Thermal Power Plant Interview

Jethro Baidoo

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Join Date
Jun 2015
Location
Accra
Posts
35
Hello guys,
Please I have an interview with a Thermal Power Plant and I have started preparation. The position is Assistant Control and instrumentation Engineer. I need help with areas for revision before I go in for the interview?
 
What do you expect anyone here to do for you? Either you are qualified for the position or you aren't. Answer the questions they put to you as best you can. Admit it when you don't know the answer, and point to anything in your background that might help convince them you're capable of learning what you need.
 
What do you expect anyone here to do for you? Either you are qualified for the position or you aren't. Answer the questions they put to you as best you can. Admit it when you don't know the answer, and point to anything in your background that might help convince them you're capable of learning what you need.

Well, there are fat too many incompetent people employed by some internationally renowned corporations who don't have a clue. They lack the technical knowledge and worst they lack the skills to conduct an interview. Everyday I shake my head at how some of the companies that I thought so highly of turn out to be staffed by a bunch of idiots. How they make money is beyond me but this is limited to my Canadian experience and those corporations I referred to are mostly European so maybe they're fare more professional there.

Back to the original post: There's no typical scenario and it *all* depends on how well the interview is structured. A proper interview will focus mostly on your person, time management and problem solving skills rather than how much you know as the latter should be confirmed with references. If they ask you technical questions, sort of exam like, then it's toss up.
 
You need to research the company and that plant. What type of systems are they running for instance? Find out if there has been anything written about them in the newspapers. Do you know anybody working there? Have you seen the plant? What did the job ad say?
 
.... Everyday I shake my head at how some of the companies that I thought so highly of turn out to be staffed by a bunch of idiots. How they make money is beyond me ....

I learned a long time ago you don't have to be smart to be successful in business. You just can't be dumber than your competition.
 
Try to find out everything you can about the company from their website. Also try to come up with a couple questions that you can ask the interviewer. If you ask some smart questions it will show that you are a good candidate. I usually ask questions about testing ("how do you test these systems, what is the general test procedure") and I always ask if I can walk through the plant and look at their equipment.
 
I learned a long time ago you don't have to be smart to be successful in business. You just can't be dumber than your competition.

Unfortunately, often this only applies to the sales and purchasing departments..
 
Sorry I can't anticipate what they might ask you, but I can provide you some general advice for interviews...

Don't forget, this is a 2-way exchange, not an interrogation. I think a lot of people walk into an interview with the mindset that they are there to do whatever it takes to convince the company of their worth, and talk along the lines of "begging" the benevolent company to grant them the opportunity to work there, even if in the cold dark gear locker. It's understandable to feel this way, especially if you have been out of a job for a while. But know your worth. No need to beg. No need to lower yourself for them. You are there to interview them, as much as they are there to interview you. Are they worthy of having you? Ask questions about the company to determine if it's even some place you would like to see yourself working. If you are competent in the field you're applying for, act like it. The confidence you display will do more for you than the words that come out of your mouth. (but don't overdo it and be "****y")

If you're not competent for what you're applying for; if you're fresh out of school and it's an "entry-level" position then be more humble, but still don't beg.

And everything is negotiable. If they go to the effort of extending you an offer letter, it means you have something they want. So recognize that, and get the best deal you can up front. Don't settle for something less than what you need, in hopes of getting a raise later, because it will not likely happen. Every raise you get, is based on what you were making before, so if you start low, there will be a cumulative error by the time you retire that could be >$1M. If the dollar amount is fair, then take it. Maybe ask for some other benefits, like stock options or a modified schedule. When I took my current job I accepted the dollar amount but negotiated for the title that I wanted, and for a 4-day work week.
 
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I went to an interview years ago where I didn't really want the job but I was looking for a new position, so thought a few practice interviews wouldn't harm.

The potential job intrigued me. They were a large electrical contractor but were wanting someone with machine control knowledge, electronics and technical qualifications way above what I had.

Re Strantors advice; I was naturally confident as I didn't really want the position.
And I asked more questions about them than they did me.
Turns out they were a large company but had no one who could repair machines or do 'technical' work.
This was causing them problems with other large companies that needed this type of work doing as well as contracting.

A funny part of the interview was when the director (who had moved up through the ranks) asked me how I would approach a machine that would not start.
I went through my routine - you know power, control voltage, stop circuits etc and his mouth was starting to gape.
I could see he had no clue and that I was teaching him something.

At the time of this interview, I was earning about £4 per hour (standard factory electricians rate in the early 1980's)
I had decided I wanted £5ph to even consider the position (25% raise)

When I asked about the rate he told me it would be revealed at the second interview.
Second interview??
I told him I was the man they needed and I would not be attending a second interview without knowing.
He pondered for a while and in my mind I was saying £5ph or this goes no further.

£6.20ph he said. Company car and telephone bill paid (the days before cell/mobile phones) That really stunned me and was impossible to turn down.

I spent 10 happy years there before I branched out on my own.
 

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