What experience do you have using hoists and cranes?

"I have approximately 3 years total experience with hoists and cranes. How much experience are you looking for? If you do not have experience in hoists and cranes: "

If you do have experience with hoists and cranes: "I have approximately 3 years total experience with hoists and cranes. How much experience are you looking for? If you do not have experience in hoists and cranes: "I do not have much experience working on hoists and cranes but I would be happy to learn. Is that type of experience a requirement for this role?"

Why should we hire you?

"You should hire me because I am a strong match for you culturally as well as the fact that I meet all of the criteria you are seeking in a millwright. I stand above most candidates in my ability to understand the full scope of what your company is aiming to achieve."

Tell the hiring manager why you think you are the perfect fit for them. Keep the answer light and draw on your greatest strengths.

Do you think you are qualified for this job?

"I do think I am highly qualified for this role because I meet all of the criteria you are looking for in a millwright. In addition to my strong millwright experience, I graduated top of my class during my post-secondary training and come with excellent references."

If awarded this role, are you confident that you would be successful? Talk to the hiring manager about your qualifications and why you think you will be the best choice for this position.

What skills are essential for this position?

"I feel that the most important skills to be a successful millwright are a practical mindset, the ability to retain information, and a pulse on safety. Over the years as a millwright I have been able to take these skills and really strengthen them. It's been a big benefit to me in my career so far."

In your opinion, what skills are most important in order to be a successful millwright? Do you possess these skills? Talk to the hiring manager about how you feel your skills align with the company's needs.

What are your career goals as a Millwright?

"My long term career goals as a Millwright would include becoming a supervisor or manager of my own team one day. I would also like to become a mentor or trainer to millwright apprentices."

When you answer this question, be sure to keep focused on what the company can offer you in the long term. This is not the time to discuss your desires to become a personal trainer and travel the world. Keep your answer related to being a millwright.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

"My primary goal over the next 5 years is to earn my way into a supervisory type of role. When I applied to your job posting, it was because I saw a long term fit with the growth opportunities that your company was offering. In 5 years I would like to still be a part of your growing organization."

Tenure and loyalty are important factors to all hiring managers. Talk to the interviewer about your short term and long term career goals. How does this position fit into those goals you have set for yourself?

How do you handle stressful situations?

"One of the best things about me is my ability to work very well under extreme stress and pressure. My current manager has commented quite often on the fact that I am able to handle the pressure that comes with my position very well. I will take a deep breath, observe the situation and then react. It works well for me and helps me to avoid any overreacting."

As a millwright, you will often come across stressful situations and hard deadlines. Assure the hiring manager that you are able to work well under this type of pressure.

"I have no problem working under pressure, I focus on my task, make a plan of attack while keeping safety in mind, and execute my plan step by step. I have always been successful and on time."

What machines do you have the most experience with?

"I am accustomed to working on a wide range of machinery. If I had to narrow it down, I would say that I am most experienced in X, Y, and Z. What types of equipment would I be working on most often here?"

Give the hiring manager a list of familiar equipment or machines but keep your answer brief.

"I am comfortable working with a wide range of machines like pumps, gearbox, conveyors, heat exchangers, ext."

What type of setting or working conditions are you most comfortable in?

"I am most comfortable in a teamwork type of setting where roles can mix and everyone works well collaboratively. I am also able to work independently but I do prefer a team focused role."

Tell the hiring manager what conditions you are most at ease in.

"I am comfortable with teamwork. We are able to accomplish more work that way. But I'm comfortable with working alone as well."

Do you have your own tools?

"I do not have a large collection of personal tools but I am happy to get my own tools should you require it."

If you do not have your own tools: "I do not have a large collection of personal tools but I am happy to get my own tools should you require it." If you do have your own tools: "Yes, I can certainly come with my own tools. Are there certain tools that you are looking for me to provide?"

Do you have welding experience?

"I have approximately 3 years of welding experience on a variety of projects. Can you tell me more about the welding requirements for this position?"

If you do have experience in welding: "I have approximately 3 years of welding experience on a variety of projects. Can you tell me more about the welding requirements for this position?"If you do not have experience in welding: "I do not have experience welding but I would be happy to learn. Is welding experience a requirement for this role?"

Tell me about a recent roadblock you encountered on the job. How did you overcome it?

