Senior Civil Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

General Guidelines in Senior Civil Engineer interview questions and answers

• Play like an All-rounder –Being a Senior Civil Engineer, company wants a profile which can handle many things, therefore be ready to do multi tasks.
• Be a problem solver –Every company needs a profile which can tackle any problem and can easily resolve without support, therefore be ready to solve problems.
• Result Oriented-When the work finished off then only it is called as work, any task should be planned, scheduled, and finished on time, therefore be ready to be achieved.

Let first discuss HR Category for senior civil engineer interview questions and answers

1. You’ve been with your firm a long time. Won’t it be hard switching to a new company?

Best Answers- Highlight the different responsibilities with the new situations you’ve faced and conquered. 

 Throughout your journey how you learned to adapt quickly to whatever is thrown at you, and you thrive with the new challenges. 

To assure the interviewer, describe the similarities between the new position and your prior one. Explain that you would be comfortable working there, since their needs and your skills makes a perfect match. 

TRAPS: Your interviewer worried that this engineer will enthusiasm to learn the new skills.

2.May I contact your present employer for a reference?

Best Answers-Express your concern that you’d like to keep your job search private.

Example- My present employer is not aware of my job search and, and I’d prefer to keep it secret. I’d be most happy if we kept our discussion confidential at the right Moment. And when you want you can contact them. I’m very proud of my working Journey there.

TRAPS: If you’re trying to keep your job search private, this is the point that you want. But if you would not cooperate, won’t you seem as if you’re trying to hide something?

3. Give me an example of your creativity (analytical skills managing ability, etc.)

BEST ANSWER: Commit to memory a list of the answers and your achievements

If you have the list, present any of your achievements in terms of the quality the interviewer is asking about.

TRAPS: You caught by your hesitation that might be having a hard time that you were creative last time.

4. The “Hypothetical Problem” Like- What would you do? or How would you handle this?

BEST ANSWER- Keep research on generating possible solutions, take action and monitoring the results.

These questions always describe your process or working methods, and you’ll never go wrong. Just clear cut answers will help you get the Job done.

TRAPS: Sometimes an interviewer will ask how you would handle this. Since it is virtually impossible to have all the facts in front of you from such a short presentation, giving your verdict on the spot

5. The Salary Question – How much money do you want? Or what is your expected salary?

BEST ANSWER: For maximum salary negotiation, try out these five guidelines:

1. Never bring up salary- Let the interviewer open their mouth. Make the interviewer Know your values. With that your salary bargaining will be much powerful.

2. Postpone the question-if your interviewer raises the salary question too early, say them like this yes certainly money is important to me, but important point is how I would be able to create value for your Company and my self-growth over the year. So let’s explore if I’m right for the position, and then we’ll talk about money

3. The #1 rule of any negotiation- Always more information wins. Gets the employer talking about what they might be pay before you reveal what you’re willing to accept. So, when raise question about salary, respond by asking, I know the company has already put a range of a salary for this position. Can I know what that range is? Or, I want an income according to my qualification and experience. I trust you’ll be fair with me. What does this salary range?

4. 4. Know beforehand what you’d accept- know the reasonable and research the job market and the position wise salary. Keep in mind that that most employer look for a 20-25%$ rise when they switch jobs.

5. Never lie about what you currently make- Feel free to include the estimated cost of all your past salary, so that you could demand well over 25-50% more to your present.

TRAPS: This is your most important negotiation. So handle it wrong in a wrong way, can lose the best hike with the qualification and your experience.

6. Now following are the most frequently asked technical Interview questions for Senior Civil Engineers 

There is no defining syllabus for interview. It will depend on interview for particular senior Engineer post. But basic knowledge of each subject required, then only you’ll have able to give the answer for the questions.

• Explain the concept of built up area and super built-up area.

Built up area- are covered by carpet area, walls, pillars, and ducts.
Super built-up area covers the built-up area as well as building amenities such as life passages, lobby, stairs, gym, clubhouse, etc.

• What are the IS Codes of practice for plain and reinforced concrete (IS 456:2000)
• How much is the time required Formwork Removal for Columns and beams? ( 24 Hours and 14 days
• What is the clear cover of Column and Beam? (40mm and 25 mm Respectively)
• Draw the G+3 Elevation of Building
• What is cost of construction of building in your home town?
• Soil mechanics- Asked as Standard definitions like void ratio, water content, Terzaghi bearing capacity formula & water table effect, soil bearing capacity, concept of effective stress; Mohr circle-Active & passive earth pressure. Soil type in your state and which type of foundation is suitable for that.
• SOM & structures- Questions like drawing SFD & BMD of beams, principal stress using Mohr circle, deflection of standard cases, finding indeterminacy, drawing deflected shape of portal frame for given loading, distribution factor in moment distribution method.
• Difference between pre tensioning and post tensioning.

(Pretension- imparting tension in strands before placing the concrete.

Post tensioning- strands are pulled (tensioned) after the concrete gains its full strength.)

Surveying - Catchment area, contours and L-section, C-section of river.