Question 1

Walk me through how you'd lock out a panel before working on it.

Accepted Answer

Lockout is where people get hurt, and the foreman needs to know you won't take a shortcut when an apprentice is watching you. Identify every energy source from the prints and panel schedule, not just the obvious breaker Notify the people affected, shut it down, apply your own lock and tag Verify absence of voltage with a tested meter: test on a known live source, test the circuit, test the meter again Mention arc-rated PPE and the approach boundaries in the NFPA electrical safety standard if the work calls for it Say you've refused to work hot when someone pushed, and how you handled it

Question 2

The inspector flags something you're sure is compliant. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

They want someone who can disagree without costing the company a failed inspection or a bad relationship with the local building department. Stay calm and ask the inspector to show you what they're seeing Point to the code article you're relying on, if you know it Remember that local amendments and the inspector's interpretation often win on the day Loop in the foreman before escalating, and fix it if that's the fastest route to a signed card

Question 3

How do you size a feeder and its overcurrent protection?

Accepted Answer

It's a quick check that you understand load calculations and conductor sizing instead of copying what's on the print. Start from the calculated load, including continuous loads Pick the conductor from the ampacity tables, then adjust for temperature rating, ambient temperature and conduit fill Match the overcurrent device to the conductor and check termination ratings Check voltage drop on long runs Say you'd confirm with the engineer's design when it's an engineered job

Question 4

Tell me about a time you found a mistake on the prints.

Accepted Answer

Prints are wrong more often than anyone likes. They want to see if you catch it before the wire is pulled and whether you handle it through the right channel. Describe the specific conflict, such as a panel schedule that didn't match the one-line or a light fixture in a structural beam Explain how you noticed it and what you did with the work in the meantime Say you raised it with the foreman so it went back as an RFI, rather than just fixing it quietly Share what it saved: rework, a failed inspection or a delay for another trade

Question 5

How do you run an apprentice on your part of the job?

Accepted Answer

As a journeyman you'll almost always have a helper or apprentice, and the contractor's training program depends on you. Give them real work with a clear standard, not just sweeping and carrying Check their work early so bad habits don't get roughed into a whole floor Explain the why behind code decisions, not just the how Keep them away from energized work they're not ready for Give them credit when their piece passes inspection

Question 6

A circuit keeps tripping and nobody can find why. How do you troubleshoot it?

Accepted Answer

Service and punch-list work is full of these, and it separates the people who swap parts from the ones who find the fault. Ask what's on the circuit and when it trips: instantly, under load, or randomly Separate overload, short and ground fault, and check whether it's a GFCI or AFCI device doing the tripping Isolate by disconnecting loads or splitting the circuit, and use a meter and insulation tester instead of guessing Look for the usual suspects: a nicked conductor, a shared neutral, a loose termination Document what you found so the next person doesn't start from zero

Question 7

What kind of electrical work have you done most, and what haven't you done?

Accepted Answer

A journeyman from residential service is a different hire from one who spent years on industrial motor controls. They want an honest picture so they can put you on the right crew. Name the settings you've worked in and the systems you know well Be specific: rigid conduit, cable tray, fire alarm, PLC panels, service changes, low voltage Say plainly what you haven't done much of Show how you pick up something new, like shadowing a lead on your first VFD install

Question 8

How do you handle a change order that comes up mid-job?

Accepted Answer

Unrecorded changes eat the contractor's margin. They want a journeyman who protects the company without fighting the general contractor. Stop work on the affected area when it makes sense and document what changed with photos and marked-up prints Tell the foreman right away so it's written up as extra work Track labor and material spent on the change separately Keep the rest of the job moving so the schedule doesn't slip

Question 9

Which edition of the code do you work to, and how do you keep up with changes?

Accepted Answer

The code is updated on a regular cycle and states adopt editions at different times. They want to know you're current and aware of local adoption. Know which edition your state or city has adopted, and that it may differ from the newest one Mention your continuing education hours for license renewal Name a recent change that actually affected your work, such as expanded GFCI or AFCI requirements Say where you look things up: the code book, the handbook, or your local amendments

Question 10

Tell me about a time you had a conflict with another trade on site.

Accepted Answer

Plumbers, sprinkler fitters and HVAC crews all fight for the same ceiling space. Contractors want someone who solves that without drama. Describe the actual clash, like a duct run where your conduit was supposed to go Explain how you talked to the other foreman instead of just rerouting or complaining Say how it got resolved, through coordination drawings or the superintendent if needed Mention what you'd do differently to catch it earlier

Question 11

Why are you leaving your current shop?

Accepted Answer

They're checking for reliability issues, and whether you'll leave them the moment a job wraps. Give a short, honest reason: the work dried up, you want different work, a shorter commute Tie it to what this shop offers, like industrial work or a foreman track Stay neutral about your last employer

Journeyman Electrician interview questions and how to answer them

The 8 questions you will almost certainly get

A forgettable answer, and a better one

"Walk me through how you'd lock out a panel before working on it."

"The inspector flags something you're sure is compliant. What do you do?"

Questions to ask them

Need more Journeyman Electrician interviews to prep for?

The question	What they want to know	Your angle
Walk me through how you'd lock out a panel before working on it.	Lockout is where people get hurt, and the foreman needs to know you won't take a shortcut when an apprentice is watching you.	Identify every energy source from the prints and panel schedule, not just the obvious breaker
The inspector flags something you're sure is compliant. What do you do?	They want someone who can disagree without costing the company a failed inspection or a bad relationship with the local building department.	Stay calm and ask the inspector to show you what they're seeing
How do you size a feeder and its overcurrent protection?	It's a quick check that you understand load calculations and conductor sizing instead of copying what's on the print.	Start from the calculated load, including continuous loads
Tell me about a time you found a mistake on the prints.	Prints are wrong more often than anyone likes. They want to see if you catch it before the wire is pulled and whether you handle it through the right channel.	Describe the specific conflict, such as a panel schedule that didn't match the one-line or a light fixture in a structural beam
How do you run an apprentice on your part of the job?	As a journeyman you'll almost always have a helper or apprentice, and the contractor's training program depends on you.	Give them real work with a clear standard, not just sweeping and carrying
A circuit keeps tripping and nobody can find why. How do you troubleshoot it?	Service and punch-list work is full of these, and it separates the people who swap parts from the ones who find the fault.	Ask what's on the circuit and when it trips: instantly, under load, or randomly
What kind of electrical work have you done most, and what haven't you done?	A journeyman from residential service is a different hire from one who spent years on industrial motor controls. They want an honest picture so they can put you on the right crew.	Name the settings you've worked in and the systems you know well
How do you handle a change order that comes up mid-job?	Unrecorded changes eat the contractor's margin. They want a journeyman who protects the company without fighting the general contractor.	Stop work on the affected area when it makes sense and document what changed with photos and marked-up prints