The position of a maintenance technician is one area that gets the most demand in the job market, but the maintenance technician interview questions and answers are often the biggest concern for most candidates. The candidate’s concern about the questions and the recruiter’s toughness in the interview questions is completely understandable because the position of maintenance technician in a company is a high-profile one.
You see, maintenance technicians oversee the installation, and repair of facilities and production equipment. They are essential to the efficient operation of the manufacturing process or the services of a company. A maintenance technician must always be an outstanding problem solver and take regular safety precautions, even if his/her daily duties vary by company. Therefore, picking the right person for the position comes with basic maintenance questions that challenge the candidates’ competence.
So, to help you skim through the twistedness of the maintenance technician interview questions and answers and guarantee your chances of getting the job, we have come up with a list of well-researched and proven questions and answers that have worked for others, and we believe will work for you. Also, there are alternative high-paying jobs in the consumer service industry that you can try.
Top 11 Maintenance Technician Interview Questions and Answers
Here you will find the top 11 maintenance technician interview questions and answers an explanation of the questions; approaches to answering the questions. These will help you to impress the interviewer and get your next job.
1. Can you give an overview of the work you do?
The group of maintenance technicians is diverse. While some people may focus on a single field, others might be more generalists. In this instance, the interviewer is searching for industry expertise, effective communication abilities, and the capacity to describe tasks in simple words.
Answer: As a strong candidate, you should be sure to articulate your line of work such that demonstrates your familiarity with it. You can mention how you are a generalist when it concerns maintenance (though most recruiters would not feel comfortable with generalist technicians, others don’t find it an issue), just be true to yourself if that is what you are. And list out all you are good at.
2. What maintenance talents do you possess?
In comparison to the last question, this one is a little more particular. The interviewer is on the lookout for concrete instances of maintenance skills in this situation. Examples of your abilities, effective listening and communication skills, a readiness to consider novel approaches and unforeseen reasons, and adaptive and diverse maintenance procedures are what the recruiter is looking for.
Answer: You can focus your response on how long you’ve been working as a maintenance technician. Include all your accomplishments in your field of expertise. I am sure you had gone through this in your research for facility maintenance test questions and answers while preparing for the interview. It’s always advisable.
3. What are your methods of evaluating repair projects?
You should expect inquiries on your analytical thinking as well as attention to detail from the interviewer. Here, the interviewer wants to know if you have ever done such before and whether you have the necessary experience of the entire process.
Answer: To demonstrate to the interviewer how you use your analytical skills, inventiveness, and problem-solving ability, consider explaining some of the tactics you employ to discover and address maintenance concerns. Describe the full procedure. You can start explaining how you first, identify the issue as it arises. Iterate how you can start a repair process by inspecting the complete piece of machinery or system.
Mention how, in your previous position, you mostly worked with manufacturing equipment, and when evaluating parts for repair, operating the machinery until failure, helped you more accurately identify the problematic part. After completing this stage, you examine the component to decide whether you should repair it or replace it, depending on the extent of the damage. This shows the interviewer that you are knowledgeable enough and possibly possess the necessary expertise for the position.
4. How do you set priorities for maintenance?
With this question, interviewers can evaluate your capacity for prioritizing and organizing urgent work, as well as your time management skills. Being a maintenance technician is not all about being a good technician. Organization in how you discharge your functions and how you effectively manage the allotted time is also a key factor of a good maintenance technician. Remember, you are dealing with a company here!
Answer: To answer such questions, give instances of previous projects you’ve worked on where you had to divide your time between milestones and explain how you made sure your results were delivered on time. You might describe your previous organizational experience in a former role. For instance, you oversaw arranging the several contracts your previous employer had with corporate customers, each of which had a particular maintenance schedule.
