Common Interview Questions for Maritime Students

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A schoolmate of mine, a fellow cadet of course shared a list of common interview questions from his own experience. I'm grateful he did and you should too because in this article I'm going to share the common interview questions for maritime students by Darvin Calantas.

Just a friendly note, please don't ask for the answers. I did my part of sharing it so please do your part of studying for the answers. Without further due here it is.

General:

1. Tell me about yourself?
2. Why should we hire you?
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. Why do want to be an officer onboard?
5. What can you say about your course?
6. How many years do you want to be a Chief Engr. or Captain?
7. How long will you work in our company?
8. What is a seaman?
9. What is the reason why do you want to be a seaman?
10. What are the prons and cons of being a seafarer?
11. What motivates you to become a seafarer?
12. How will you surpass the challenges and difficulties of being a seafarer?
13. What is leadership? 
14. What is your favorite subject?
15. Tell me about your favorite subject.

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Safety:

1. What is safety?
2. What is Marpol?
3. What are the annexes of Marpol?
4.  What are the four pilars of IMO?
5.  How many miles can you throw garbage onboard?
6.  What are the steps to be done when there is fire inside the engine room?
7.  What is fire triangle and its composition?
8.  What are the appropriate fire extinguishers to be used in case of fire (the interviewer will cite an example or situation) 
9. How will you encourage your team to follow safety precautionary measures and best working practices onboard?
10. How will you maintain safe working practices onboard?
11.  What is ECA and SECA?
12.  What is ORB?
13. The minimum amount of oxgen a human need when entering an enclosed spaces?

Technical:

Image source: http://www.nauticexpo.com

Marine Engineering

1. What is Marine Engineering?
2. What are the duties and responsibilities of an engine cadet on board?
3. Differentiate diesel and gas engine.
4. What is Four Stroke Diesel Engine?
5. What is Two Stroke Diesel Engine?
6. What is the difference of Four Stroke from a Two Stroke and vice verse?
7. Explain the cycles of four stroke and two stroke.
8. The advantages and disadvantages of Four Stroke and Two Stroke.
9. What is Refrigeration?
10. Draw and explain the refrigeration cycle.
11. What is the difference between a purifier and clarifier?
12. What are pumps and cite the types of pumps and their use?
13. Parts of the Main Engine.
14. Define the parts of the main engine and their functions.
15. What is series?
16. What is parallel?
17. The difference between a series and parallel?
18. Is a christmas lights a series connection?
19. What the difference between a direct current and alternating current?
20. Cite examples of direct and alternating current?
21. Examples of machine shop tools and their functions
22.  What is welding?

Deck:

Image source: www.costasboats.com

1.  What is navigation?
2.  What is the duties and responsibilities of an a deck cadet?
3.  What is compass error and compass best?
4. What is GMDSS?
5. What is SART?
6. What is EPIRB?
7. What is the difference between x band and s band radar?
8. What is variation?
9. What is deviation?
10. Box the compass.
11. What are the types of compass?
12. What is the distress channel on VHF?
13. What is a power driven vessel?
14. What is a fishing vessel?
15. What is a vessel not under command?
16. What is a vessel restricted ability to maneuver?
17. What is a vessel constrained by her draft?
18. What is Seaplanes?
19. Recite COLREGS rules 1-36

Note: They were questions I have encountered in an interview in 6 companies I applied. Questions were subjected and depends on the interviewer and company's standard requirement for hiring a cadet, they are just guide questions. Logical questions were also asked by interviewers unexpectedly so comprehend every questions before you answer each of them.
Questions 4-19 Deck are added by Michael Honrada.

Tips for a job interview for maritime students

Source: www.theguardian.com

Type of Interview:

A. Personal (1 on 1 interview)
B. Panel (Group of Interviewers) or (Group of students interviewed by one or more interviewers)
C. Online (via Skype)
(Regardless of the type of the interview, your answer and your unique ways will be your asset)

Dresscode:

1. Be presentable
2. Wear black liberty with shined parafernalias
3. Proper Hair Cut (3x4)

Ethics:

1. Salute them before entering the interviewers office then cite your name in respectful manner
2. Greet them (if the interviewer is foreigner, greet them in their language if possible).
3. Stand up straight
4. Hand carry your bag
5. Do not sit until the interviewer gives you the command.
6. Maintain the eye contact with the interviewer and with sincerity
7. Relax! smile emoticon
8. After the interview regardless of the interviewers result of your assessment give him a "Hand Shake" (a gratitude for his time)
9. Say Thank You (if the interviewer is a foreigner, Thank them in their language if possible).
10. Proper dismissal practice (Salute, Request permission to leave)

Upon answering the questions:

1. Be SMART upon answering the question
   SMART stands for:
   S- Specific
   M- Manageable
   A- Attainable
   R- Realistic
   T- Timely
2. Tell about your self use PEE format
   P- Personal information
   E- Educational Background
   E- Experience (Working Experience, Affiliation, Awards and Recognitions received)
3. Tell me about your strength and weakness
   - Strength is always positive and with regards to the personality that must be possessed by a seafarer
   - The Weaknesses must be from negative to positive (ex. I'm afraid to fail, but as I fail I become stronger than before and learn new things that makes me a better seafarer.
4. Be proud of yourself.
   - Never give a negative complements or answers.
5. For how long will you stay in our company?
   - The preferable answer is "As long as the company needs my service", do not give specific years for they will prejudge your loyalty and capability to work in a company.
6. Speak in English always (Clear and smooth)
7. Be respectful at all times regardless of the mood of the interviewer.
8. Never say irrelevant answers.
9. Define the question if it is an Open Ended or Closed Ended question.
10. If Open Ended (Yes/No) questions, if the answer is YES (wait for the interviewers command if it is necessary to explain further your answer), If the answer is NO, explain it automatically.
11. If Close Ended, just answer specific answer with basis, if not kindly asked the interviewer if you can answer the question in your own opinion (self-explanatory)
12. Why should we hire you?
    - Do not answer because I'm LOYAL, loyalty is unmeasurable, it needs time to prove.
13. Think as fast as you can.
    - There are several logical questions that only needs practical reasoning or common sense.
    - Never delay answers as much as possible.
14. Answer "Enthusiastically"
15. FOCUS!!