Log inStart free
Home / Interview questions / Industrial electrician

Industrial electrician interview questions, with a scoring guide

Installs, maintains and troubleshoots plant electrical systems, motors, drives and controls. Here are 19 questions for an industrial electrician interview. Each comes with a follow-up and a 1 to 5 scoring guide so you can compare candidates fairly.

Use these as a free interview guide

Writing the job ad too? Start from our industrial electrician job description template.

On this page
  1. Questions specific to the role
  2. Behavioural questions by skill
  3. Prescreen questions
  4. How to score the answers
  5. Questions to avoid

Questions specific to the industrial electrician role

Role-specific
A line stops and the PLC shows an input fault. Walk me through how you find the problem.
1 WeakResets it and hopes.
3 SolidChecks the sensor.
5 StrongGoes online with the PLC, traces the input to the field device, checks wiring and power, fixes the cause, and tests with the operator.
Role-specific
Walk me through how you make a panel or motor safe before working on it.
1 WeakTurns off the switch.
3 SolidLocks out the disconnect.
5 StrongIsolates, locks and tags, tests for absence of voltage with a proven tester, and wears the right arc-flash PPE for the task.
Role-specific
Tell me about a motor or variable frequency drive (VFD) problem you solved.
Follow-up: How did you confirm it was fixed?
1 WeakNo real example.
3 SolidReplaced the drive or motor.
5 StrongRead the fault codes, tested the motor and wiring, found the cause, and confirmed it under load.
Role-specific
Tell me about a time production pushed you to get equipment running before you were satisfied it was safe.
1 WeakGave in to the pressure.
3 SolidHeld off, but didn't explain why.
5 StrongExplained the risk clearly, offered a safe option or timeline, and escalated if needed.

Behavioural questions by skill

Behavioural questions ask about something the person actually did. Past behaviour is a better guide than "what would you do" answers alone.

Safety and care

Works safely and looks out for others.

Tell me about a time you noticed something unsafe at work. What did you do?
Follow-up: What happened after you reported it?
1 WeakIgnored it, or has never noticed anything.
3 SolidMentioned it to someone.
5 StrongMade it safe if they could, reported it, and followed up.
Describe a time you were asked to cut a corner on safety to save time.
Follow-up: What did you say?
1 WeakWent along with it.
3 SolidHesitated, then did it.
5 StrongSaid no respectfully and suggested a safe way to keep things moving.
What safety habits do you follow every shift without thinking about them?
Follow-up: Where did you pick those up?
1 WeakNone come to mind.
3 SolidA generic answer such as 'wear PPE'.
5 StrongSpecific habits that fit the kind of work.

Problem solving

Works out the cause and fixes it properly.

Tell me about a problem at work that you solved without being told how.
Follow-up: How did you work out what was wrong?
1 WeakWaited to be told what to do.
3 SolidSolved it with a common fix.
5 StrongFound the cause and fixed it so it stayed fixed.
Describe a time something went wrong in the middle of a busy day. What did you do first?
Follow-up: Who did you tell, and when?
1 WeakPanicked or froze.
3 SolidCalled for help right away without trying anything.
5 StrongMade it safe, tried the obvious fixes, and escalated with clear information.
Tell me about a time you noticed a better way to do a routine task.
Follow-up: What happened when you raised it?
1 WeakNever looked for one.
3 SolidNoticed it but didn't act.
5 StrongSuggested or tested it and can describe the result.

Attention to detail

Gets the small things right.

Tell me about a time you caught a mistake before it caused a problem.
Follow-up: How did you spot it?
1 WeakNo example.
3 SolidCaught one by chance.
5 StrongCaught it because of a habit or check they always do.
Walk me through how you check your own work before calling it done.
Follow-up: Has that check ever caught something?
1 WeakThey don't.
3 SolidA quick look over.
5 StrongA clear routine that fits the task.
Describe a task where getting the small details right really mattered.
Follow-up: What would have happened if they were wrong?
1 WeakCan't name one.
3 SolidNames one, but light on how.
5 StrongExplains the details, why they mattered, and how they got them right.

Communication

Explains clearly and keeps people in the loop.

Tell me about a time you had to explain something complicated to someone who was new to it.
Follow-up: How did you know they understood?
1 WeakCan't explain clearly, even in the interview.
3 SolidExplained it but didn't check understanding.
5 StrongUsed plain words or examples and checked they got it.
Describe a time you had to give bad news to a customer, coworker or manager.
Follow-up: What did you say first?
1 WeakAvoided it or left it to someone else.
3 SolidDelivered it, but bluntly or late.
5 StrongDelivered it early and clearly, with a next step.
Tell me about a time a misunderstanding caused a problem at work. What did you learn?
Follow-up: What do you do differently now?
1 WeakBlames the other person entirely.
3 SolidFixed the issue with little reflection.
5 StrongFixed it and changed how they communicate, such as confirming in writing.

