Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 16 of 29

Thread: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

  1. #1
    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,353
    Thanks
    855
    Thanked
    257 times in 152 posts
    • Andeh13's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-P35
      • CPU:
      • Intel Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 4gb Corsair XMS2 800mhz
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 250gb Western Digital AAKS, 2 x 500gb Western Digital AAKS, 1TB WD Caviar Green
      • Graphics card(s):
      • BFG Geforce 8800GTS 512mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec 900
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung 24" & Sony 17"
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 10mb... hate them!

    Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Im at University doing Automotive Engineering, and during my 3rd year iv have the option to do a year long paid placement in the industry.

    With the economy the way it is its not easy at all, but iv managed to get into the final stage of a placement selection for Vauxhall.

    As this will be first formal interview, im not sure what to expect and i cant think of many questions that they could ask me, as a result i was wondering if any of you kidn hexus folk might offer any advice, tips or any example quesions that could be asked?

    The day consists of 2 formal interviews, a group project and a presentation on 1 of 3 questions.

    cheers guys!

  2. #2
    finding nemo staffsMike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    11,498
    Thanks
    197
    Thanked
    794 times in 741 posts
    • staffsMike's system
      • Motherboard:
      • evga 680i
      • CPU:
      • e6600
      • Memory:
      • geil ultra pc6400
      • Storage:
      • WD 320gb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • leadtek 8800 GTS 640mb
      • PSU:
      • ocz gameXstream 700w
      • Case:
      • akasa eclipse
      • Monitor(s):
      • dell 2007wfp and Lg L194WT
      • Internet:
      • pipex homecall

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Sounds like an awful day..

    My theory is not to worry about what they will ask you (unless they tell you what to prepare) but to have enough questions to ask them to sound both interested.. and more importantly () to take the focus off of you.

  3. #3
    DILLIGAF GoNz0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Derby
    Posts
    10,872
    Thanks
    632
    Thanked
    1,192 times in 945 posts
    • GoNz0's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Rampage V Extreme
      • CPU:
      • i7 something X99 based
      • Memory:
      • 16gb GSkill
      • Storage:
      • 4 SSD's + WD Red
      • Graphics card(s):
      • GTX980 Strix WC
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Galaxy 1250 (9 years and counting)
      • Case:
      • Corsair 900D
      • Operating System:
      • win10 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 24"
      • Internet:
      • 220mb Cable

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    you have to come across as the sort of person who has loved cars all his life, read up on vauxall motorsport, all there top of the range VXR's. act like a kid in a sweet shop while your there and you should be ok.

    at the end of the day your on a placement not fighting for a high paid job

  4. #4
    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    I'm a Jessie
    Posts
    35,157
    Thanks
    3,105
    Thanked
    3,138 times in 1,916 posts
    • Zak33's system
      • Storage:
      • Kingston HyperX SSD, Hitachi 1Tb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Nvidia 1050
      • PSU:
      • Coolermaster 800w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress FT01
      • Operating System:
      • Win10
      • Internet:
      • Zen FTC uber speedy

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    ignore the economy...

    work damn hard on whatever they put you too. Efficient, polite, repsectful to others, total professionalism, (no swearing, not even a tad), balanced views on everything, listen to everything, and absorb it all.

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

  5. #5
    One Great Ordeal!
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    1,764
    Thanks
    201
    Thanked
    56 times in 49 posts

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Quote Originally Posted by Andehh View Post
    Im at University doing Automotive Engineering, and during my 3rd year iv have the option to do a year long paid placement in the industry.

    With the economy the way it is its not easy at all, but iv managed to get into the final stage of a placement selection for Vauxhall.

    As this will be first formal interview, im not sure what to expect and i cant think of many questions that they could ask me, as a result i was wondering if any of you kidn hexus folk might offer any advice, tips or any example quesions that could be asked?

    The day consists of 2 formal interviews, a group project and a presentation on 1 of 3 questions.

    cheers guys!
    I went through an assessement center for my placement with vauxhall as well.

    Interview:

    The first interview is just a general chat, mine was with a woman from HR and just a random guy from finance. That was then followed by an interview with the SIO UK & I and my manager which was a bit daunting it has to be said! The second interview is just to talk a bit about your course and what if scenerio's. One such question I was asked "If there was conflict how would you react in the situation?" Just be confident and answer the questions to the best of your ability. Swat up on the GM brand in case you get thrown a question such as name some brands, or what are the core values of x brand. Chevy is about cheap affordable cars and also is the brand being pushed in developing markets such as Russia. Vauxhall is again an affordable brand but more upmarket, and is also sold in Europe as Opel and in America as Saturn.

