Tips for Experienced Technicians Preparing for an Interview with Fabick Cat

July 22, 2021

It doesn’t matter how many years of experience you have; everyone is nervous before a job interview. The good news is that if you’ve been working as a heavy diesel technician for more than 3 years you have gained valuable job experience. And as technicians gain job experience, their resume grows.

When hiring managers review your skillset and the places where you previously worked, they develop expectations about you that are likely working in your favor. At a minimum, you want to make a good first impression upon your initial in-person or virtual meeting. With these tips and some extra planning, you should be able to exceed expectations and wow your future supervisor. Here are five things to keep in mind before your first interview with Fabick Cat.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Research the company as thoroughly as you can. Fabick Cat has a website and social media pages that offer details and insights about us. Knowing about our company history and values can be an excellent way for you to establish a rapport with your interviewers and offer you a perfect platform to start asking them intuitive questions.

“What do you know about our dealership?” Is likely to be one of the first questions you’ll be asked. Prepare ahead of time with a concise, straightforward answer. Familiarize yourself with the services our dealership offers and the kind of equipment we handle. Also, pay attention to our activities within the community. If you have connections to any events, groups or organizations linked to Fabick Cat, that might be a great opportunity to find common ground with your interviewer.

CHECKLIST

Most importantly, ask yourself the following questions before your interview:

• What is Fabick Cat’s primary business focus?
• What products and services do they offer?
• Has Fabick Cat grown over time and how?
• Who are the principals and how long have they been with the dealership?
• Which companies are their main competitors?
• How have they performed financially over time?
• What is Fabick Cat’s reputation?

DISCUSS YOUR RESUME

Aim to speak in detail about the experience listed on your resume. Interviewers will usually ask open-ended questions to find out if you’re a good fit for the position. Be prepared to recount multiple instances where you used your skills and influence to bring about positive outcomes to assignments, projects or responsibilities at your prior places of employment. Every job contributes to your own developmental journey. Sometimes a learning experience is positive and sometimes it’s painful. Regardless, at the end of any job, there are always takeaways that you can carry on to your next role. With that in mind, prepare a few lessons learned from your own journey that you can share in your interview.

And if there are gaps of time between jobs in your work history or you switched employers frequently, don’t worry — just be prepared to explain your career progression.

DEMONSTRATE YOUR TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE

Your interviewer may take you into the shop and ask more practical/technical questions. This is your chance to show off your own training and knowledge. During this portion of the interview, you may be asked to observe worn parts. Here, you would explain what you look for when examining wear and how you would treat it. They might explain what another technician has found during an inspection and ask you how you would proceed. Be honest with your thoughts and knowledge on the matter. If there’s something you don’t know, ask attentive questions, show interest in the situation at hand and offer options on ways to resolve potential issues. These qualities demonstrate perceptive problem-solving skills, which are valuable to your future team.

Remember, when you are a guest in a Fabick Cat shop facility, you are expected to follow our safety protocols and show respect for our business practices. As an organization, Fabick Cat is committed to safe service. It is imperative to us that we take responsibility for maintaining a safe environment by doing what we can to minimize the risk of incidents, injury and exposure to health hazards for all our employees, guests and customers. Your active participation in our safety culture during your interview will demonstrate that you are a good fit for the Fabick Cat family.

DISPLAY YOUR TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

In the industry, more and more tasks and tools are becoming automated. So, be prepared to talk about your specific computer skills and how they relate to today’s ever-changing technological landscape. Be sure to share how you use the internet for research purposes, refer to any software systems that help you complete certain tasks and describe any applications that might connect your work experience to the daily responsibilities of the position you are interviewing for.

DRESS THE PART

Go to your interview ready to talk the talk and walk the walk. Dress your best to show off your professional side, but also come armed with the knowledge you need to communicate that you are ready to take on this job, starting on day one. Give your interviewer the opportunity to picture you as a valued member of their staff. They understand you are not going to know everything about their business, but if you arrive looking and sounding your best, you will prove that you have the potential to be an impressive addition to their team.

 

Fabick Cat has a deep commitment to the skills of their technicians, the training they bring with them and the capacity for growth that they demonstrate every day. With these tips in mind and some thoughtful preparation, you should be set for a very successful interview – and maybe even one step closer to joining the Fabick Cat family!

APPLY NOW

ADAPTED FROM:

• blog.inautomotive.com/how-to-shine-at-your-automotive-job-interview/