"One roadblock I recently encountered was when I was tasked to replace defective parts on one of the lathes only to find out that the particular part was on backorder with our supplier. I was able to track one down online and had our supplier purchase it on our behalf and then ship it. It was a longer work-around than I would have liked but it got the job done."

Give an example of a time when you met a roadblock and were able to come out on top despite the concerns.

Tell me about your apprenticeship and how it prepared you as a millwright.

"I completed my apprenticeship with Company XYZ and worked under the senior millwright in that role. I was lucky to learn so much in that apprenticeship and it really helped me to launch into who I am today."

Talk to the hiring manager about your overall apprenticeship experience. Discuss what you feel you took from the experience and how it helped you to launch a successful career as a millwright.

Are you comfortable with overnight travel?

"I am most definitely comfortable with overnight travel. How much travel do you require for this position?"

If you are comfortable with overnight travel: "I am most definitely comfortable with overnight travel. How much travel do you require for this position?"If you are not very comfortable with overnight travel: "I could accommodate some overnight travel, however; that is not my preference. How much travel do you require for this position?"

"I have no problem with overnight travel."

How strong are your communication skills when dealing with multiple levels of seniority?

"I am very good with managing multiple levels of seniority. My communication style is very clear and I am a good listener. These skills help me to successfully communicate, no matter who I'm speaking with."

It can be tough to juggle communication with a variety of seniority levels. Talk to the hiring manager about how you are able to successfully do so.

I'd like to know if you are eager to learn new skills. What do you do, in your spare time, to build your knowledge as a millwright?

"I am always eager to learn new things and am very interested in expanding my knowledge as a millwright. In my spare time I will read magazines related to machining. I am also looking into taking some online courses to expand my leadership skills."

Having a genuine interest in your line of work is a big draw to hiring managers. Talk about how you continue to build your knowledge and skills as a millwright.

Are you able to self-teach?

"I am able to self-teach and am very eager to learn new things. In my spare time, I do a lot of reading to keep my knowledge base strong."

Talk to the hiring manager about your ability to teach yourself new skills.

"Yes, I will do some research to make sure to understand the task that I am doing."

How flexible is your schedule? Are you able to work on a rotating shift?

"I have flexibility in my schedule, yes. I understand that rotating shifts are generally a requirement as a millwright and I am happy to accommodate any needs."

Rotating shifts are quite common as a millwright. Discuss your availability with the hiring manager. If your schedule is flexible: "I have flexibility in my schedule, yes. I understand that rotating shifts are generally a requirement as a millwright and I am happy to accommodate any needs." If your schedule is not very flexible: "I am able to work as a team player, however; night shifts are not ideal for me. Could you please tell me more about the rotating shifts?"

Do you have any safety training?

"Yes, I have taken additional safety training on the job. My most recent safety training includes WHMIS, H2S Alive and Fall Protection. Are there any additional safety related courses you would like for me to take?"

If you have additional training: "Yes, I have taken additional safety training on the job. My most recent safety training includes WHMIS, H2S Alive and Fall Protection. Are there any additional safety related courses you would like for me to take?"If you have not taken safety training: "I have not taken any safety training recently but am happy to enrol in any safety related courses that you see fit."

What types of personal protective equipment are you accustomed to wearing on the job?

"In my current position, I wear steel toed work boots, fire resistant coveralls and safety goggles nearly 100% of the time. One great thing about the company I currently work for is that they put a large focus on safety. I really appreciate that."

Tell the hiring manager the types of PPE that you are accustomed to wearing. You can also express the importance of safety on the job.

How important is workplace safety to you?

"Safety is the most important factor in the workplace. Our current crew has a 500 day accident-free record so far. We are all very conscious of safety on the job."

Assure the hiring manager that you understand the importance of safety in the workplace. If you can, give an example of a time when you were recognized for safe practices on the job.

If a co-worker was behaving in an unsafe manner what would you do?

"If I were to see a co-worker behaving in an unsafe manner, I would talk to them about it immediately. To avoid embarrassing them I would make it a private conversation. It the feedback was not taken into consideration, I would then report the incident."

Tell the hiring manager how you would react if you were to witness a co-worker displaying unsafe behaviour on the job.

What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?

"In the beginning of my career I often came across tasks that were outside of my range of knowledge. I have the type of personality where I am not afraid to ask for help. I love to learn new skills and will not hesitate to admit when a task is outside of my knowledge base. I spent a lot of time asking questions and researching answers."