Describe how taking on this role has helped you gain experience using Maintenance Pro CMMS to monitor progress and supply needs. Also mention how it helped you stay so organized with your work that you were able to finish numerous tasks ahead of schedule. By mentioning the tools, you have previously used, you show the interviewer that you are skilled at organizing in addition to having a wealth of knowledge in the field. Maintenance technician interview questions are always targeting real-world experience.
5. What would be your priorities in a new hire training program?
Employers could also evaluate your capacity for planning and executing training goals for new team members. Even if you have no expertise in teaching others, think back to projects you’ve worked on in the past where you had to cooperate with someone less skilled.
How did you train them?
This can demonstrate your capacity for collaboration and readiness to lend a hand to colleagues.
Answer: Even if you haven’t yet had the chance to participate in program creation, you can have assisted your former employer by serving as a mentor in carrying out training requirements. Mention that. Moreover, add that you learned more from the experience about how to create and introduce policies, safety procedures, and maintenance methods to new professionals on your team.
6. What is your experience in repairing industrial machinery and equipment?
Repairs and maintenance projects that technicians can work on include industrial and commercial repairs. Your technological application to huge types of machinery like conveyors, hydraulic presses, or other industrial-scale parts may be a topic of discussion during the interview. Also, this is one of the preventive maintenance interview questions interviewers always use to understand the level of professionalism in the candidate they are interviewing, when it comes to preventive maintenance. So, your answer should be technically on point.
Answer: In your answer, emphasize your familiarity with maintenance guidelines and methods that apply to business operations. Even if you weren’t directly in charge of managing maintenance schedules and related projects, you must have gained experience if you have ever worked on a contract for a mid-sized manufacturing company. Discuss that in detail. Additionally, describe how you helped managers and senior technicians arrange equipment assessments in the past and implement repair techniques following industry standards to guarantee that crucial components and machinery maintenance is performed safely and effectively.
7. What is your knowledge of programmable logic controllers?
When applying for industrial maintenance jobs, you may be asked to talk about your experience with technological applications and large-scale operations during the interview process.
Answer: Describe your knowledge of and any experience you have with the maintenance of industrial equipment when responding to technical interview questions like this one. If you have ever served or had the chance to receive training from an industrial engineer on PLC principles, mention that. Or if you got a better grasp of how to approach and develop solutions for fixing PLC issues, by learning how to evaluate and detect flaws in the programming for the assembly and conveyor systems, state that too. These are all the types of expertise the interviewer is looking for.
8. How would you feel about a job without a realistic path to progress?
It is uncommon for a maintenance technician’s position to have a clear path for progression. To succeed in this position, you must put in a lot of effort and attention. Candidates ought to be aware of the significance of such a job and not let it deter them. The interviewer is seeking a candidate who is committed to the position, has a positive work attitude, and is willing to work and put in the time.
Answer: The idea that there are constant prospects for advancement should be the main theme of your response. Simply being willing to invest the necessary time and effort will get you there. Describe your willingness to do so and the abilities you must achieve what you want according to the goals of the company.
9. What was your most challenging work experience and how you handled it?
Life frequently presents challenging circumstances; therefore, it’s critical to understand how an applicant will handle them. From an unsatisfied client to a team member who isn’t doing his fair share might create a challenging situation. Applicants can handle it without endangering the company’s reputation or bottom line. The interviewer is searching for effective communication skills, the capacity to cooperate with others, a willingness to make concessions, and the capacity to function under time constraints.
Answer: If you have ever dealt with a circumstance when your previous boss wasn’t satisfied with the work you completed, you should speak out about it. You were able to go back and fix it by reviewing the job you completed, identifying what you might have done differently, and then taking those actions. Though difficult, the effort paid off in the end. Share your failed stories without reservation. Most candidates believe that discussing a failure with a new manager will guarantee them failure in the interview.
Most bosses prefer to hire failures. They believe that those who have made mistakes have had the chance to gain knowledge from experience. It tells them that you can handle bigger responsibilities. So, don’t be afraid to touch a little on that. And mention what you learned from it and how it impacted your job as a maintenance technician. When interviewers are preparing questions to ask a maintenance technician in an interview, they always keep in mind the trustworthiness of the candidates, hence, there will always be tricky questions like this to test your honesty.