Learning and coachability

Takes feedback and gets better.

Tell me about a time a manager gave you feedback on how to do something better.
Follow-up: What changed after that?
1 WeakCan't recall any, or dismisses it.
3 SolidAccepted it.
5 StrongApplied it and can say what changed.
What's something you're working on getting better at right now?
Follow-up: How are you going about it?
1 WeakNothing.
3 SolidA generic answer.
5 StrongA specific skill and a plan for it.
Describe how you learned the ropes at your last job.
Follow-up: What would you do the same way here?
1 WeakWaited to be shown.
3 SolidLearned from the training given.
5 StrongAsked questions, took notes, and got up to speed quickly.

Prescreen questions for industrial electrician candidates

Ask these on a five-minute phone call or send them as a form before you book interviews.

  1. Are you legally entitled to work in Canada? (Yes / No)
  2. Which days and times are you available to work?
  3. When could you start?
  4. What pay are you looking for?
  5. What interests you about this job?
  6. What's your trade level? (Red Seal or provincial industrial electrician / Other electrical trade certificate / Apprentice / None)
  7. How comfortable are you troubleshooting PLCs? (I can troubleshoot and edit logic / I can troubleshoot only / Not yet)
  8. This role includes work from ladders and lifts, and occasionally in confined spaces. Can you do that, with or without accommodation? (Yes / No)

How to score the answers

  1. Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order. That's what makes scores comparable.
  2. Write down what they did, not your impression. "Closed alone on a Saturday and restocked for the morning" beats "seems reliable".
  3. Score each answer from 1 to 5 against the guide under the question. A 3 is a solid, acceptable answer.
  4. Average the scores and read the notes behind any big gap between interviewers.
  5. Check references on the areas where you're least sure.

Questions to avoid

Hiring questions should be about the job. Human rights law in every province and territory protects people from being treated differently because of things like age, family status, disability, religion, race, place of origin, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The list of protected grounds differs a little by province, so check yours.

Stay away from questions like these:

  • "How old are you?" or "When did you finish high school?"
  • "Do you have kids?" or "Are you planning a family?" The Ontario Human Rights Commission says an employer cannot ask whether an applicant is pregnant or plans to have a family.
  • "Where are you from originally?" You can ask: "Are you legally entitled to work in Canada?"
  • "Do you have any health problems?" You can ask: "This job involves [a real duty]. Can you do that, with or without accommodation?"
  • "What do you make now?" Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island do not allow employers to ask about pay history. Asking what pay the person expects is fine.
  • Questions about the hours a person can work that mention family or religious commitments. Ask only whether they can work the hours the job needs, and state those hours.

Criminal record and driving record: wait until you have made a conditional offer, and ask only for what the job needs. Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador guidance says to wait until a conditional offer. Quebec's rights commission says a conviction counts only if it is connected to the job. Ontario's commission says you may ask only about convictions that have not been pardoned, and that a driver's licence number or copy may be requested only after a conditional offer and only if relevant.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by province. Human rights bodies: see the official sources.

Rules that differ by province. Ontario (25 or more employees), British Columbia and Prince Edward Island require the pay or a range in public job postings. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island do not allow pay-history questions. Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must tell each interviewed applicant within 45 days whether a hiring decision was made. Unpaid trial shifts that involve real work are not allowed in Ontario, British Columbia or Alberta. See hiring rules by province, checked 7 October 2026.

Questions

What should I ask in an industrial electrician interview?

Ask about the parts of the job that matter most: safety and care, problem solving, attention to detail, communication, plus role-specific questions such as "A line stops and the PLC shows an input fault. Walk me through how you find the problem." Ask every candidate the same questions so you can compare them fairly.

How do I score an industrial electrician interview?

Score each answer from 1 to 5 against a short guide that describes a weak, solid and strong answer. Score what the person actually did in their example, not how confident they sounded. Then average the scores and read the notes behind any big differences.

What should I ask before interviewing an industrial electrician?

Use a short prescreen: work eligibility, availability, start date, pay expectations and the must-haves for the role, such as "What's your trade level?" Ask what pay the person expects, not what they earn now: Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island do not allow pay-history questions.

Turn this page into a ready-to-use interview guide

Staffkin builds a industrial electrician prescreen and interview guide in one click, gives you a fillable PDF, and lets you score candidates side by side. Free for your first job.

Start free

Related roles

Warehouse associateInterview questionsDelivery driverInterview questionsGeneral labourerInterview questionsCarpenterInterview questionsLandscaperInterview questionsAll roles78 roles