How to source and shortlist {role_name}

Where can you find qualified {role_name}?

  • Professional network
    • Leverage your professional network and reach out to former colleagues, industry peers, and tech community members to ask for referrals.
  • Educational Institutions:
    • Top Engineering Schools: Partner with universities known for strong engineering programs, 
    • Alumni Networks: Leverage alumni networks from these institutions for experienced candidates.
  • Company Career Pages:
    • Your Company’s Website: Ensure that your career page is optimized for search engines and is easy to navigate. Highlight the company’s achievements in automotive technology and the benefits of working with your team.
  • Role-Specific Job Boards:
    • Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Job Board: A specialized job board for automotive engineering roles.
    • Automotive Engineering International (AEI) Job Board: Another industry-specific platform.
    • Dice: Primarily for technology jobs, but useful for finding engineering talent as well.
  • Geography-Specific Job Boards:
    • United States:
      • Indeed: A broad platform where you can find candidates across various industries.
      • EngineeringJobs.net: Focuses on engineering roles within the US.
    • India:
      • Naukri: One of India’s leading job portals for a variety of engineering roles.
      • Monster India: Widely used for technical positions, including automotive engineering.
      • CutShort: For tech-savvy candidates looking for roles in startups and established firms.
    • UAE & KSA:
    • Remote Positions:
      • We Work Remotely: A job board dedicated to remote work opportunities across various sectors.
      • Remote OK: Another platform for remote positions, including technical roles.
      • FlexJobs: Focused on flexible and remote job opportunities.

What are the best practices for headhunting {role_name}?

  • Leverage Industry Connections: Attend automotive industry conferences, such as SAE World Congress, and local engineering meetups to network with potential candidates.
  • Employee Referrals: Encourage your current engineering team to refer qualified candidates. Offering incentives for successful referrals can be an effective way to find top talent.
  • Engage with Passive Candidates: Reach out to experienced Automotive Engineers who may not be actively seeking new roles but are open to hearing about exciting opportunities. Personalize your messages to highlight how your role aligns with their career goals.
  • Use Targeted Advertising: Utilize LinkedIn and industry-specific forums to run targeted ads that reach engineers with the exact skills and experience you need.

"Find Talent Quickly" – Leverage Headhunting and Referrals

How to shortlist candidates?

Once you have started to get applications from applicants, a thorough screening process and shortlisting of prospects will help you make the most of your time spent with the most qualified ones. 

Automated shortlisting tools :

Automated screening quickly filters out unqualified candidates, saving time for manual review. This allows the manual process to focus on the most promising candidates, ensuring the best ones are considered for further evaluation.

Screening questions to auto-shortlist based on predefined criteria

like qualifications, location, experience, and skills. Either use job board or use an ATS such as whitecarrot. Here are some questions for {role_name}

  • How many years of experience do you have with CAD software (e.g., CATIA, SolidWorks)?
    • Auto-Reject Criteria: Less than 3 years of experience
  • How many years of experience do you have in vehicle dynamics or automotive systems engineering?
    • Auto-Reject Criteria: Less than 3 years of experience
  • Are you located within [specified location] or willing to work remotely?
    • Auto-Reject Criteria: Not located within the required area and not willing to work remotely

Skill based question to auto shortlist candidate

Analyze the skill test data to automatically shortlist top-performing applicants. (recommended screening test time - 15 minutes). Here are some skill test questions for {role_name}

Automotive Systems

Assess knowledge in designing, optimizing, and maintaining automotive systems.

  • Question: Which type of suspension system is most commonly used in high-performance vehicles for superior handling and ride quality?
    • Options:
      • MacPherson Strut
      • Double Wishbone
      • Torsion Beam
      • Leaf Spring
      • Correct Answer: Double Wishbone
  • Question: What is the primary function of an anti-lock braking system (ABS) in modern vehicles?
    • Options:
      • Reduce the overall weight of the vehicle
      • Prevent the wheels from locking up during braking
      • Improve fuel efficiency
      • Increase engine power
      • Correct Answer: Prevent the wheels from locking up during braking
  • Question: How does a turbocharger improve engine performance?
    • Options:
      • Increases the engine displacement
      • Injects additional fuel into the engine
      • Forces more air into the combustion chamber, increasing power output
      • Reduces exhaust emissions by filtering out pollutants
      • Correct Answer: Forces more air into the combustion chamber, increasing power output

Mechanical Engineering

Evaluate understanding of core mechanical engineering principles relevant to automotive design.

