These are very good questions that you should put some serious thought into. Don´t think about what you think they want you to say.
Long term goals- Think about what success means to you. Where do you want to go in your career?
Short term goals- What skill sets do you need to acquire and improve to make you really good at what you want to do? Or maybe there´s something else?
Greatest weakness- If you´re going in as an apprentice, you don´t have much experience. Maybe it´s that.
Greatest strengths- Brag (in a modest way) about what you´re good at.
You should answer these questions more for yourself than for any interviewer. Throughout your career, you may have multiple jobs and multiple opportunities that you will need to consider. If you can map out which direction you want to go, you´re ahead of the game.
I tried to answer for myself, but that's not the answer they wanted, when I interviewed at places before.
When asked, where do you see yourself in 5 year? I told them I see myself working for a great company where I can advance my career. Then she said "What else?" I'm sure she had a answer in her mind that she expected me to say, so she could move onto her next question.
And I'm going in as an apprentice and they know that so lack of experience isn't really a disadvantage unless I was applying for a qualified mechanic position as an apprentice. I have the amount of experience required from a 2nd year apprentice and maybe more.
But you are right about having goals. And I know that the goals I have set for myself might be seen as a disadvantage to the hiring company. So that's why for the interviews sake tell them your goals that they expect you to have, that'll benefit their company as well.
HR depts generally have no idea about whats going on in the field/shop. Maybe you could formulate some of your own questions for the interviewer like:
As a tech/mechanic what type of direct support will be provided by CAT/Deere?
Will I/we be informed of upgrades/system changes/modifications to existing trouble shooting techniques?
Does CAT/Deere offer direct factory/aftermarket parts program of which I can draw upon if necessary if the situation calls for it?
Will I be able to give the customer an honest answer on whatever situation I am placed in without having to worry about being lied to by supply people? Will my parts be there on time?
Will the dealer assist with tool purchases?
In my opinion HR depts are worthless and in most cases its a good idea to take a bit of an offensive stance instead of letting them push you into forcing answers too questions that in most scenarios go into a file that never sees light after the interview. CAT down here in the USA have made more mistakes then I can relate on this form, If your going to be one of the techs/mechanics, you are going to have to swallow some **** quite a bit. Be ready for it.
Sorry for going off topic.
You're right. In Skilled trades there is not much use for HR departments in the Hiring procedure. Person hiring should be lead-hand or supervisor or someone who has knowledge of the trade.
During one of my phone interview I was asked a technical question about engine starting. She said you go to a truck and you switch on the truck and the engine does not start. I asked her if the engine was cranking at all. She said the engine does not start. I assumed that the starter wasn't getting any juice, so I told her first I would check the batteries and connections. Anyways long story short, she said that the fuel filter was the problem. Again she didn't clarify if the engine was cranking.
Before when I was just starting out in the trade, I went to small truck shops in my area and talked to the supervisor and told them that I'd work for a day or 2 for free and if you like what I do, then hire me. And that's how I got into this trade.
And thanks for the good pointers, I'll keep those in mind. And most of the interviews will be on phone.
