Buro Happold Civil / Structural Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

It was a weird interview process for an MNC. They had 3 technical rounds. The first two were online tests, one for a structural engineer role and another for a senior structural engineer role. The third round was a face-to-face technical discussion with their associate structures director. I had a really negative experience overall; when I arrived, HR wasn't there to greet me and nobody told me what to do, leaving me waiting cluelessly for 10 minutes before the interviewer showed up. They didn't even offer me water despite me being sweaty from the heat, which made me feel like the company was short on funds, especially since their salary offer was much lower than competitors. Even after passing the senior structural engineer test, they treated me like a fresher and offered a fresher's salary. The interviewer seemed frustrated, made fun of my speaking style, and grunted when I couldn't answer questions. They also scheduled the interview for the next day, giving me no time to prepare, especially since I was traveling. They didn't let me ask any questions at the end, just said the interview was over, and the HR person was absent the whole time, not even turning their camera on for the online tests. They seem to want employees who are like them, willing to work like slaves.

We had a Microsoft Teams video call. First, Buro Happold presented their current projects using a PowerPoint. Then, two structural engineers on the call discussed their work in more detail. After that, I gave a presentation about my work history, myself, and previous projects. They asked relevant technical and non-technical questions about my past work projects and experience. Finally, we had an informal chat where we both asked questions.

This process spanned two weeks and included four interview stages. It began with a pre-screening to gather personal and professional details. Then came a 90-minute technical assessment. Following that, there was a face-to-face or Skype interview with a principal engineer, and finally, another face-to-face or Skype interview.