Demolition Specialist

Another tricky one. The purpose of this question is to see how you view and evaluate yourself.

One the one hand, if you suggest you don’t have any weaknesses, your interviewer will almost certainly see you as a lair, egotistical, or both.

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to present a positive skill in disguise as a weakness, like “I work too hard” or “I am a perfectionist”. Any experienced interviewer will see through this in a heartbeat.

Additionally, revealing that “I’m not really a morning person and have been known to come in late” raises immediate and obvious red flags.

Another mark of a true professional demolition contractor is their in-depth knowledge of required permits for a project and how to go about getting them. Some contractors will offer their own advice and expertise on permitting, while others will handle most of the process themselves. That should be worked out long before any contracts are signed. While it doesn’t speak to the professionalism of a contractor if they ask you to handle the bulk of the permitting process, it does add some value to the project if they will handle that for you.

☛ What were the responsibilities of your last position?

☛ Have you found any ways to make Demolition Worker job easier?

☛ How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?

☛ Examples of strategic thinking in past situations.

☛ Can you describe a time when your work as Demolition Worker was criticized?

☛ Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?

☛ Have you ever dealt with company policy you weren't in agreement with? How?

I’d like to think I react to situations as opposed to stress. The reality is, when handled correctly, many problems avoid becoming unnecessarily stressful. Come to think of it, I belive I actually work better under pressure. It’s help me produce some of my best work and to be honest I like being challenged. From a stress management point of view, I like to burn off the day with a workout or by going for a run.

☛ Why did you select Demolition Worker as your profession?

☛ Give me an example of when you involved others in making a decision.

☛ What is good customer service?

☛ How do you show an interest in what another person is saying?

☛ Give an example of an important goal that you set in the past.

☛ What are your salary increases?

☛ Where do you see yourself in five years time?

In the context of physical construction, deconstruction is the selective dismantlement of building components, specifically for re-use, repurposing, recycling, and waste management. It differs from demolition where a site is cleared of its building by the most expedient means. Deconstruction has also been defined as “construction in reverse”. The process of dismantling structures is an ancient activity that has been revived by the growing field of sustainable, green method of building. Buildings, like everything, have a life-cycle. Deconstruction focuses on giving the materials within a building a new life once the building as a whole can no longer continue.

☛ What are three positive things other Demolition Worker would say about you?

☛ How well did your college experience prepare you for this Demolition Worker job?

☛ What is good customer service?

☛ What do you consider your most significant strength?

☛ Examples of situations when your initiative ideas for improvement have made a significant difference.

☛ How do you get a peer or colleague to accept one of your ideas?

☛ Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past.

Many consider this question to be a loaded gun – dangerous in the hands of the inexperienced. Often times, an interviewee will start talking salary before they’ve had an opportunity to illustrate their skill set and value making any sort of leverage valueless. Here, knowledge is power, as salary often comes down to negotiation. Do some research into your industry to establish base rates of pay based on seniority and demand but keep in mind – your employer is hiring you for what they believe you are worth, and how much benefit they feel you will provide.

Demolition is the tearing down of buildings and other man-made structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use purposes.

Excavators are heavy construction equipment consisting of a boom, dipper (or stick), bucket and cab on a rotating platform known as the "house". The house sits atop an undercarriage with tracks or wheels. They are a natural progression from the steam shovels and often mistakenly called power shovels. All movement and functions of a hydraulic excavator are accomplished through the use of hydraulic fluid, with hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic motors. Due to the linear actuation of hydraulic cylinders, their mode of operation is fundamentally different from cable-operated excavators which use winches and steel ropes to accomplish the movements.

A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most commonly in use during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball. An early documented use was in the breaking up of the SS Great Eastern in 1888–1889, by Henry Bath and Co, at Rock Ferry on the River Mersey.

While this question is an invitation to do some chest pounding, remember to illustrate strengths that will benefit the employer and are relative to the position. For example:

☛ being a problem solver

☛ being a motivator

☛ being a natural leader

☛ the ability to perform under pressure

☛ a positive attitude

☛ loyalty

Are typically all solid strengths, but again, consider the position. For example, mentioning you are an excellent “team player” in a job where you largely work alone suddenly becomes irrelevant to the employer and demonstrates a genuine lack of self awareness.

That is a really great question. While I haven’t had the opportunity to develop within this particular role per se, I have actually become very involved in my local foodbank this year. This has taught me a great deal about community, teamwork, and taking initiative.

I took it upon myself to enroll in a summer business admin course at the local community college. Through this, I picked up some really great knowledge on communication and teamwork, as well as further develop overall managerial skills. Though it may not be directly applicable to this particular job, I believe the overall experience I gained could be a real asset here.

Safety is of the utmost importance for both construction and demolition. And when a contractor has a sparkling safety record, they’ll probably bring it up before you have to ask. If they don’t have a great safety record, it’s a significant strike against them. In addition to their past record, it’s important to look over their safety procedures to ensure they cover the safety of the personnel involved in the demolition, the surrounding community and the long-term safety of the near-by environment. This is how you find out whether a demolition crew is professional and experienced or not.