    Group Project:

    This is an activity to look at how well you lead and also work within a team, you will be observed by a number of people and given an activity. The activity for myself and the other under grads at the time was building tower blocks out of lego as per printed instructions. You have to make sure your heard and not quiet, try and draw a careful line between completly taking charge and letting other people speak.

    Presentation:

    The three questions may well have changed but if I correctly remember two of them; one was about point of sale, and another about the project lifecycle. You'll have half an hour to prepare a 10 minute presentation and you will be asked questions, but I think thats kinda obvious anyway.

    Is your position at Ellesmere Port or Luton?
    Last edited by digit; 04-02-2009 at 08:37 PM.

  6. Received thanks from:

    Andeh13 (04-02-2009)

  7. #6
    Master Browser PeteSmith's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    LV-426
    Posts
    661
    Thanks
    44
    Thanked
    45 times in 42 posts
    • PeteSmith's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ABIT IP35 Pro
      • CPU:
      • Q6600 G0
      • Memory:
      • 4x1GB 8500 Crucial Ballistix
      • Storage:
      • System: Crucial 128GB M4 SSD Storage: 2x500GB WD5000AAKS
      • Graphics card(s):
      • GTX 650
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX 620
      • Case:
      • Antec P182
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407WFP-HC

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Quote Originally Posted by Zak33 View Post
    ignore the economy...

    work damn hard on whatever they put you too. Efficient, polite, repsectful to others, total professionalism, (no swearing, not even a tad), balanced views on everything, listen to everything, and absorb it all.
    ... and maybe bring in an apple for your boss
    Main PC : Abit IP35-Pro | Q6600 G0 @ 3GHz | 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix 8500 | MSI N460 GTX HAWX | 1 x Crucial M4 128GB SSD | Antec 182 | Corsair HX620 | Dell 2407WFP-HC | Windows 10 x64
    Server : HP MicroServer N40L | 16 GB RAM | 4 X 1 GB Samsung Spinpoint F1 | ESXi 6.0 NAS : Synology DS-408 - 4 x 3GB WD RED HTPC : Acer Revo RL70 | LibreElec

  8. #7
    Administrator Moby-Dick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    There's no place like ::1 (IPv6 version)
    Posts
    10,665
    Thanks
    53
    Thanked
    385 times in 314 posts

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Quote Originally Posted by Zak33
    no swearing
    Thats me ****ed then , but seriously I've missed out on a couple of second interviews because of potty mouth.I dont mean to swear , but I sometimes get a bit overexcited and call a spade a 'ing spade
    my Virtualisation Blog http://jfvi.co.uk Virtualisation Podcast http://vsoup.net

  9. #8
    bored out of my tiny mind malfunction's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Lurking
    Posts
    3,923
    Thanks
    191
    Thanked
    187 times in 163 posts
    • malfunction's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte G1.Sniper (with daft heatsinks and annoying Killer NIC)
      • CPU:
      • Xeon X5670 (6 core LGA 1366) @ 4.4GHz
      • Memory:
      • 48GB DDR3 1600 (6 * 8GB)
      • Storage:
      • 1TB 840 Evo + 1TB 850 Evo
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 290X
      • PSU:
      • Antec True Power New 750W
      • Case:
      • Cooltek W2
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell U2715H

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Quote Originally Posted by Moby-Dick View Post
    Thats me ****ed then , but seriously I've missed out on a couple of second interviews because of potty mouth.I dont mean to swear , but I sometimes get a bit overexcited and call a spade a 'ing spade
    Beat me to it! I was just about to say:

    ****! That's where I keep ****ing going wrong. Oh for ****'s sake. **** me! Why the **** didn't someone ****ing tell me before?!?!

    I've also sworn in an interview or two. And I've also been turned down for being too relaxed in an interview (I spent ages job hunting a few years ago and this was my 4th interview in a week so I was rather relaxed about the whole process by that point, I'm not convinced that was the only reason why I didn't get that particular job but I don't think it helped - I probably appeared uninterested)
    Last edited by malfunction; 04-02-2009 at 09:32 PM.

  10. #9
    Suck, Squish, Bang, Blow
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    871
    Thanks
    13
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    What position have you applied for, and do you know what kind of area you will be working in?
    Design? Test ops? Manufacturing Eng?

    I'm currently on placement from uni, where I do Auto Eng aswell and for my interview they asked me more technical questions.

    He got me to draw in-cylinder pressure against crank angle graphs and showed me a broken crankshaft and conrod (first of all asking if I knew what they were....) and then asking me how the failed and why i thought what i said. There were other stuff, but I can't remember what exactly they were now.

    Then fairly standard questions like, what i thought made me stand out from others? Why I want to work there?
    You've got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?

