a little nerve-wracking to do that, but all of my employers have encouraged us to speak up when we aren't sure or know that something is being done incorrectly. We would all rather have to stop and take a step back than have an accident happen. A specific time was when a new guy was being trained, and he was always so busy watching what others were doing that he didn't really seem to be aware of his surroundings. I walked in one day and saw that he had created an unsafe situation--his tools were lying all over the ground while others were trying to walk around. I went over and talked to him about it, but he seemed more concerned with getting the job done quickly. I felt it was necessary to use my stop-work authority so that he would stop and realize he had created an unsafe situation. He was pretty upset at first, but quickly realized that I really did need to speak up for safety's sake."

The interviewer is looking at your initiative in this situation. If you've ever utilized your stop-work authority, this would be a good time to give an example of when you used it and why.

At work, have you ever had to choose between doing something quickly and doing something well? What did you do?

"I've definitely been asked to rush through a job to meet a deadline. I always choose to do it safely, which often means talking through the timeline with those who think it should be a lot faster than I do. Usually, once I lay out the reasons why I can't just fix something quickly, they understand that I want to do the job safely, and I want to do it the right way."

Everyone has had to make the choice between doing something right or doing something fast. Try to give an example of a time when you chose to do something safely and correctly, versus just quickly getting it done. The capacity to be thorough when completing a job, as well as double-checking your work to make sure standards are met, should also be mentioned so that few mistakes are made.

What do you do when you have more tasks to complete than you have time for?

"This actually happened just a few weeks ago. I was given a timeline for getting some things done and right off the bat, I was thinking it seemed like a really short timeframe. I took some time to map out a plan: if I worked on certain things first, it would make the later tasks a little easier. About one week into the job, I realized I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get everything done on time because of some parts that were on backorder. I talked to my supervisor frequently to let him know my progress and my concerns, but also assured him that I would do what needed to be done to get it done. I did have to stay late a few times and even asked a coworker to help just a little, but I did end up getting everything done. In the end, my supervisor saw that I worked really hard and understood that maybe the short timeline wasn't as reasonable as he originally thought."

This question is specifically addressing your work habits. Try to think of a time when you were given a short (or even unreasonable) timeline where you had to get a set of tasks accomplished very quickly. Describe your strategy for getting everything done, and try to avoid an example where you pawned off a lot of your work on others or where you simply told your supervisor you'd get as much done as you could. Make sure you come across as really trying to get everything accomplished on time and in a safe manner.

Describe a job-related experience that involved a lot of repetition. How did you handle this?

"As an apprentice, I was given a big box of circuits to rewire. Each one had to be done the same way, and each one had to be done separately. Meaning, I couldn't do one part of every circuit and then come back and do the next part. I had to completely finish each circuit before moving to the next one. After about half the box, I realized this was a pretty boring and repetitive job. I made sure to take frequent short breaks to keep my mind sharp and focused. I also found myself saying the steps out loud as I did them to make sure I was fully focused on each circuit. I finished the whole box, and they were all done correctly, so I'd say that particular method of handling a repetitive task worked pretty well for me."

The interviewer is looking for your capacity in being thorough when completing a job, being alert, and double-checking to make sure standards are met. With a repetitive task, this is often hard to do. Try to think about the things you might do that keep you alert on the job, like saying the steps out loud each time, putting each step to a rhythm or song that you hum while working, or taking frequent breaks to keep your mind sharp.

Have you ever been in a situation where you weren't sure you were able to do a job?

"I always try to make good decisions based on my experience and the experience of others. As an apprentice, I found myself in many situations where I wasn't sure I could do a particular job because I just didn't have the knowledge or experience. I think that's a pretty common occurrence among apprentices. In more recent years, whenever I was unsure about my ability to do a job, I made sure that I got it figured out before I started or before I continued. I might have to stop and troubleshoot a situation by asking others, reading the technical schematics, or even looking on the internet."

This question is looking at your technical judgment and your capacity for making good decisions based on knowledge and experience. You do not want to come across as someone who takes on tasks that they are not qualified for, but perhaps you found yourself in a situation where you did not feel you had the technical knowledge to lean on.

Tell me a little about your educational background.

"After high school, I attended XYZ technical college. Shortly after graduating, I received my Instrumentation certificate from NCCER. I went on to become an apprentice for 5 years at ABC company. While I was there, I also received NCCER certifications in Welding and Ironworking."

This question helps give the interviewer insight into your educational background as it relates to technical interests and work-related skills. Try to be brief but concise with your answer. Your educational background will not be a deciding factor but will be considered in the overall impression of you as a technical candidate.

Tell us about a time you took a shortcut and why you felt it was necessary.

"I try not to take a lot of shortcuts, simply because if there was a faster and safer way to do the job, then we would probably already be doing it that way. But I can certainly say that I've taken shortcuts when driving places, especially when the map app is telling me to take side streets, and I know it will be faster to take a major road, or vice versa, because of traffic. That's a shortcut I've been known to take that didn't have any ramifications other than maybe making me late to my destination."

