Interviewing a skilled tradesman isn’t that different from interviewing in any other type of industry. There are questions that you might ask across the board — whether you’re hiring an office administrator or a pipe fitter. But there are also questions much more specific to the skilled trade world.

In general, the following lists some of the essential questions.

  • Does the candidate understand the priority of OSHA safety standards?
  • Do they have the physical strength/capacity for the job?
  • Does their experience back what their resumé promises?
  • Can they pay attention to detail — especially important around heavy, and even life-
    threatening, machinery?
  • What is their technique, and are they willing to grow?
  • Can they work well in a team?
  • Do they have a specialization within the industry that would help the company?
  • Can they efficiently and quickly solve problems and resolve conflict on the worksite?

The above questions are great in pretty much any trade industry. After all, whether you’re running a shipping yard or a manufacturing plant, your employees must adhere to procedures, have the physical strength for their role, pay attention to detail, and work well in a team.

But there are several industries and the interview questions specific to each one that we will take a closer look at.

Interview Questions/Ideas for Pipe Welders:
1. What is the code for pipeline welding?
2. What specifications do you look for in a finished weld?
3. What projects have you worked on previously?
4. What are your priorities when starting a welding project?

Interview Questions/Ideas for Pipe Fitters:
1. How do you determine the most suitable materials for each project?
2. What are your methods for testing and inspecting pipe systems?
3. Have you ever inspected an installed system only to find a slight deviation from the proper specs?
4. How did you respond?
5. What are your steps when planning a new project?

Interview Questions/Ideas for Electricians:
1. Describe your experience following technical documents to fix system problems.
2. What kinds of systems have you worked with? Which was most complex?
3. What kinds of repairs and maintenance have you accomplished?
4. How do you prepare for work in different locations? Why is adapting to different
environments necessary?

Interview Questions/Ideas for General Laborers:
1. What kinds of equipment and facilities have you worked with previously? Which ones came the
most easily? Which were the most challenging?
2. If multiple machines break down at the same time, which would you fix first? Why?
3. Have you ever had a supervisor who wasn’t pleased with your work? What did you learn from
the situation?
4. How did you practice safety habits in your previous jobs?

Interview Questions/Ideas for Installation Technicians:
1. What types of equipment have you installed previously?
2. How do you diagnose, and repair broken electrical and computer equipment?
3. How do you respond to angry customers when you cannot get their equipment to work
correctly?
4. How do you stay up to date with the most current computer and electrical equipment advances?

These are just five career opportunities that we specialize in at Gillman Services. We also focus on commercial, industrial, mining, manufacturing, and marine construction and are dedicated to supplying quality talent to our customers. “We Work for You” is our motto, and our pledge to every client and employee. Contact us today.