The Top 8 Interview Questions to Ask Every MRO Technician Candidate

As a company looking to hire Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) technicians, finding the right candidate can be challenging especially with the shortage of techs. This role requires a mix of technical expertise, problem solving abilities, and strong commitment to safety. To ensure a candidate is a good fit in your company, it is essential to ask the right interview questions. Keep reading to discover the top 8 interview questions to ask every MRO technician candidate.

Technical Skills and Knowledge Interview Questions for MRO Techs

What experience do you have with maintenance and repair of equipment in the aviation/aerospace industry?

This interview question helps determine if the candidate has relevant hands-on experience in the aviation or aerospace industry. For veterans, their experience may look different than a civilian candidate. Veterans often have comprehensive hands-on experience with many complex systems that can translate directly into these industries. Look for specific examples and ask follow-up questions to gauge their depth of their knowledge of repairs.

Can you describe a time when you diagnosed a complex problem in a piece of machinery?

Use this question to gauge the level of problem solving skills a MRO technician candidate has. Problem solving is a soft skill that involves critical thinking, communication, and creativity along with job specific knowledge. MRO technicians need the ability to analyze a problem and come up with potential solutions on the job.

What tools and equipment are you most proficient with?

When asking this interview question, look for responses that the candidate has familiarity with tools and equipment that you use in your operation. This question helps to assess their technical readiness and how much training that they might require if hired. The candidate might have skills that would be vital to your operations or skills that can be transferable to your tools and equipment.

What techniques or diagnostics tools do you use to test electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical systems?

This interview question helps you determine what familiarity the candidate has with working directly on electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical systems. Look for responses that offer what techniques candidates use and what specific tools they use. This will help you decide if their familiarity of the tools and diagnostic work can be transferred into your operation.

How do you stay updated with the latest advancements in maintenance technology?

In the field of maintenance, technology is constantly evolving. A candidate that is proactive, will be actively seeking out opportunities to advance their knowledge and stay up to date with technological advancements. They might mention a previous employer’s standard training program for technological advancements. This could be an opportunity for yourself as an employer to take advantage of knowledge that the candidate might bring to the team.

Behavioral and Situational Interview Questions for MRO Techs

Walk me through a high-pressure scenario where you had to quickly diagnose and resolve a critical issue or equipment failure under a deadline.

This question determines the candidate’s ability to work under pressure and manage their time effectively. Look for answers where candidates had to come up with an action plan in order to meet the deadline. Additionally, look to see if there were any complications during the process and if there were, how the candidate handled it in order to meet the deadline.

How do you prioritize tasks when managing multiple requests at once?

For this interview question, look for responses where the candidate would assess each request by urgency, where they consider deadlines and the impact of each task. The candidate should have a proactive vs reactive approach to answering the question and acknowledge that priorities can change, the candidate should be willing to adjust his or her plan based on that.

Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team on a complex maintenance project. What was your role? What did you provide to the team?

Teamwork is essential in all aspects of MRO work. This question determines the candidate’s ability to collaborate effectively with others and what role in the team they were on. Look for responses that understand the importance of teamwork and how individual team members can contribute their skills to achieve team goals. Additionally, look for responses that answer what the candidate contributed to the team, this lays out the skills that the candidate might bring to a role with examples.

Have you ever encountered a situation where safety protocol was not followed? How did you handle it?

This interview question assesses the candidate’s commitment to safety measures. Safety is number one in MRO technician work because the stakes are so high. Look for responses where safety protocol was not followed and then the candidate provided guidance on safety protocol and if that does not work escalating it to someone higher up to ensure the non-compliance was documented. The candidate should have an immediate action plan when safety is breached and then communicate respectfully to the individual. The answer here depends on the exact situation but candidates should fully explain how they handled the situation to make sure that safety protocol was followed.

Contact Us

Finding the right MRO technician starts with asking the right questions, but it doesn’t end there with interviews. Our team at Corpguidance Recruiting can help you connect with qualified candidates who meet your technical and safety standards.

Contact us today to learn how we can support your hiring process!