We all have something to learn. Talk to the hiring manager about how you handle situations that are very difficult and outside of your wheelhouse.

Tell me about your ideal company culture.

"My ideal company culture is collaborative, encourages growth and investment in their employees. From what I understand through my research, your company embraces all of those things."

Talk to the hiring manager about what you are looking for in a workplace culture.

"My ideal company culture is one that values safety, integrity, respect and from reading your company website these are your companies core values."

"In the past, as a contractor in your company, I like the way the company has been treating us as a family after all we are a family working together."

Tell me about your education/training.

"I attended my post-secondary education at XYZ vocational college. During that time, I receive 2 different scholarships as an award for my positive grades. My best grades were in the courses related to hydraulics and mill maintenance."

Take some time to walk the hiring manager through your post-secondary experience. Include any awards/recognition/scholarships you may have received.

"I started my training with the MTIM program at Lambton College where I learned hydraulics, pneumatics, machining, and welding as well as how to align pumps and precision measuring."

Are you used to traveling to various job sites?

"I travel from site to site on a daily basis in my current role. I am very used to it and quite enjoy that part of my current position."

Going from job site to job site can be a positive draw for some people, and a nuisance to others. If you are used to travelling to various job sites: "I travel from site to site on a daily basis in my current role. I am very used to it and quite enjoy that part of my current position." If you are not accustomed to traveling to various job sites: "Currently in my role I am quite static and do not travel much. I certainly have a strong attraction to the idea and would like to learn more about your travel requirements for this position."

"I use to travel to different job sites when I first started to work as a millwright in construction."

How do you approach a problem when you do not know the answer or have an immediate solution?

"If I do not have an immediate solution or answer, I will take a step back and try to recall a time when I had a similar problem come up. If that doesn't work, I will ask the advice of a co-worker that I trust, or my supervisor. I will never take an action step without first feeling confident that I have the right answer or solution."

If you do not have the answer or a solution immediately, what do you do? Talk to the hiring manager about your process for independent problem solving.

Tell me about your on-the-job training. How will it help you here?

"I believe that my on-the-job training would greatly help me here but I also understand that I will require additional training to learn the ins and outs of your business. The best component of my training would be the additional work I have had in schematic and blueprint reading. This is a very strong skill of mine that I look forward to bringing your way."

Discuss with the hiring manager which aspects of your workplace training were the most helpful and how you plan to incorporate that training should you be the successful candidate.

What was the biggest mistake you made as a millwright? How did you correct the problem?

"In the beginning of my career with ABC Company, I actually ended up dismantling the incorrect piece of equipment. This caused a major delay in shipping the correct piece of equipment. I was very embarrassed that I had made this error and apologized profusely. I ended up working 6 hours of overtime in order to make sure the deadline was met."

Everyone makes mistakes. It's how you handle it that will set you apart from the rest. Talk about a specific incident where you made a mistake and how you overcame that situation.

"When I first started at ______ on my Co-op through school one of the production workers pulled the airlines out of a pneumatic valve, I traced them back to the components they went to and ended up getting two airlines mixed up at the valve so none of the air cylinders were working properly. I ended up looking at the schematic again and double-checked every air line and that's when I realized that I had two mixed up. I switched them back and only had an extra 1/2 hour of downtime."

Tell me about your attention to detail and why you think it's an important skill as a millwright.

"By paying close attention to the details I am always assured that the job will be completed correctly the first time. This is a very important skill as it saves a great amount of time and energy. You can never go wrong by paying close attention on the job."

Tell the hiring manager why you value a skill such as paying close attention to the details.

"It is important for me to pay attention to detail when I make my plan of action to accomplish my job right the first time."

How do you manage your time during the days that you have multiple deadlines?

"On days where my skills are in high demand, and I have multiple deadlines, I become very good at delegating the smaller tasks to junior apprentices'. I have ditched the mentality that I need to do everything myself and it sure helps with time management and efficiency."

As a millwright you are likely very used to having your time in high demand. Tell the hiring manager how you ensure that multiple deadlines are met on those extra busy days.

Do you ever feel pressured when constructing machinery? What makes you nervous?

"There are very few types of tasks that make me nervous. However, I have felt added pressure when working on more highly technical precision instruments."

Tell the hiring manager about any types of work that makes you nervous. Under which situations do you feel pressure?

Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past. Were you successful?

"At the beginning of this year I set a goal for myself to continue my team's safety record. By setting extra attention towards safety efforts we have had zero accidents this year."

Talk to the hiring manager about a time that you have set a goal for yourself and successfully achieved what you set out to do.

How do you handle difficult co-workers?

"Difficult co-workers will be present nearly anywhere. I choose to focus on my job at hand and, so long as safety or human relations are not being affected, I go along with my day."

Tell the hiring manager how you professionally handle co-workers that may be difficult to work to work with.

"Ignore them. Help them with their problems."

"I find that there will be difficult coworkers at every job, I treat them with the same respect I have for my other coworkers and continue on with the job at hand as long as their work or personality doesn't interfere with anyone's safety."

Do you have training in reading blueprints? Tell me about it.

"I did take a course in blueprint reading in college and did very well in that course. More importantly, I have hands on experience in reading blueprints. For the past 4 years as as Millwright, I have been expected to read and interpret blueprints of all kinds, on a daily basis."

Assure the hiring manager that you are skilled in blueprint reading. Talk about any training you took specifically related to blueprint reading.

What schematic diagrams are you familiar with?

"I am very familiar with schematic drawings of all kind. The most common schematic diagrams that come up for me in the workplace are A, B, and C."

Tell the interviewer about your level of familiarity with schematic diagrams. Be sure to talk about the particular types of equipment you are accustomed to interpreting schematic drawings for.

What do you know about our company?

"I have researched your company quite extensively since being invited to interview. I know that you have a strong reputation in your industry. Your employees speak highly of the company and I know that you encourage local volunteering and community involvement which is really great. From what I have seen so far, I feel your company is a very strong fit for what I am looking for."

Talk to the hiring manager about what you have learned about their organization during your research. What stands out most to you?

What is your greatest strength?

"My greatest strength is in my ability to use the tools of my trade. I am a mechanically inclined individual and it comes very naturally to me."

Make sure that your answer is related to the work that you will be doing in this particular role. You want to avoid saying that your biggest strength is in social media marketing when, in fact, you are applying to be a millwright.

What is your greatest weakness? What are you doing to improve it?

"One of the areas that I would like to improve on would be my technical knowledge when it comes to portable gas heating equipment. I have found a member of my current team who is an expert in the topic and he has agreed to give me additional training on the job."

When you provide your greatest weakness, it is important to not use an example of something that would create a major red flag for the employer. Keep your answer to a non-essential skill. End your answer on a positive note by talking about your plan of action to improvement.

Do you work well under pressure?

"I am quite proud of my strong abilities to work well under pressure. High pressure situations force me to try harder, be more critical of my work, and assess my priorities more stringently."

As a millwright, you will be under stress and pressure on the job from time to time. Talk to the hiring manager about your ability to remain focused under pressure.

Do you manage your time well?

"I manage my time very well. I do so by ensuring that at the start of every shift I have a full understanding of what my primary tasks are for the day. I keep organized this way and my supervisors have stated their appreciation for that quite often."

Express to the hiring manager that you are able to keep a handle on your time while at work. Tell them how you go about ensuring that you make the most of every moment at work.

"I manage my time very well. At the start of every shift, I prepare my plan of attack, then revise my plan before I start the task. I accomplish my task always before the deadline. The supervisor gives me compliments for it a lot"

Why do you want to work for our company?

"I want to work for your company because you have a strong reputation for valuing your employees. Your company is well known for being a leader in your industry and your level of employee retention is very impressive."

It is very important to have done research on the company and its leaders before you go for your interview. Talk to the hiring manager about what makes them a stand-out company in your mind and why you would be proud to 'hang your hat' there.

Tell about a time that you had to adapt to a difficult situation.

"This last month we had some very big changes to the internal structure of our organization. Many people we laid off and others were replaced due to a merger. Despite all of the changes in our leadership and teams, I have remained in a positive mindset with hopes that the changes will be worked out soon."

Difficult situations will always come up at work so what is most important is how you handle them. Keep your answer brief and remember to remain positive.

What is your greatest career achievement to date?

"My greatest career achievement to date has been how quickly I was promoted to a team lead position in my most recent role. I was given the promotion after just 3 months and was told it was because of my strong leadership skills and level of reliability. That was really special."

It is okay to get a little bit personal when answering this question. Talk to the hiring manager about the one career-related accomplishment that you are most proud of.

Millwright Interview Questions

Go Back

1. What experience do you have using hoists and cranes?
2. Why should we hire you?
3. Do you think you are qualified for this job?
4. What skills are essential for this position?
5. What are your career goals as a Millwright?
6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
7. How do you handle stressful situations?
8. What machines do you have the most experience with?
9. What type of setting or working conditions are you most comfortable in?
10. Do you have your own tools?
11. Do you have welding experience?
12. Tell me about a recent roadblock you encountered on the job. How did you overcome it?
13. Tell me about your apprenticeship and how it prepared you as a millwright.
14. Are you comfortable with overnight travel?
15. How strong are your communication skills when dealing with multiple levels of seniority?
16. I'd like to know if you are eager to learn new skills. What do you do, in your spare time, to build your knowledge as a millwright?
17. Are you able to self-teach?
18. How flexible is your schedule? Are you able to work on a rotating shift?
19. Do you have any safety training?
20. What types of personal protective equipment are you accustomed to wearing on the job?
21. How important is workplace safety to you?
22. If a co-worker was behaving in an unsafe manner what would you do?
23. What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
24. Tell me about your ideal company culture.
25. Tell me about your education/training.
26. Are you used to traveling to various job sites?
27. How do you approach a problem when you do not know the answer or have an immediate solution?
28. Tell me about your on-the-job training. How will it help you here?
29. What was the biggest mistake you made as a millwright? How did you correct the problem?
30. Tell me about your attention to detail and why you think it's an important skill as a millwright.
31. How do you manage your time during the days that you have multiple deadlines?
32. Do you ever feel pressured when constructing machinery? What makes you nervous?
33. Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past. Were you successful?
34. How do you handle difficult co-workers?
35. Do you have training in reading blueprints? Tell me about it.
36. What schematic diagrams are you familiar with?
37. What do you know about our company?
38. What is your greatest strength?
39. What is your greatest weakness? What are you doing to improve it?
40. Do you work well under pressure?
41. Do you manage your time well?
42. Why do you want to work for our company?
43. Tell about a time that you had to adapt to a difficult situation.
44. What is your greatest career achievement to date?

Millwright Interview Questions

1. What experience do you have using hoists and cranes?

2. Why should we hire you?

3. Do you think you are qualified for this job?

4. What skills are essential for this position?

5. What are your career goals as a Millwright?

6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

7. How do you handle stressful situations?

8. What machines do you have the most experience with?

9. What type of setting or working conditions are you most comfortable in?

10. Do you have your own tools?

11. Do you have welding experience?

12. Tell me about a recent roadblock you encountered on the job. How did you overcome it?

13. Tell me about your apprenticeship and how it prepared you as a millwright.

14. Are you comfortable with overnight travel?

15. How strong are your communication skills when dealing with multiple levels of seniority?

16. I'd like to know if you are eager to learn new skills. What do you do, in your spare time, to build your knowledge as a millwright?

17. Are you able to self-teach?

18. How flexible is your schedule? Are you able to work on a rotating shift?

19. Do you have any safety training?

20. What types of personal protective equipment are you accustomed to wearing on the job?

21. How important is workplace safety to you?

22. If a co-worker was behaving in an unsafe manner what would you do?

23. What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?

24. Tell me about your ideal company culture.

25. Tell me about your education/training.

26. Are you used to traveling to various job sites?

27. How do you approach a problem when you do not know the answer or have an immediate solution?

28. Tell me about your on-the-job training. How will it help you here?

29. What was the biggest mistake you made as a millwright? How did you correct the problem?

30. Tell me about your attention to detail and why you think it's an important skill as a millwright.

31. How do you manage your time during the days that you have multiple deadlines?

32. Do you ever feel pressured when constructing machinery? What makes you nervous?

33. Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past. Were you successful?

34. How do you handle difficult co-workers?

35. Do you have training in reading blueprints? Tell me about it.

36. What schematic diagrams are you familiar with?

37. What do you know about our company?

38. What is your greatest strength?

39. What is your greatest weakness? What are you doing to improve it?

40. Do you work well under pressure?

41. Do you manage your time well?

42. Why do you want to work for our company?

43. Tell about a time that you had to adapt to a difficult situation.

44. What is your greatest career achievement to date?