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Agilent Technologies Applications Engineer Interview Questions & Reviews

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Updated Mar 2, 2012 – Interview questions and reviews posted anonymously by interview candidates.

Difficulty Rating [?] Based on 6 ratings

3.7

“Difficult” Interview

Interview Experience [?] Based on 6 ratings

Positive	50%
Neutral	33%
Negative	17%

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1–6 of 6 Agilent Technologies Interviews

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5.0

Very Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed Jan 2010 (took 4+ weeks)

It was a very unique interview. I had 5 round interviews from different managers/groups, and had a presentation, even had dinner with the manager.

Other Details

The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview and a Presentation.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Negative Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Jan 2012 in Englewood, CO (took 3 weeks)

Applied online and received two phone interviews and an onsite interview. First interview was a resume walkthrough and the second was a technical interview. Both went well, and I thought I established a good rapport with both interviewers. The onsite consisted of three panel interviews, one of them technical, and a one-on-one. I felt that I did well in all, and particularly nailed the first two. The only portion I was worried about was the technical, which didn't go as well I though. I sent my thank you's as soon as I got home.

The next day I received a call turning me down. The lead interviewer said that although I was the best candidate they had interviewed so far technically, the most prepared, and the only candidate to follow up, I lacked a certain "sparkle", which he went on to say was unquantifiable, and they were unsure of my CS skills, which they tried to relate a pizza delivery job from high school in my interview. He went on to say that I seemed nervous, despite already having said I was the most prepared, and gave better answers than the others.

This isn't the first bad interview experience I had, and honestly I didn't think my previous worst could be beat, but I found the whole reasoning they tried to give incredibly insulting. I've never been told every reason I should have been hired, then told that although they can't come up with a quantifiable reason to not hire me, they aren't going to anyway. After they played up their company culture, this seemed extremely hypocritical and contrary to it.

Interview Questions

You have an angry customer on the line. They are being unreasonable. How do you proceed?

Answer Question

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview and a Skills Test.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Nov 2011 (took 3 days)

I first had an on-campus interview that consisted of 2 managers interviewing me for an hour. The interview consisted of your standard behavioral and historical interview questions as well as some technical questions. After this initial interview, I was contacted about having a phone interview. The phone interview was with a current Applications Engineer who asked me technical questions about different pieces of equipment.

Following the phone interview, I was invited to their campus for a half day interview (~4 hours). This consisted of 6 interviews of 30 minutes each, along with a tour of the office and lunch in the cafeteria with the rest of the candidates. One of the interviews was technical, the rest were pretty run-of-the-mill. It got a little annoying at times since I felt like I was repeating myself to several of the interviewers since they were asking very similar questions.

By the time I heard back from Agilent, I already had an offer from a company that I liked better.

Interview Questions

What does a spectrum analyzer do?

Answer Question

What are S-parameters?

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview and a Group/Panel Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed Aug 2011 in Santa Clara, CA (took 2 weeks)

I came into Agilent and met with my manager and my mentor. They asked me about my previous coursework/ lab work and I explained to them my projects listed on my resume. Then they gave me some technical questions, that were really basic.

Interview Questions

Tell us about your previous projects. Which one did you like the most?

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a Recruiter and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview and a Skills Test.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Aug 2010 in Englewood, CO (took a day)

Met with one recruiter on campus. short interview (about 35 mins). some behavioral questions such as teamwork skills, management skills. He asked basic questions as well such as, if I'm willing to move, if I can work overtime, etc. Some technical questions, about four. The interview was a bit more difficult than others due to the fact that there were some technical questions.

Interview Questions

What is an AC coupling do?

Answer Question

What is a Network Analyzer?

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Feb 2010 in Richardson, TX (took 1 week)

An initial phone interview was conducted by a 3rd party organization under contract to Agilent. They asked some behavioral interview questions (about 4 or 5). Following that an in-person interview was set up consisting of 6 people, in 4 groups. 1-1-2-2. Since this was essentially a Field Applications Engineering position members of the sales force (called "Field Engineers") were involved in the interview process, as well as other Applications Engineers.