This document provides tips and guidelines for engineering candidates preparing for a professional interview. It discusses the types of questions interviewers may ask regarding work experience, decision making, investigations, and responsibility. Candidates should be prepared to discuss in detail their training, reports, designs, problem solving abilities, and experience. The interviewer will probe the candidate's knowledge and ability. Candidates will also need to write two essays on topics related to their work and the engineering profession, and should prepare by gaining experience and knowledge in these areas through work, reading, and professional activities. Proper preparation of reports, drawings, and calculations to demonstrate one's own work is important.

1. PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW
TIPS TO CANDIDATES

2. WHAT INTERVIEWERS
NORMALLY ASK !!
 What has the candidate done
 Why has he done it
 Does he fully understand what he has
done
 What engineering decisions he has
made
 What investigations and considerations
were undertaken to reach the
conclusion

3. CAPACITY TO ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY
 Day to day work
 Answering on situations posed
 Writing of Essay Understanding
of Regulations on Code of Ethics

4. THE INTERVIEW
• The Interviewer would have gone through
the training report and design documents
• He will ask probing questions, discuss
issues to ascertain the ability of the
candidate to solve problems stated or
other similar cases
• Confirm the candidates experience and
ability

5. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
& ESSAY TOPICS
ESSAY QUESTIONS
ESSENTIALS OF CODE OF ETHICS
CONFLICT OF INTEREST/APPLICATION
TO CODE
ROLE OF ENGINEERS IN SOCIETY
PROJECT MANAGEMENT &
ENGINEERING STUDIES

6. COMMUNICATION
PRESENTATION, GROOMING,
CONFIDENCE, CLARITY

7. * Knowledge & Relevance
* Length (1000 words in 1 1/2 hours)
* Grammar, argument & presentation
* Clear Expression of Thoughts
What Interviewers look for in
Essays?

8. Causes of Failure
Read the Instructions

9. PREPARING
REPORTS
DO NOT WRITE
 Nonsense
 Inconclusive Situations
 Non-specific Jobs
 UNSURE WORKS
 Lengthy Sentences without
Headings
 Works Not Carried out Personally

10. A heavy wad of print-outs is not only
difficult to carry, it is also likely to
exasperate the Interviewer

11. It can be helpful if your drawings were not too
large as the Interviewer may wish to bring
them home to study.

12. PREPARING REPORT
DO WRITE
* INTERESTING AND
ESSENTIAL DETAILS
* DRAW CORRECT
CONCLUSIONS

13. DO NOT
* Postpone the Interview
unnecessarily
* Request for change of Interviewer
without valid reasons
* Submit reports late
* RING IEM TOO OFTEN
IMPORTANT NOTES

14. Drawings:
 Many candidates submit drawings etc
produced by the firm with minimal
input by the candidate
 The drawings/design should reflect the
candidate’s own work
 The design etc should be of sufficient
level to justify granting professional
status

15. Calculations:
 Can submit computerised
calculations but must be
accompanied by manual
calculations showing assumptions,
considerations required in the
design and why these were selected

16. THE ESSAYS
There are two essays
Section A
Consists of two questions based on the
candidate’s technical experience. To answer
ONE
Section B
Two questions from the list. The candidate
to answer one. .. continued

17. PREPARATION FOR THE ESSAYS
Should have good understanding of the
issues relating to the topics
a) Can be developed through good experience,
exposure to the problems and issues at work
b) Reading regularly on these issues (knowledge
of previous designs, best practices and worst
practices, failures etc); and
c) Participating in professional activities,
seminars, talks, forums etc.
.. continued

18. Writing the Essays
• Candidates need to pay attention
to language, grammar, format,
content and style
• Engineers have to write reports
too

19. THANK YOU
WE HOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR
APPLICATION TO SIT FOR THE PI
VERY SOON……….