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Maintenance Technician Interview Questions

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Maintenance Technician interview questions and answers.

  1. Why did you become a maintenance technician? See answer
  2. As a maintenance technician, what education and training do you have? See answer
  3. What relevant skills do you think a good maintenance technician has? See answer
  4. How do you learn about developments in the maintenance industry? See answer
  5. How do you manage your time when working on multiple maintenance projects? See answer
  6. How would you present maintenance information to non-technical professionals? See answer
  7. How important are safety regulations and guidelines to you when performing maintenance tasks? See answer
  8. How do you troubleshoot maintenance issues during checks? See answer
  9. What would you do if you encountered a maintenance issue you could not solve? See answer
  10. Are you available to work flexible hours? See answer
  11. How would you grade your ability to work in a team? See answer
  12. Why do you want to work in this organisation as a maintenance technician? See answer
  13. Describe a situation when you exceeded performance expectations as a maintenance technician. See answer
  14. What experience do you have as a maintenance technician?
  15. What would you do if a Maintenance Manager didn’t want to work with you on a project?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Maintenance Technician Interview Questions and Answers

Why did you become a maintenance technician?

The aim of this question is to explore whether the candidate has a passion for maintenance work. What to look for in an answer:

  • Passion for maintaining or repairing equipment
  • Enthusiasm
  • Desire to learn or improve skills

Example:

"I became a maintenance technician because I love working on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. While in high school, I made sure all electrical equipment at home functioned properly. I would check my sound systems monthly and repair them when they had issues. After high school, becoming a maintenance technician felt like the right choice for me. I learned how to carry out other maintenance tasks and gained relevant experience in the industry. I am passionate about keeping facilities, tools, and equipment in good working condition."

 What experience do you have as a maintenance technician?

Maintenance technicians typically need work experience to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues. By asking this question, you can find out what roles an applicant held and what they learned from it. What to look for in an answer:

  • Passion for maintaining facilities, tools, or equipment
  • Desire to learn on the job
  • Lessons learned, or skills acquired in previous roles

Example:

"I worked as a plumber for three years before taking up a role as a maintenance technician in my previous job. As a maintenance technician, I learned how to fix potential hazards and paint buildings. I am eager to apply my experience in your organisation and learn new skills."

As a maintenance technician, what education and training do you have?

Maintenance technicians typically have at least a high school diploma and certifications that allow them to use heavy machinery. The goal of this question is to learn whether an applicant has the educational requirements your organisation needs. What to look for in an answer:

  • Relevant certifications
  • Desire to learn on the job
  • Communication skills

Example:

"I have a high school diploma and certifications in plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work. Recently, I enroled for a maintenance training programme in a vocational institute because I believe a good technician is versatile."

What relevant skills do you think a good maintenance technician has?

Maintenance technicians need hard and soft skills to work. A good maintenance technician candidate has personality traits and qualities that align with your organisation's culture. This is also a good question if you are looking to fill a position that requires a specific skill set. What to look for in an answer:

  • Manual labour skills
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Physical stamina

Example:

"A good maintenance technician needs some plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and grounds keeping knowledge to work. They should also have excellent interpersonal skills to interact with clients. I am confident that I have these skills and I am eager to use them when maintaining facilities in your organisation."

How do you learn about developments in the maintenance industry?

Maintenance technicians need to stay current with new technologies and techniques that save time and money. An ideal candidate typically improves their skills through education or training. What to look for in an answer:

  • Proactive attitude
  • Up-to-date industry knowledge
  • Examples of learning activities like a trade magazine subscription or training enrolments

Example:

"I love learning new skills and staying up-to-date with developments in the maintenance industry. I read journals, newspapers, and research papers. I also go to workshops to network with senior maintenance technicians. I attend conferences and take relevant courses in industrial maintenance to improve up my skills."

How do you manage your time when working on multiple maintenance projects?

Depending on your company's grounds and facilities, a maintenance technician may have multiple tasks to complete daily that they need to prioritise according to urgency. The goal of this question is to determine whether a candidate can multitask and prioritise tasks. What to look for:

  • organisational skills
  • Time-management skills
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Example:

“I start my day by creating a list of maintenance tasks I want to complete. Next, I discuss the deadline for each task with my supervisor and order them based on their due dates. I also set personal deadlines that allow me to go over my work, test tools or equipment, and inspect facilities. I make sure I use efficient maintenance techniques and complete urgent tasks before handling others.”

How would you present maintenance information to non-technical professionals?

The ability to explain maintenance concepts is a skill of a good maintenance technician. This question's purpose is to determine how easily the applicant can summarise complex concepts to non-experts. What to look for in an answer:

  • Effective written and oral communication skills
  • Creative-thinking ability
  • In-depth understanding of maintenance terms

Example:

"As a maintenance technician, I know I have to work with people from diverse backgrounds and explain various maintenance terms and decisions. I use analogies that non-technical professionals are familiar with and explain maintenance concepts using layperson's terms. Once, I explained how I mowed the lawn by comparing it to a gridiron football field."

