Demolition Specialist Interview Preparation Guide

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In most cases, complete demolition isn’t the first choice of the client. Repairs and remodels might be a faster process. In the case of residential demolition, there’s usually some sentimental value to the structure, as well. So, your first question to your potential demolition contractor should be whether or not demolition is the only option. If you’ve reached the point of actually speaking with demolition companies, at least some demolition likely is necessary. But, you may be able to avoid total demolition in some cases, which will make the project move faster, require different permits and be cheaper.

An easy question to answer well with one caveat – don’t slam your fellow interviewee’s. On the one hand, you have an opportunity to really stand out from the pack. Alternatively, You shouldn’t assume the skills of other applicants. Focus on your own strengths, and if the interviewer hasn’t given you an opportunity to mention that one “slam dunk” quality about yourself, now would be the time.

Is there a wrong way to answer this question? Consider the responses below:

☛ “I really need a job right now”
☛ “I need the money”
☛ “Your office is really close to my house”
☛ “I’ve always been interested in what you guys do”

This one is all about job commitment.

Some people make job hopping a career in of itself, and your answer here can be telling. Here, your interviewer is determining if you are:

☛ someone who sets goals
☛ someone who has a vision
☛ someone who is reliable
☛ someone who demonstrates commitment
☛ someone who is loyal
While no interviewer expects someone to stay at a company forever, try and craft your response in such a way that shows progression in your career, and alignment with the Company’s needs and future. Again, self awareness is key – your employer doesn’t want to send you down an unwanted path, resulting in wasted time and energy for everyone.

Experienced demolition contractors will have come across a variety of projects that contain a variety of hazardous materials. If you’ve already performed a site assessment, you can tell them what materials they are likely to encounter and have them detail out a plan for proper handling and disposal. If you haven’t performed an assessment, that’s probably the first suggestion you’re going to hear. But, finding out the remediation capabilities of your demolition team is important, even if you don’t think there are hazardous materials involved in your project.

Ever since my first paper route at age 10 I’ve been doing something to keep myself busy and earn money. Back then, it was obviously about earning some spending money. What I didn’t realize was that I was actually starting the journey of establishing what I liked to do and how I fit in to the grand scheme of things. I then worked as a junior computer tech in my last 2 summers of high school. It was here that I discovered what I was passionate about and what I wanted to do. I enrolled in college to get my degree in computer sciences, and I have been working around technology ever since.

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.

An innocent question. But a question that if answered improperly, can be a deal breaker. While many individuals will be looking to a new job as a means of increasing their salary, “not being paid well enough at your last job” is not something you want to mention to your interviewer. After all, are you not likely to leave this particular job if you found you could make more down the street?

If you’re currently employed and leaving of your own accord, craft your response around enhancing your career development and a seeking out of new challenges.

If your current employer is downsizing, be honest about it, remain positive, but keep it brief. If your employer fired you or let you go for cause, be prepared to give a brief – but honest – reply. No matter how tempting it may be, or how “unfair it was that they let you go” steer clear away from any and all drama and negativity. Any experienced employer understands that sometimes things happen. Staying positive is key here.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

☛ At DSD Demolition we prefer to hire individuals who are invested in their professional development. Walk me through any industry related coursework you have attended.
☛ At DSD Demolition we put a lot of pride into the organization of our projects. Do you consider yourself to be highly organized?
☛ Do you have experience in determining labor requirements on large-scale construction projects?
☛ Tell me about any experience you may have in overseeing the performance of other contractors.
☛ At DSD Demolition we put the safety of our employees first. How familiar are you when it comes to construction safety standards?
☛ Tell me about your experience with ordering and overseeing the delivery of engineering/construction related materials and equipment.
☛ At DSD Demolition we know that efficiency is directly related to profitability. How do you accurately assess the progress of each project you manage?
☛ Have you ever had to terminate an employee?
☛ In your opinion, what are the top 3 qualities every engineering/construction professional should possess?
☛ At DSD Demolition we seek to hire individuals who are interested in this industry for the long term. Where do you see your career going with us?
☛ In your opinion, who are the strongest competitors for DSD Demolition?
☛ What questions do you have for me?
☛ When was the last time you used your sense of humor to diffuse a situation at work?
☛ Why do you think you will be successful in this role?
☛ Tell me about a time when you had to lead a team.
☛ When have you been on a team project that failed? How did you react?
☛ How do you motivate others on your team?
☛ How do you handle stress on the job?
☛ How would you rate your performance in this interview so far?
☛ Tell me about a time you handled an incredibly difficult client. How did you come to a resolution with this person?
☛ What would you do if you were made aware of a co-worker being dishonest or stealing from the company?
☛ What are your salary expectations?
☛ Do you feel that you are currently paid what you are worth?
☛ What makes you a great problem solver?
☛ What is your definition of hard work?
☛ On a scale from 1 to 10, how honest are you?
☛ Describe to me your ideal employer.
☛ Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond.
☛ Tell me about a project you completed recently that was ahead of schedule.
☛ When have you had to shift your priorities in response to sudden changes?
☛ When planning, how often do you create alternative scenarios to help you adjust to changing situations?

☛ 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.

☛ Situation where others disagreed with your ideas.
☛ What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
☛ How do you see this Demolition Worker job developing?
☛ Do you work better under pressure or with time to plan and organize?
☛ How do you react to instruction and criticism?
☛ Have you found any ways to make Demolition Worker job easier?
☛ Describe some ideas that were implemented.

Remember, when you're interviewing, you are being screened for a certain skill set and cultural fit. Explain why you are interested in the job and ask questions about what you possibly dislike. Let the interviewer know how the company's mission reflects your values.

☛ 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?

☛ 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?

☛ When did you last update your Demolition Worker education?
☛ What support training would you require to be able to do this Demolition Worker job?
☛ Tell me a suggestion you have made that was implemented.
☛ Have you had to convince a team to work on a project they weren't thrilled about?
☛ Tell about a time that you had to adapt to a difficult situation.
☛ How do you react if you find that someone you work with does not like you?
☛ What major challenges and problems did you face?

This is your chance to show your depth and dimension as a person.
Explain that you are looking for a new challenge, better career prospects or a change of environment.
During the Demolition Worker interview, detailing how you work with others is important.

☛ How do you see your job relating to the overall goals?
☛ What is the most recent skill you have learned that related to Demolition Worker?
☛ Examples of situations when your initiative ideas for improvement have made a significant difference.
☛ Situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise.
☛ What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses as Demolition Worker?
☛ Tell me about a time when you successfully handled a situation?
☛ Situation where others disagreed with your ideas.

Show your qualities that will enable you to be successful in this position.
Tell them about the training you received or the work related experience you gained. This is a good time to illustrate how you can contribute to the company if you are successfully recruited.

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.

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.

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.

This can be a great way to stand out from other applicants and demonstrate initiative. Almost every company will have a website, Facebook page, Instagram account, or some sort of digital footprint. Spend a bit of time doing some online research:

☛ If they have a website, check out their “About us” or “Culture/Mission/Vision” pages.
☛ Who are some of the principal people who work there? Who are the founders?
☛ What sorts of things does this company care about? Do they donate to a particular cause or charity? Which one(s)?
☛ What are their core values? Which of their core values resonate with you?
☛ Has the company been in the news recently or have they won any awards (Social Media can be a great place to find this information).

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.