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.