Electrician Interview Questions List

Prepare for your next electrician job interview with this list common questions.

You can only learn so much about an electrician based on their resume. The interview is a crucial step in the hiring process because it allows you to evaluate each person’s disposition and personality. Not everyone will turn out to be a great fit for your team, regardless of their impressive credentials.

Knowing the types of interview questions to ask potential hires during an interview can help you suss out any red flags and make you more confident in your decision to either pass or hire them. 

Why did you become an electrician?

There’s really no right or wrong answer here, but it helps to get the conversation started. However, because you own a service-oriented business, it’s nice to know whether a potential hire became an electrician with the intention of helping others. Performing electrical work requires attention to detail, adherence to safety measures and plenty of technical knowledge that should make electricians feel a sense of pride when completing a challenging project. Therefore, many electricians are drawn to the trade simply for the opportunity to work with both their brain and their hands outside of a traditional office setting. 

Ideally, however, that pride should also come balanced with a satisfaction derived from helping others and a willingness to cooperate with fellow team members. The additional electrician interview questions on this list will help you determine if a candidate possesses those qualities as well.

What has been the most challenging thing for you to learn in this field?

This question gives candidates a chance to talk about how they have overcome a hardship. Whether it was mastering a certain electrical technique or learning how to be more efficient on the job, everyone should have an answer to this question. Becoming an electrician takes years, and it’s not always smooth sailing. Ask follow-up questions, such as:

• How did you overcome that challenge?
• Do you feel that challenge is still a weak area for you?
• What advice would you give to a co-worker who is struggling with the same thing?

How the applicant responds to these questions can give you an idea of whether or not they are a team player, a self-starter, or open to criticism. 

If every client you’ve ever had rated you on a scale of 1 to 5, which client would give you a 1-star review and why?

Now you’re asking the candidate to be humble for a moment and admit some of their major mistakes. If you’re interviewing for an apprenticeship position, ask the candidate to consider their previous work history. Even people who take great pride in their work have encountered clients who just can’t be pleased, or who found themselves on the business end of an important “learning experience” in the candidate’s career.

Ask what the candidate learned from this episode. Do they seem bitter or like they hold a grudge? Are they contemplative and honest about admitting that they made a mistake? Ask what they would do differently if they could go back in time with all the knowledge they’ve accumulated since the incident. All of these questions will help you understand if the candidate is willing to grow and adapt, or whether they’ll be stubborn and resentful when things don’t go their way. Pay close attention to their attitude.

What’s your best talent as an electrician?

There’s no point in trying to stuff a square peg into a round hole. You want to put people to work where they can really shine. Maybe a candidate is interviewing for one position but would be an even better match for another, such as a systems designer. If the applicant really loves to troubleshoot problems, it could be beneficial to get them out to as many problem calls as possible to keep them motivated and increase their experience even further. Some candidates might prefer installation jobs, residential jobs, or industrial jobs. Knowing what an electrician excels in can help you decide if you have the right position available.

How would you handle this scenario?

Now it’s time to throw some common electrical scenarios their way and see how well they can think on their feet and apply their knowledge as an electrician. Consider asking:

• What’s the first thing you would do if a co-worker was shocked?
• How would you confirm that a wire was properly grounded?
• Which wire would you choose for a three-way switch?
• How would you explain overlamping to a client? 
• What’s your process for troubleshooting a blackout?
• What is a hot stick and when and how would you use one? 

These aren’t trick questions; anyone with training as an electrician should be comfortable answering these quickly and in detail. Feel free to follow any question with “Why?” to encourage quieter candidates to open up more.