Interview Answers

Interview Questions for a Mechanical Engineer:

1. What company do you work for, and how has your experience been there so far?

I am currently working at Caterpillar Corporation. I enjoy working at Caterpillar very much.

2. Have you had any previous jobs related to mechanical engineering?

I have worked mechanical design engineering jobs for the past 25+ years.

Other companies like:

Caterpillar, Argonne National Labs, Hamilton Sundstrand-United Technologies, CNH Corporation, IBM Corporation, BAE Systems, Rockwell International

3. What aspired you to become a mechanical engineer?

I actually started out in Architectural drafting and then Civil engineering, but I enjoy Mechanical engineering field gives me the opportunity to 

build machinery and off-road equipment that helps build the worlds infrastructure that helps improve the lives for many people on earth.

4. Was there any motivating people or factors that helped you become a mechanical engineer?

I would probably have to say that it was my father who was a tool & die machinist from Europe and he was in the Air-force was able to take apart 

and rebuild mechanical parts on airplane engines.

5. What exactly do you do as a mechanical engineer at your company? (Do you design parts, work on the machinery, build the machinery, etc.?)

I work on new product design projects for Medium size wheel loaders that are used specifically in the heavy construction industry build the nations 

infrastructure that includes roads, buildings, and homes. I do design new parts for introduction of new products to the Caterpillar dealer network 

that is driven by the customers needs for new improved technologies within the vehicle.

6. Overall, how much do you enjoy your career and what type of person would you recommend your job to? Do you ever regret your decision of choosing to be a mechanical engineer?

I enjoy my career very much and do not regret it at all, it gives me the opportunity to work with my design team on specific projects that will help come up with new ideas and improvements  to the overall product. It is nice to try out new ideas before it is released to production.

I feel a person that has a good mechanical understanding and enjoys working with components, parts and assemblies would be best suited for the mechanical engineering. They should also enjoy working with other system engineers to make sure that everything goes together well.

7. How hard or easy was it to find a job and what are some steps for a college student to take to get a mechanical engineering job?

The overall job market for mechanical engineering technologies is currently excellent. There seems to be opportunities all over the country for mechanical 

engineers  working for many very good companies

8. Are most mechanical engineering jobs the same or does it depend on where you work?

Mechanical engineering jobs can vary depending on the the product that is being designed.

9. Do you feel that there is a need for mechanical engineers in today's and tomorrows society, or do you feel as if the demand for them is decreasing?

There seems to always be a need for mechanical engineers for many different industries like Automotive, Construction, Agricultural, Medical and Food Industry.

10. How are the hours and workload of being a mechanical engineer?

Workload is no different than any other type of job, usually 8 hour days, normally Monday through Friday. Projects requirements and production deadlines can have an impact on schedules once in awhile.

11. What college did you study mechanical engineering at? Do you also have another degree (Example: Physics or a Math based degree?)

I actually never finished my degree, I went to a 2 year college on the north side taking general classes and studies. I had a lot of training on the job. 

12. How well have your studies during college prepare you for your job?

Actually my studies in High School helped me quite a bit like math, science, design drafting is one thing that really is used in Mechanical Engineering.

13. How much of what you learned in college do you actually use on a daily basis? (For example: Being that mechanical engineering is highly physics and math based, how much do you actually use on a daily basis?)

I feel that college is very important today in this industry because it helps open up more opportunities for the engineer where companies use to not necessarily recruit  from schools as much as they do now.

14. Is there any class you would recommend to a student in college, outside of math and science courses, that you feel would be necessary to be a mechanical engineer?

Absolutely, Some of the most important classes an engineer should take is Computer Aided Design since it is a very important tool that is used in mechanical design and engineering on a daily basis today.