A bricklayer interview is short, and a lot of it happens away from the table. The foreman wants to know if you can lay a straight wall, keep up with the crew, and show up tomorrow. Here's what they'll ask, what they're really listening for, and the answers that get you a trial day.
Block, face brick, stone veneer and restoration are different skills. The foreman needs to know where to put you on the wall.
Building leads is where the wall's accuracy starts. Someone who can do it well is worth more than someone who can only run the line.
Using mortar that has started to set leads to weak joints and walls that fail inspection. It's a quick way to tell if you understand the material.
Weather changes how mortar cures. Contractors need people who protect the work instead of leaving it to freeze or bake.
Openings, lintels, control joints and bond patterns all come off the drawings. A bricklayer who can read prints needs less supervision.
Rebar, grout, joint reinforcement, ties and flashing are what make a wall pass inspection. This checks whether you understand the whole system.
Falls are the biggest danger on a masonry job. The foreman wants someone who speaks up, not someone who steps around a problem.
They're checking whether you know your own pace and whether you'll be straight with them. They'll see the real answer during the trial anyway.
Everyone makes mistakes on a wall. The foreman wants to know you own them and fix them instead of hiding them behind the next course.
Bricklayers are expected to own their hand tools. Having them and keeping them in good shape says you're serious.
A masonry crew only moves as fast as its weakest link. Someone who fights with the tenders slows the whole wall down.
Masonry jobs move around and start early. Days get lost to rain, and the foreman needs people who'll stick with it.
Ask at least two. It shows you're picking them too.
