Graduate Electrical Engineer Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Most Graduate Electrical Engineer interviews in the UK follow a pattern, and knowing it beats guessing. Below are eight questions from our bank of 16, each with a note on what the interviewer is really after.

Eight Graduate Electrical Engineer interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. Explain the difference between real, reactive and apparent power, and why power factor matters.

Why they ask: Power fundamentals are a staple graduate electrical engineering question.

2. Explain how a three-phase induction motor works and how its speed can be controlled.

Why they ask: Motors are the commonest industrial load, so they test core electrical machine knowledge.

3. What is the role of a transformer and how do you calculate its turns ratio and efficiency?

Why they ask: Basic machine and power system knowledge expected from a graduate.

4. What is a PID controller, and how would you tune one?

Why they ask: Control systems are widely used, and graduates should understand the basics.

5. Describe how electricity gets from a power station to a home in Great Britain, and why transmission voltages are so high.

Why they ask: Understanding the network structure is expected of any graduate electrical engineer.

6. On your first week on site, you notice a colleague working on a live panel without proper precautions. What do you do?

Why they ask: They want to see whether you have the confidence to raise safety concerns as a new starter.

7. Tell me about a time you worked in a team on a technical project and what you contributed.

Why they ask: Graduate engineers need to show teamwork in a technical setting.

8. Why did you choose electrical engineering, and why this graduate scheme in particular?

Why they ask: They need to see genuine motivation and that you have researched them.

A sample answer to question 1

Explain the difference between real, reactive and apparent power, and why power factor matters.

Real power, in watts, is the power that does useful work, such as turning a motor shaft or producing heat. Reactive power, in vars, is the power that oscillates between source and load because of inductance or capacitance, and does no net work but is needed to build magnetic fields in motors and transformers. Apparent power, in volt-amperes, is the vector sum of the two, so S squared equals P squared plus Q squared. Power factor is real power divided by apparent power, or the cosine of the phase angle. A low power factor means more current is drawn for the same useful power, which increases losses in cables and transformers, requires larger equipment, and in the UK can lead to reactive power charges from suppliers. For example, a 100 kW load at 0.8 power factor draws 125 kVA. Correction can be done with capacitor banks, often detuned if harmonics are present, or active power factor correction in electronic supplies.

Common mistake to avoid: Mixing up kW and kVA; no example numbers

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 16 questions are on the Graduate Electrical Engineer interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.