Interview scorecard by role
Electrician Interview Scorecard & Questions
Electrician hiring must confirm licensure, safety discipline and real troubleshooting ability. Customer-facing skills matter for service work. Use scenario questions and verify certifications.
What to assess: 5 core competencies
Copy this scorecard. Assign each competency to one interviewer, rate it 1–5 and write down the evidence before discussing the candidate with anyone.
| Competency | What good looks like | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical knowledge | understands code and electrical systems. | ||
| Safety | follows lockout/tagout and PPE procedures consistently. | ||
| Troubleshooting | diagnoses faults systematically. | ||
| Quality | completes clean, code-compliant work. | ||
| Customer communication | explains work and costs clearly. | ||
| Overall | ☐ Strong no ☐ No ☐ Yes ☐ Strong yes | ||
10 structured interview questions for a electrician
Ask the same core questions, in the same order, to every candidate. Probe with "What did you do?" and "What was the result?"
- Walk me through troubleshooting a circuit that keeps tripping.
- Describe your lockout/tagout procedure.
- Tell me about a job where you found work not up to code.
- What licenses and certifications do you hold?
- Describe the most complex installation you've done.
- How do you explain a necessary repair and its cost to a homeowner?
- Tell me about a time a job took longer than estimated.
- How do you stay up to date with code changes?
- What would you do if a supervisor asked you to energize a circuit before inspection?
- Practical: identify the faults in this wiring diagram.
Rating anchors for the critical competencies
Anchors stop one interviewer's "4" from being another's "2". These cover the two competencies that most often separate strong and weak electrician hires. Read our interview rating scale guide to write anchors for the rest.
Safety
| 1 — Below the bar | Skips procedures or treats them casually. |
|---|---|
| 3 — Meets the bar | Consistently follows LOTO and PPE. |
| 5 — Exceptional | Leads by example, stops unsafe work and trains others. |
Troubleshooting
| 1 — Below the bar | Replaces parts until it works. |
|---|---|
| 3 — Meets the bar | Uses meters and a logical sequence to find faults. |
| 5 — Exceptional | Diagnoses quickly, explains root cause and prevents recurrence. |
Red flags to watch for
- Dismissive of code or inspections.
- Vague about licensing.
- Talks badly about customers.
30-60-90 day plan outline for a new electrician
| Days 1–30: Learn | Safety orientation; ride along on jobs; learn company procedures and tools. |
|---|---|
| Days 31–60: Contribute | Complete standard jobs independently with QA checks. |
| Days 61–90: Own | Handle service calls solo; mentor an apprentice on one skill. |
Turn this into a full plan with goals and check-ins using our 30-60-90 day plan guide or the 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Kit.
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How many interview rounds should a electrician go through?
Two or three focused stages are usually enough for a small company: a short screen, a structured interview using the questions above, and a practical exercise or final interview. Score every stage on the same 1–5 scale.
What is the most predictive part of a electrician interview?
The practical exercise — "identify the faults in this wiring diagram." — because it shows real work rather than descriptions of it. Score it against the anchors on this page.
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