Your first instinct may be to say that you never take a shortcut. That just can't be true! Everyone takes shortcuts, but the real question is whether they are safe or not. Try to think of a situation in which you took a shortcut that did not involve going against policies/procedures or that would cause further questioning.

Have you ever had the opportunity to train someone in relation to safety? How did you go about explaining it to them?

"I've trained a lot of people, and safety is always a huge part of that training. Specifically related to safety, I take them through my thought process out loud so they can hear the types of things I'm thinking about before starting a job. I look at all related diagrams to make sure I have a good understanding of the layout of the area and equipment, as well as what type of instruments I'll be working on. I usually find it's best to not only talk about the safety protocols I follow, but to also show them as I go."

Be sure to notice that this question is not asking about training someone in your field, but training someone with specific regards to safety. Think about whether you have a specific technique for teaching someone, like having them follow you around while you point out safety aspects of your job, or start with a checklist of safety measures you take every day, etc. You want to make sure the interviewer understands that you are active in searching for ways to keep the workplace safe, including training others in the area of safety.

What types of things do you do to be safe on the job and at home?

"At work and at home, I always think through the job first to see if I can spot any potential safety hazards. This always helps me know what type of PPE to wear and what type of PPE to have close by. Before I started working as an instrument technician, I liked to try and fix things using the trial and error method. Although this isn't a terrible method, it's not necessarily the most effective or safest."

The interviewer is looking at your capacity for being concerned with safety in the workplace and at home, as well as the desire to prevent accidents and check for hazards. Don't just throw around the word safety - be specific in your answer. Think about what you do at work to be safe - wear proper PPE, attend safety meetings, follow all policies and procedures. At home, think about the types of things you do to be safe now versus before you started in your technical field. You might do things such as wear proper PPE to mow the grass, have someone hold the ladder when you stand on it, and diligently maintain equipment in your home.

Describe your experience with solenoids.

"I've worked on solenoids mainly to test whether they were working or not. The quickest way is to apply a charge directly to it. The multimeter sends a charge directly onto the valve, and if it opens, then I know it's working. I'm usually just testing them to see if the coil has burnt out, or if the valve has failed."

This is a specific technical question related to your mastery of and exposure to the technical knowledge, skills, and abilities related to your craft. The statement is pretty straightforward in asking you to briefly describe your experience with solenoids. If you have no experience in this area, be sure to be honest with your answer.

Describe your experience with manlifts.

"Almost all of my experience has been with Condor lifts, specifically boom and scissor lifts. I also have a forklift certification, but I don't use that much as an instrument technician. I mostly use a scissor lift so that it can easily hold me, a coworker, and all the tools we'll need for the job."

This question is about your experience with different types of manlifts and how you used them on the job. This is a specific technical question related to your mastery of and exposure to the technical knowledge, skills, and abilities related to your craft.

What types of control valves have you worked on?

"All of my experience on the job has been with Fisher control valves to manipulate the flow of gas, steam, water, or chemical compounds. It's important to keep the process regulated, as close as possible, to the set point."

The interviewer is trying to gauge your technical experience and exposure to different items related to your craft. Try to think of the work you've done on control valves and what type of control valve it was (Fisher, Valtek, Honeywell, or other).

What types of transmitters have you worked on?

"In my last job, I used a Foxboro electronic pressure transmitter to monitor and control system pressures at the chemical plants we worked with. I have the most experience, however, with Rosemount pressure transmitters. I used them at the process plants for pressure, temperature, flow, and level measurement. We specifically used Rosemount because they were supposed to be the most efficient and safe, and cost less than Motorola, Honeywell, and Yokogawa."

Think about the types of transmitters you've worked with (Foxboro, Rosemount, Honeywell, Motorola, Yokogawa, or other) and what experience you've had with each. This is a specific technical question related to your mastery of and exposure to the technical knowledge, skills, and abilities related to your craft.

Describe the type(s) of calibration equipment you have experience with.

"I've used two devices to calibrate equipment. I used a Wobulator to check and calibrate accelerometers, velocity transducers, and proximity probes. It had a motor-driven wobble plate and ran on compressed air. I've also used an electronic frequency generator to find the frequency."

This is a specific technical question related to your mastery of and exposure to the technical knowledge, skills, and abilities related to your craft. Try to think of calibration equipment you've utilized (pneumatic and electronic, wobulator, frequency generator) and what your experience is with each.

Why do you feel you would be successful at our company?

"I've always been interested in the technical side of things and like to work as hands-on as much as possible. Based on what I know about this company, there is a lot of opportunity for hands-on work. I love to learn new things and feel that I learn pretty quickly. I'm anxious to take what I know from past experiences and apply it to this job, as well as learn new skills of my trade."

This is a general question with lots of options for creative answers. Try to think of work-related skills and technical interests that drew you to this profession in the first place. This is not a stand-alone question and will be considered as part of the overall impression you make.

Thinking about your last (or current) job, what do you like the best and what do you like the least?

