Application Process & Interviews at Northrop Consulting Engineers

The first interview is asking some technical questions about what I learnt in the university and share my experiences. The second interview is meeting with the principal structural manager in the office and share my experiences to him.

There's usually two sages of interviews: First, you will be interviewed by very experienced company staff who will assess your theory as well as some me practical questions to test your ability how approach a problem. In the second interview, you be interviewed by another group of senior staff to reassess you. They are very friendly which give a confidence and a feel at home.

Interview process when i applied consisted of 2 interviews with multiple leaders. I was asked about technical and non-technical questions, and even took the time to explain technical questions i was not sure about.

The first interview I was only given a days notice which wasn't great as there were technical questions asked in the interview that I had no time to prepare for. The second interview was good.

1. Preliminary phone interview with HR recruiter 2. Video interview with senior engineer and civil engineer (Team leader)

I was asked to describe myself first, asked about some technical questions and then my personality.

Submitted an application and went through two rounds of interviews.

The interview process was fairly relaxed but very comprehensive. The first interview was very much about just getting to know you as a person and seeing how you get along with people in the office. The second interview had more traditional interview style questions and had technical questions that very explicitly drew on university technical knowledge.

The hiring process was straight forward and timely. I applied through my university's jobs portal by emailing my CV and cover letter to a member of Northrop's HR team. Within a few days I had been called by this person and after a brief chat they arranged an interview for me. The interviewers were friendly and asked relevant questions about my interests and studies. Sure enough, I was stoked to be offered the job and the rest is history!

Northrop hold graduate meet and great events where undergraduate engineers can attend and meet the employees at Northrop. Further from submitting a resume, the interview process will also involve two rounds of interviews with different members of the company

The interview process was fairly relaxed but very comprehensive. The first interview was very much about just getting to know you as a person and seeing how you get along with people in the office. The second interview had more traditional interview style questions and had technical questions that very explicitly drew on university technical knowledge.

I was referred by another graduate. He spoke very highly of Northrop, so I approached the office.

Formal application followed up by two interviews

The interview process was standard. I had a phone interview with the recruitment and talent specialist, followed by an in person interview with senior and associate engineers of whose team I would be joining.

In-person interview

The interview process consisted of a first and second interview with senior members of staff. The interviews involved a range of technical and teamwork based questions and scenarios that required problem solving. There was also opportunity for me to talk about my interests and also to ask questions about the company and the work that is done.

It was a two interview process to determine if I was a good fit for the company

Over the phone personal interview and an in-person interview with a structural theory test.

Two interview process. Both interviews were quite long (1.5 to 2 hours) and included questions about myself, university and my aspirations in my career as well as some technical questions to answer with pen and paper. Most of the interview felt like a fairly informal discussion

What do you learn in university? such as bending moment and shear force diagrams. What engineering software do you use before? What would be your personal goal in the 5 years?

Tell about myself. Challenge and how I overcame them. What I see myself in the long term. Some practical questions about theory of structural behaviour and action diagrams of beams and frame.

Just your general interview questions and some technical engineering related questions

Technical questions. Questions about myself like hobbies, favourite band etc. I was asked when I had to explain a difficult concept and how I explained it, which I thought was a unique question.

Tell me about yourself? Why Do You Want This Job? What Is Your Greatest Strength? What Are Your Goals for The Future? How do you handle working on multiple projects? What organizational tools do you incorporate ? Are you willing to relocate?

Technical questions include BMD and SFD and logical questions based on the given structure.

Work history/experience. Asked to answer some technical questions. Interests/hobbies. Careers goals and aspirations.

The questions mainly pertained to what my studies have included and what I did or didn't enjoy, why I was interested in working with Northrop, what my outlook on my career was and general questions about myself - interests/hobbies etc

Fairly traditional style quetsions such as achievements, what are you most proud of, when have you found yourself in a difficult situation, when have you found yourself in a group that didnt get along etc. The technical questions were specifically about structural and civil engineering such as bending moment diagrams and concept design of stormwater.

I was asked questions about my previous experience, some technical and some situational questions.

Things about myself, particularly why I am passionate about sustainability and joining the company

I was asked about past professional experiences, team working ability, communication skills and work ethic. This was followed by a technical question.

Behavioural/situational questions and technical questions

I was asked a range of technical questions based upon university concepts, a few questions about team work and collaboration, and then questions about myself and my personal interests.

The written test comprised of 3-6 structural engineering exam-style questions. The personal component of the interview primarily involved discussing how I would fit into the company as well as times i have shown X, Y, Z in my work.

Previous experience, why Northrop was a company that I would like to work at. Future goals and asperations of my career. Why am I leaving my current job.

Fairly standard interview questions. tell us what you know about northrop, where do you see yourself in 5 years, etc. was a small catchment drawing task aswell.

I would say preparing what you learnt in university if you are graduate. Knowledge is important for the graduate as you won't have too much experiences on your discipline. And most important thing is to relax before and in the interview, it would be an easy one!

Be confident. Feel positive. Be prepared for interview.

Have an appreciation for the values of Northrop as they are taken seriously. Practice up on your related technical questions, and find ways to show your passion

Go to the graduate night to meet the employer in person. So a refresh of basic concepts studied at university.

Understand why you want the specific role you're applying for. Also, research the company to understand if it would be a good fit

Just be yourself and relaxed, there's absolutely no pressure given to you. It's absolutely fine to be wrong as long as you learn from your mistakes.

Be prepared to answer many traditional style questions and ensure you have good examples to draw from, such as from university experiences and extra-curricular activities. Study up on basic engineering knowledge because they will ask you and even if you don't know the answer, just explain the thinking process behind it.

As is my advice for applying at any company, don't stress and be yourself! I would read the undergraduate/graduate brochure or relevant resources so you have a good understanding of the work and opportunities Northrop can offer before you apply. The most important thing is that you are interested and keen to learn, the technical skills will come once you start!

Ensure you prepare answers to the standard interview questions, but also ensure you review the basic principles of the position (e.g. bending moment diagrams for simply supported beams as a graduate structural engineer etc.)

Review engineering principals and examples for all the standard situational questions.

Know what you are passionate about, and why you are passionate about it/them

I would advise that candidates be prepared, passionate and be professional.

The best way to prepare is to firstly understand the key university concepts of the degree. Then to remember that the interview is not looking for 100% correct answers and that it is ok to not know something. The purpose of a graduate position is to learn and the more you can show you are keen and eager to learn, it will serve better in the long run.

Be yourself. Northrop values its employees and workplace culture. So, try and make a connection with the interviewers

Come in with basic structural understanding for forces acting on various structural members. Be prepared for situation questions such as "what is a time you have showed creativity" etc.

You're interviewing the company as well! understand your reasons why you want this position - be passionate about it

Maybe do a quick brush up on the fundamental technical knowledge for your discipline of engineering.

Ensure civil engineering is the field you want to go into. Interviewers want to see someone passionate about the industry.