10. Why did you choose the university that you attended?
Interviewers use this question to evaluate the candidates’ understanding of their education and how it pertains to their careers. Additionally, it demonstrates their ability to articulate their thinking and connect it to the task at hand. The interviewer is searching for effective communication abilities, subject-matter expertise, and convincing justifications for selecting the university.
Answer: To respond to such a question in a meaningful way, you must have a specific justification for your decision to attend the university you attended. It might be because the company was nearby, had a formidable reputation for the kind of work you wanted to study, and allowed you to earn a degree in your profession while simultaneously working.
11. How do you often handle extremely nosy clients?
It can be challenging but curiously typical for maintenance professionals to encounter a homeowner who simply won’t permit you to perform out of fear that something will be further damaged than it already is. Maintenance tech interview questions do not just target the technical aspects of the candidates. It’s also about how you relate with nosy clients while at work. A strong applicant should be capable of overcoming these obstacles and allaying the concerns of a client.
Answer: You should think about three things while responding to such a question: other people’s sentiments, your level of concentration on the task at hand, and your customer service and communication skills. Show that you understand how annoying it might be when a client simply won’t let you finish the work. However, you discovered that discussing what you’re doing as you go frequently discourages clients from trying to stop you or interrupt you. It’s a little inconvenient, but it’s much that way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maintenance Technician Interview Questions and Answers
Here are some frequently asked questions about maintenance technician interview questions and answers which are asked by candidates and interviewers:
1. What Should I Say in a Maintenance Technician Interview?
There is no definite answer to this question because there are many questions involved that are all unique and require unique answers. What I will suggest here is that you focus on clarity when answering a question. And don’t be scared, if you do not understand a question, ask. And don’t be afraid of opening a discussion on a failure experience. The interviewer is interested in detail like that.
2. What Would You think to be the 5 Key Duties of a Maintenance Technician?
No matter the business, the following general duties, and responsibilities may be included in a maintenance technician job description:
- Dealing with inbound work requests
- Communicating with your managers about current and potential problems
- Keeping paper records or your CMMS to track maintenance tasks
- Maintaining and cleaning the equipment you use
- Respecting different safety rules and regulations
3. What are the Basic Questions Asked in Maintenance Technical Interview?
The hiring manager will start the conversation during your interview with a few standard inquiries to learn more about you.
The following are some typical inquiries that you might have:
- Describe yourself to me.
- What is your knowledge of our business?
- What appeals to you about the position?
- How do you remain inspired?
- What qualities do you have?
- How do you handle difficulties?
- What kind of workplace would you prefer?
4. What are the Main Roles of a Maintenance Technician?
Maintenance Technicians check wires, fix pipes, diagnose problems with machinery, change light bulbs, and set up new equipment. To maintain safety and spot inconsistencies that could point to a machine issue, they record temperature data on boilers and temperature control devices. They maintain a schedule of necessary supplies, inspection sheets, and routine repairs. They might even go as far as to do material shopping and keep track of receipts for reimbursement to execute repairs on schedule.
5. How Do I Conduct a Maintenance Technician Interview?
There are varieties of maintenance technician job interview questions you can ask candidates but for the job, it is better to focus on role-specific questions such as:
- What parts of this job do you like the most?
- What types of maintenance tasks did you perform in your prior role?
- How familiar are you with HVAC systems?
- How well-versed in preventive maintenance regulations are you?
- What is your history with PLC?
Conclusion
Attending an interview for maintenance technician can be intimidating, but candidates can get over their pre-interview jitters by rehearsing the above interview questions for maintenance technician and answers. Additionally, interviewers can utilize this list to prepare questions and anticipate the right responses. In the end, they can rely on these inquiries and responses to choose the most suitable applicant.