"At XYZ company where I currently work, I definitely like the teamwork aspect. We spend so much time together that it makes a big difference; you feel like a team and work together as a team. On the flip side, I would say the thing I like the least is that outside of the few permanent maintenance staff, XYZ company uses a lot of contractors. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but they aren't always up to speed on the specific protocols of our job site. It takes a while to make sure everyone is on the same page, only to then get a whole new set of contractors the next week."

This may seem like an unrelated question to many, but it does give insight into your maturity, decision-making, and technical interests. Keep this answer brief - try to think of what you liked best about your last job (or current job) and what you liked the least. Do not mention the names of coworkers or supervisors. Topics for your favorite aspects of your job might include general answers such as teamwork, collaboration, and the opportunity for hands-on work. Topics for your least favorite aspect of your job might include a high turnover rate or a company that utilized outdated policies and safety procedures.

Thinking back to your last few jobs (if any), briefly tell me about your major duties and responsibilities.

"I was a contractor at XYZ company and went to different job sites to set up, test, and operate instrumentation and electronic devices. I was responsible for making sure all safety policies and procedures were followed while the work was being done. I worked alone at first and then was assigned a small team to supervise. I conducted daily safety tailgate meetings and was responsible for signing off on work orders for several sites. I stayed in constant radio contact with my team and helped guide them through troubleshooting situations."

This question helps give the interviewer insight into your technical interests, work-related skills, maturity, and verbal expression. The interviewer probably has your resume right in front of them, but they are asking you to give a brief and concise overview of your last few jobs, as well as get an idea of what you did at each job. This question may seem like it warrants a long explanation of each of your jobs, but it does not! Be brief and to the point.

Instrument Technician Interview Questions

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1. What do you consider to be the hardest piece of work you've ever tackled, and what made it so difficult?
2. Tell us about a time when it was difficult to talk to someone because of noise, distance, or obstructed vision. How did you adapt to the situation?
3. We all have things that upset us. How do you handle anger at work?
4. Describe a time when you felt you were being treated unfairly at work. What was the situation and how did you respond?
5. What type of work situations upset you the most and why?
6. In general, do you think policies and procedures help our work or make it harder?
7. Have you ever made a decision when no policy existed to cover it? What was the situation and why was there no policy?
8. What do you do when something about your work doesn't make sense to you? What specifically did you do?
9. Describe a time when you spoke up about something that you felt wasn't right.
10. At work, have you ever had to choose between doing something quickly and doing something well? What did you do?
11. What do you do when you have more tasks to complete than you have time for?
12. Describe a job-related experience that involved a lot of repetition. How did you handle this?
13. Have you ever been in a situation where you weren't sure you were able to do a job?
14. Tell me a little about your educational background.
15. Tell us about a time you took a shortcut and why you felt it was necessary.
16. Have you ever had the opportunity to train someone in relation to safety? How did you go about explaining it to them?
17. What types of things do you do to be safe on the job and at home?
18. Describe your experience with solenoids.
19. Describe your experience with manlifts.
20. What types of control valves have you worked on?
21. What types of transmitters have you worked on?
22. Describe the type(s) of calibration equipment you have experience with.
23. Why do you feel you would be successful at our company?
24. Thinking about your last (or current) job, what do you like the best and what do you like the least?
25. Thinking back to your last few jobs (if any), briefly tell me about your major duties and responsibilities.

Instrument Technician Interview Questions

1. What do you consider to be the hardest piece of work you've ever tackled, and what made it so difficult?

2. Tell us about a time when it was difficult to talk to someone because of noise, distance, or obstructed vision. How did you adapt to the situation?

3. We all have things that upset us. How do you handle anger at work?

4. Describe a time when you felt you were being treated unfairly at work. What was the situation and how did you respond?

5. What type of work situations upset you the most and why?

6. In general, do you think policies and procedures help our work or make it harder?

7. Have you ever made a decision when no policy existed to cover it? What was the situation and why was there no policy?

8. What do you do when something about your work doesn't make sense to you? What specifically did you do?

9. Describe a time when you spoke up about something that you felt wasn't right.

10. At work, have you ever had to choose between doing something quickly and doing something well? What did you do?

11. What do you do when you have more tasks to complete than you have time for?

12. Describe a job-related experience that involved a lot of repetition. How did you handle this?

13. Have you ever been in a situation where you weren't sure you were able to do a job?

14. Tell me a little about your educational background.

15. Tell us about a time you took a shortcut and why you felt it was necessary.

16. Have you ever had the opportunity to train someone in relation to safety? How did you go about explaining it to them?

17. What types of things do you do to be safe on the job and at home?

18. Describe your experience with solenoids.

19. Describe your experience with manlifts.

20. What types of control valves have you worked on?

21. What types of transmitters have you worked on?

22. Describe the type(s) of calibration equipment you have experience with.

23. Why do you feel you would be successful at our company?

24. Thinking about your last (or current) job, what do you like the best and what do you like the least?

25. Thinking back to your last few jobs (if any), briefly tell me about your major duties and responsibilities.