  • Question: In thermodynamics, which law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted from one form to another?
    • Options:
      • Zeroth Law
      • First Law
      • Second Law
      • Third Law
      • Correct Answer: First Law
  • Question: What is the primary purpose of a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine?
    • Options:
      • To convert linear motion of the pistons into rotational motion
      • To mix air and fuel before combustion
      • To cool the engine by circulating coolant
      • To regulate the timing of the engine's valves
      • Correct Answer: To convert linear motion of the pistons into rotational motion
  • Question: Which material property is most critical when selecting materials for high-stress components like connecting rods and crankshafts?
    • Options:
      • Electrical conductivity
      • Thermal expansion
      • Tensile strength
      • Optical clarity
      • Correct Answer: Tensile strength

CAD Software

Measure proficiency in using CAD software for designing automotive components.

  • Question: Which CAD software is commonly used in the automotive industry for designing complex vehicle components?
    • Options:
      • CATIA
      • Adobe Photoshop
      • Microsoft Visio
      • SAP
      • Correct Answer: CATIA
  • Question: When creating a 3D model of an automotive part in CAD software, what is the purpose of a "parametric design" approach?
    • Options:
      • To create a model that automatically updates based on predefined parameters and constraints
      • To render high-resolution images for marketing purposes
      • To simulate the aerodynamics of the part
      • To produce 2D technical drawings from the 3D model
      • Correct Answer: To create a model that automatically updates based on predefined parameters and constraints
  • Question: In CAD software, what is a "finite element analysis (FEA)" used for?
    • Options:
      • To create detailed surface textures for aesthetic purposes
      • To analyze the structural behavior of a design under various conditions
      • To optimize the color scheme of a vehicle's interior
      • To generate animated sequences for design presentations
      • Correct Answer: To analyze the structural behavior of a design under various conditions

Note - Auto reject candidates if scores less than 70% in this section

One way video interview

Recruitment Bullet

Use tools like hirevue, whitecarrot.io to ask candidates pre-recorded questions about their experience and skills.

Recruitment Bullet

Use sample question given in scorecard.

Collect other information 

Recruitment Bullet

Collect data from shortlisted candidates, such as salary expectations and visa status.

"Shortlist in Seconds" – Use our CV scoring feature to get top candidate recommendation

Manual candidate profile shortlisting:

Recruitment Bullet

Thoroughly review the CVs of the top scoring candidates from the automated process

Recruitment Bullet

Look for evidence of the required skills, experience, and achievements

Recruitment Bullet

Review the candidate’s portfolio or GitHub repositories to see examples of their work.

Schedule recruiter calls with the candidate

Recruitment Bullet

Use a tool like calendly or whitecarrot to allow candidates to self-schedule calls based on your availability

Recruitment Bullet

Confirm the call details (date, time, dial-in info) with the candidate via email

What questions to ask in the recruiter phone screen?

Recruitment Bullet

 Use scorecard for rating candidates for recruiter

Recruitment Bullet

Sample scorecard : 

Criteria Sample Question Rating (1-5) Comments
Technical Knowledge How well does the candidate understand and apply automotive engineering principles?
Problem-Solving Ability How effectively did the candidate solve the challenges in the work sample?
Communication Skills How clearly did the candidate explain their design choices and thought process?
Cultural Fit How well does the candidate’s approach align with the company’s values?
Attention to Detail Did the candidate demonstrate attention to detail in their responses?
Recruitment Bullet

Check for consistency in responses from the candidates.

Recruitment Bullet

Record such scorecards in an ATS like whitecarrot or use google doc