  11. #10
    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,353
    Thanks
    855
    Thanked
    257 times in 152 posts
    • Andeh13's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-P35
      • CPU:
      • Intel Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 4gb Corsair XMS2 800mhz
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 250gb Western Digital AAKS, 2 x 500gb Western Digital AAKS, 1TB WD Caviar Green
      • Graphics card(s):
      • BFG Geforce 8800GTS 512mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec 900
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung 24" & Sony 17"
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 10mb... hate them!

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    thank you so much guys!

    I am a real petrol head so i know the vauxhall line up alright enough to talk about it and express my opinions on it (everything from price range, customer focus, performance), good idea about checkign the Vauxhall brand in other companies, can use that to talk about possibilites of working abroad with vauxhall.

    Thank you digit, huge help! thats pritty much the line up we have, but its re-assuring to have a rough idea of what to expect before i walk through the doors. This test centre is in Milton keynes, but im applying for a placement at the Vauxhall Engineering Centre 1st, then Milbrook Engineering second!

  12. #11
    Network|Geek kidzer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    1,732
    Thanks
    91
    Thanked
    47 times in 42 posts
    • kidzer's system
      • Motherboard:
      • $motherboard
      • CPU:
      • Intel Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 4GB
      • Storage:
      • 1TiB Samsung
      • Graphics card(s):
      • BFG 8800GTS OC
      • PSU:
      • Antec Truepower
      • Case:
      • Antec P160
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7
      • Monitor(s):
      • 20" Viewsonic
      • Internet:
      • ~3Mbps ADSL (TalkTalk Business)

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Quote Originally Posted by GoNz0 View Post
    act like a kid in a sweet shop

    This.

    I've just started my year long placement with Schlumberger (Global Support ftw! (hopefully!)), my interview lasted 20mins.

    5 were spent with the boss asking me to tell him a bit about me, the remaining 15 were spent with him showing me around the hardware and my jaw dragging along behind me (not literally, but I was rather enthusiastic about being part of the support team for 2 large (by my standard) rooms full of Data/VSAT Equipment!) - and I got offered one of the places that evening - genuine enthusiasm certainly goes a long way!
    "If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room!"
    - me, 2005

  13. #12
    Tech Geek.
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    1,742
    Thanks
    82
    Thanked
    37 times in 36 posts

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    yep sounds fun.... lol but i think in this day and age is might be a good idea to do a placement that means you have a job, and then while economy starts to balance you go back to uni for another year.

  14. #13
    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,353
    Thanks
    855
    Thanked
    257 times in 152 posts
    • Andeh13's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-P35
      • CPU:
      • Intel Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 4gb Corsair XMS2 800mhz
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 250gb Western Digital AAKS, 2 x 500gb Western Digital AAKS, 1TB WD Caviar Green
      • Graphics card(s):
      • BFG Geforce 8800GTS 512mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec 900
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung 24" & Sony 17"
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 10mb... hate them!

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    just wanted to say another big thank you to everyone for their help! Unfortunately the day was called off due to snow and its being rescheduled for 2 weeks time.

  15. #14
    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,353
    Thanks
    855
    Thanked
    257 times in 152 posts
    • Andeh13's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-P35
      • CPU:
      • Intel Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 4gb Corsair XMS2 800mhz
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 250gb Western Digital AAKS, 2 x 500gb Western Digital AAKS, 1TB WD Caviar Green
      • Graphics card(s):
      • BFG Geforce 8800GTS 512mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec 900
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung 24" & Sony 17"
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 10mb... hate them!

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Just heard back and i passed the first formal interview and iv been called in for an...informal interview tomorrw! Im still going down in a suit & tie, better formal then too informal but what should i expect from this stage. I dont spose anyone could hazard a guess?


    (whats a good answer to the question..''where do you see yourself in 5 years time?'')


    many thanks guys!

  16. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    11,597
    Thanks
    763
    Thanked
    475 times in 327 posts

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Well I got asked that question once and I said "Doing your job".
    Didnt go down well, apparently thats arrogance

  17. #16
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    30,748
    Thanks
    1,787
    Thanked
    3,284 times in 2,646 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: Placement Interview - Vauxhall

    Quote Originally Posted by Andehh View Post
    (whats a good answer to the question..''where do you see yourself in 5 years time?'')
    I suppose not saying something like 'still being robbed by the taxman to pay for the bail out of this company' or 'working for a profitable company like Ford'

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Telephone Interview
    By Disturbedguy in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 53
    Last Post: 17-06-2011, 10:00 AM
  2. Interview Advice
    By Lucio in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 49
    Last Post: 05-06-2008, 05:16 PM
  3. Vauxhall moan + Astra MK4 Exhaust manifold...
    By Gr44 in forum Automotive
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 19-06-2007, 06:45 PM
  4. Insurance Group 1 Cars?
    By joshwa in forum Automotive
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 08-12-2006, 12:14 PM
  5. Interview
    By Nick2k in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 27-11-2006, 01:32 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •