bp Mechanical Engineering Intern interview questions

There's an initial test to make sure you know the company's values and core principles, following this you will be invited to take part in a video interview. There are around 5/6 questions based on general competency and nothing too difficult. After this stage, there is a technical interview where you are required to talk through two problems with a couple of senior engineers at the company. This stage is quite difficult and you really have to know your stuff and understand how to work through a problem. The final stage is an assessment day with the company where you take part in four tasks with other candidates that test your soft skills as well as your ability to collaborate and think under pressure.

Interview process consisted of 5 stages: - Application form - Online tests (verbal and numerical) - Telephone interview - Technical interview - Assessment centre Application form consisted of the usual things, experiences that relate to the key things BP are looking for. Teamwork, excellence, challenges etc. Online tests consist of a verbal reasoning and numerical part, reading passages and then assessing if a statement is true based on what you're read, that sort of thing. Numeric side looks at interpreting graphs, calculating percentages etc. BP provide links to practice these before hand and many more websites exist for you to get some practice. Telephone interview is a competency based interview - think of a time you worked as a team etc. Very friendly member of HR team called me and explained the process very clearly, gave me time to ask any questions and then we had a quick chat before launching into the questions. Technical interview next, I was invited to Sunbury to the International Business Centre for an interview with a senior engineer. After a quick discussion about why I was interested in the role and my academic background (modules I enjoyed, didn't enjoy etc.) we discussed my part C university project and then moved on to the standard technical questions she had prepared. These focused on mechanical statics problems and fundamentals engineers learn in the first year, was challenging digging that knowledge back up but it was still in there! Another question looked at knowledge of gearboxes and power transfer, again this will have been covered in the first couple of years of an engineering degree. Interview was relaxed and if you're stuck just ask for some clarity, if you start getting confused the interviewer helps by saying "well, what about this..." and nudges you in the right direction. I get the impression they're looking for you to think your way around the problem rather than get it 'right'. Final stage was an assessment centre with other intern applicants and a few grad scheme applicants. It lasts half a day and consisted of 3 exercises and some reflection on how you feel you are doing. First task is to analyse a load of information and make a decision based on what you've read then write a press release. Final 2 tasks are group discussion and a group meeting, this was assessed by an external company (I think) with two assessors sitting in making notes. In the group meeting a member of BP comes in and asks questions looking for you to justify your group decision. Usual group task rules apply - make a contribution but don't shout anybody down, make clear arguments and take on board things people say to you. If you disagree then explain why and try to convince people to your way of thinking. Try not to 'go with the flow' too much - you ultimately want to be noticed, but for the right reasons.