Hard Interview Questions: STEM Fields for Monte

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the challenges of STEM interviews, particularly in engineering and data analytics. Participants share specific difficult interview questions aimed at assessing analytical thinking rather than rote knowledge. Questions such as "How do mobile phone calls work?" and "If all cars switched to hydrogen power, would it raise sea levels?" exemplify the type of analytical problems candidates may face. The consensus is that interviewers prioritize a candidate's ability to think critically and communicate effectively over merely providing correct answers.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic engineering principles
  • Familiarity with data analytics concepts
  • Knowledge of interview techniques in technical fields
  • Ability to articulate problem-solving processes
NEXT STEPS
  • Research common STEM interview questions and their underlying concepts
  • Study analytical problem-solving techniques in engineering contexts
  • Explore effective communication strategies for technical interviews
  • Learn about the hydrogen economy and its implications for environmental science
USEFUL FOR

Individuals preparing for STEM interviews, including engineering and data analytics candidates, as well as hiring managers seeking to understand effective interview techniques.

  • #31
Monte_Carlo said:
While I know it may have to do with specific knowledge (like propulsion) I suspect even in aerospace they sometimes test applicants with generic diffucult analytical problems.

I guess I work in aerospace (defense side of things). I have only interviewed a few times but never been asked the generic analytical problems. It has always been more on past experience and specifically what I did on projects, what problems I encountered, how I solved them.

Right now I am in the process of trying to interview and hire several software engineers and those are the same types of questions I ask. Some people list projects they worked on (especially if they are large projects like say development of the F-22) but do not say specifically what they did. So the key is trying to drill down and find out what their experience really was: were they a bump on the log, did they really contribute, or were middle of the road. You can usually tell by how well they understand and can explain what they worked and to what detail they can go into where they fit in that scale.
 

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