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Questions You’ll Be Asked During an Automotive Tech Interview

Jumping out of an auto mechanic program and into the fast-paced automotive industry is an exciting prospect, but to get there you must first get through the interview. When you get the call that you’re being considered for a position, you’ll want to brush up on a bit of pertinent information. That way, you’ll be one step ahead of the game when you head in for your interview. Here are some questions that commonly come up during an automotive technician job interview.

What qualifications do you bring to the job?

This is the time to highlight all of your schooling and experience in the automotive world. Let the interviewers know about any certificates you’ve earned and any specific training you’ve gone through. Highlight any automotive technician programs you’ve completed, and tell them about your hands-on experience, whether it was paid, part of a practicum, or simply something you’ve been doing all your life.

What do you think are the main duties of an automotive technician?

When interviewers ask this type of question they want to get a sense that you have a good idea what the job entails. Be sure to list off as many of the major responsibilities of an automotive tech that you can think of. Some duties they’ll likely be interested in hearing you talk about are vehicle inspection, diagnostics, repair, fine tuning, and vehicle maintenance.

How would you go about diagnosing a vehicle issue?

Many interviewers will want you to walk them through your process so they can get a good idea of your experience, training, and decision-making abilities. They also may be trying to determine whether or not you’re familiar with their diagnostic equipment. Don’t be surprised if they want you to physically demonstrate your actions. Some interviewers want to make sure your hands-on skills match what you’ve told them.   

Tell me about your customer service skills and experience.

While having vehicle repair know-how is obviously crucial to an automotive tech position, knowing how to deal with customers is also a highly-coveted skill. Not only do you need to demonstrate to your potential employers that you can diagnose and repair a vehicle’s issues, you also need to show them that you can properly relay that information to the customer.

An automotive technician needs to be able to explain and answer questions in layperson’s terms. In addition, they have to maintain a professional and calm demeanor, despite sometimes having to deliver unwelcome news. While not all automotive technician programs touch on customer service training, most people can give examples of customer service skills from some previous area of work.

What is the process you take before turning the vehicle back over to the customer?

By asking this question, interviewers are trying to assess whether or not you’ll uphold their reputation and put the safety and satisfaction of the customer at the forefront. Not all automotive technician jobs place customer satisfaction at the top of the list, but you’ll probably want to seek out the ones that do. In your answer to the question you’ll want to explain that you understand the importance of road-testing the vehicle before handing it back over and that you know how to clearly explain to the customer what has been or needs to be done to the vehicle.

Do you have experience working on certain manufacturers’ vehicles?

Some automotive techs seek to gain a good general knowledge of mechanics, while others like to concentrate on learning the finer details of certain makes. Either way, the question of which type of vehicles you know best might come up during your interview. It’s a good idea to be clear about the type of position you’re applying for so that you can highlight your relevant experience.

Do you have computer and cash handling skills?

There is so much information to be accessed online these days, and automotive techs can really benefit from having good online researching skills. There are also many shops that rely on the mechanics themselves to ring up customers, so having cash handling experience is another benefit.

 Automotive technician jobs are as varied as the makes and models of vehicles themselves. When you go in for your interview you probably won’t have all the answers. Just be sure to focus on your knowledge and accomplishments and you’ll be well on your way to landing a position. 

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