How important are safety regulations and guidelines to you when performing maintenance tasks?

Maintenance technicians need to be safety conscious. By asking this question, you can learn how strongly an applicant feels about safety and whether they commit to following the safety guidelines you set. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of safe procedures
  • Ability to follow instructions
  • Effective communication skill

Example:

"Safety is extremely important to me. When performing maintenance tasks, I make sure I follow the safety guidelines given and review them whenever a task feels unsafe to me. I also conduct myself safelyand keep the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) standards in mind."

How do you troubleshoot maintenance issues during checks?

Diagnosing a maintenance issue is a vital aspect of a maintenance technician's work. By asking this question, you can find out the technique an applicant uses to troubleshoot a maintenance issue. What to look for in an answer:

  • Effective communication skills
  • Desire to look for solutions
  • Creative-thinking and problem-solving skills

Example:

"I use the top-down approach when troubleshooting a maintenance issue. I start by examining the entire system before looking at each component. From my experience, this technique is easier to implement across various maintenance systems and it helps me spot issues quickly. I am open to using other techniques that your organisation allows to troubleshoot a maintenance issue."

What would you do if you encountered a maintenance issue you could not solve?

Maintenance technicians must be familiar with various equipment, tools, and products. The goal of this question is to find out how an applicant would deal with a maintenance issue they couldn't solve and whether they would admit when they need help.

  • Desire to collabourate with other professionals
  • Humility and truthfulness
  • Eagerness to resolve maintenance issues

Example:

"If I encountered a problem I couldn't solve, I would first inform the client and my supervisor. Next, I would reach out to a senior maintenance technician or my colleague for help. I would notify the client and my supervisor of the response I received from the other professional."

Are you available to work flexible hours?

Depending on your organisation's maintenance needs, maintenance technicians may work flexible hours. The goal of this question is to learn what days and hours an applicant would be available, and how flexible they are around those periods. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience working flexible hours
  • Desire to adapt to an organisation's work culture
  • Interpersonal skills

Example:

"I am available to work Monday through Friday. I am also flexible about my start and end hours on those days. In my previous role, I worked flexible hours and I have experience putting in long hours. I am also available to work during the weekend and whenever your organisation needs to complete urgent maintenance tasks."

How would you grade your ability to work in a team?

Maintenance technicians may have to work in teams to achieve a shared maintenance goal. This question helps you understand the working style of an applicant and whether they are comfortable working on a team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Attitude towards working in a team
  • An applicant's working style
  • Interpersonal skills

Example:

"I would grade myself 8/10. I work well with maintenance technicians and other maintenance workers in an organisation. From my experience, collabourating with others is a good way to learn new concepts and share my ideas. Working with a team can make some tasks easier, meaning I can address more tasks in a day. I feel motivated when working with other maintenance professionals."

What would you do if a maintenance manager didn't want to work with you on a project?

Working with others can mean that sometimes there are conflicts that need to be resolved quickly and calmly. The goal of this question is to learn how an applicant handles difficult situations and conflicts with other professionals. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills
  • Problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills
  • Effective communication and active listening skills

Example:

"I would reach out to the maintenance manager to set up a meeting to discuss why they don't want to work with me, and how we could come to a resolution. I would suggest solutions on how to handle the situation that wouldn't affect the organisation's maintenance targets or goals."

Why do you want to work in this organisation as a maintenance technician?

This question helps you understand whether an applicant is the best fit for your organisation. It also helps you determine whether their goals align with your organisation's goals. What to look for in an answer:

  • Research skills
  • Desire to contribute to an organisation
  • Passion for solving maintenance issues

Example:

"I want to work in this organisation because I am looking for challenging opportunities as a maintenance technician. I have excellent soft and hard skills to conduct maintenance activities and I am confident my skills would be useful in your organisation. I am also excited about the opportunities your organisation provides to maintenance technicians for career development."

Describe a situation when you exceeded performance expectations as a maintenance technician.

While every organisation has maintenance targets, a good applicant seeks to exceed such expectations. By asking this question, you can learn what steps an applicant wants to take to ensure the facilities, equipment, and tools of an organisation are in good working condition. What to look for in an answer:

  • Desire to solve maintenance issues
  • Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
  • Interpersonal and effective communication skills

Example:

"In my previous role, a maintenance manager assigned a painting task to me and I completed it hours before my deadline. While inspecting the painted walls, an idea to mow the lawn came to my mind, and I found a lawnmower in the shed. The maintenance manager and client were happy with my decision to maintain the lawn."

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