Construction Inspector/Supervisor - Interview Questions and Answers

This article provides answers to common interview questions for the position of Construction Inspector/Supervisor. It covers topics such as qualifications, strengths, weaknesses, work environment preferences, and future career aspirations. References to relevant literature are also provided.

The title of this job is construction inspector or supervisor
Q. Tell me about yourself.
I am hardworking, professional oriented, pro-active and ethically committed individual. At
present I am working as construction supervisor and worked for several companies in the same
position. My ambition is to get into top managerial position in construction operational
management domain (Walker, 2015). Also I wish to be certified in PMP and like to make project
management skills as part of my career in the coming two years (Heldman, 2018).
Q. Why do you want to leave your current job? (Why did you leave your last job?)
I am leaving my current job for better prospects. In recent years, the company work orders
reduced drastically, as the company is looking to expand into retail business, as the
construction business is not very ripe in the recent years. I want to get into a company with
better activities and profitable too. I left my last job to change the functional expertise. The
previous company is purely into residential buildings construction activity, the recent company is
into highways, flyovers, gravel road constructions etc.
Q. What are your strengths?
Perseverance, hardworking, commitment is my personal strengths. Professional strength
includes expertise in working for diverse companies, exposure various challenges, work and
people management experience etc.
Q. What are your weaknesses?
My key weakness is passion only towards construction operations. I am not very much proficient
in finance management, accounting and other supportive domains.
Q. Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
Hardworking, learning, pro-active, professional integrity are some of the adjectives that describe
myself.
Q. What do you know about our company?
I would like to know about the current project, future plans, company policies towards
employees, prospects of growth in the company etc are some of the aspects that are of really
great interest to me at present.
Q. Why do you want to work for us?
Based on the previous information and track record of the company, the company is being
managed by highly visionary and expertise management. The company revenues are growing
gradually from the last 10 years. I believe I can have career growth and job security in this
company. Also the company has undertaken project from diverse domains, I believe association
with such company can provide me exposure to diverse operational domains, which can be
valuable experience for my future career ambitions. There is life and future for me with this
company and so I wish to get associated with this and work for this company.

Q. Why should I hire you?
I assure you, what I say. My expertise is genuine and I have proven testimonials of successful
track record. Given an opportunity, I prove my mettle and exceed company expectations.
Further I am keen to shoulder responsible activities and will prove myself of my capabilities.
Q. What past accomplishments gave you satisfaction?
My past accomplishments related to the better appraisals, performance recognitions awards,
successful project schedule compliances in critical times, cost cutting measures successful
implementation. Lean management to cut the expenses by about 10% are all some of the
several accomplishments, that gave me satisfaction.
Q. What makes you want to work hard?
My passion towards profession, my goal for professional success and career progression made
me work hard. Of-course, fortunately, all the working environments where I worked are
proactive and encouraged better working and so I got inclined to work hard.
Q. What type of work environment do you like best?
I like people with like minded attitudes, commitment to the profession, dedication towards the
job and no-nonsense business environment makes me excited. Further if the company has
policies to promote and reward, better performance,professional environment, I love to work in
such environment. Also I expect organizations to provide opportunities for growth and
development.
Q. Why do you want this job?
I want this job as it assures me my immediate future career expectations; also the pay and
remunerations in offer are better than several other companies. So I want this job immediately.
Q. How do you handle pressure and stress?
I normally try to remain calm and poise in pressure and stressful situations. I like to use
rationale thinking and skills of initiation and positive thinking in all such scenarios.
Q. Explain how you overcame a major obstacle.
One of the major obstacles is communication at work. I got trained to use diverse
communication techniques, took professional advice to improve communication traits,
negotiation and conflict resolution skills. All these skills worked to make me more inclined to do
the job effectively. I overcame this obstacle by proper planning and practice as well.
Q. Where do you see yourself five (ten or fifteen) years from now?
I would like to be seen as a middle level construction operational manager in the next five years.
I would like to be seen as a construction project manager(Turner, 2014) in the next ten years.
Further I would like to be seen as a project manager in the coming fifteen years from now.

Q. What qualifies you for this job?
I am sufficiently experienced on this job, do have the necessary attitude and aptitude to take up
the job and hence I believe these aspects will qualify me for this job. Further the testimonials of
previous achievements in the job, recognitions and rewards received all qualifies me for taking
up this job.

References:
Heldman, K. (2018). PMP: project management professional exam study guide. John Wiley &
Sons.
Turner, J. R. (2014). Handbook of project-based management (Vol. 92). New York, NY:
McGraw-hill
Walker, A. (2015). Project management in construction. John Wiley & Sons.