20 Keyence Interview Questions and Answers

When it comes to interviews, preparation is key. And if you’re interviewing for a position at Keyence, you’ll want to be prepared to answer questions about your experience with sensors, barcode readers, and vision systems.

Keyence is a world leader in the development and manufacturing of sensors, barcode readers, and vision systems. And because of that, they often ask questions specific to those areas in order to gauge a candidate’s knowledge and experience.

In this article, we’ll give you some examples of Keyence interview questions so you can be prepared for your next interview.

Keyence Interview Process

The interview process at Keyence is thorough and can take some time to complete. It typically starts with a technical assessment, followed by an in-person interview. The in-person interview may be divided into two parts: a role-playing section, where you present a product and answer support questions; and a traditional interview. You may also be asked to meet with the sales team.

After the initial interviews, you may be asked to take a physics-oriented test or a logic/math test. If you pass these tests, you will be invited to a final interview. The final interview is usually a mock sale, where you are given a Keyence product and asked to sell it. This can be challenging if you don’t have much knowledge about the industry.

Overall, the interview process is lengthy but it is a good way to get to know multiple people in the company. The company is also upfront about the workload that comes with the role and the compensation that accompanies that.

1. What is your experience in sales?

This question can help the interviewer determine your experience with selling products and services. Use examples from previous jobs to show how you helped clients make buying decisions.

Example: “In my last position, I was responsible for helping customers find the right sensors for their projects. I would first listen to what they needed and then recommend a few different options based on their needs and budget. If they were unsure about which sensor to choose, I would offer to set up a demonstration so they could see the product in action. This helped many of my clients feel more confident about their purchase.”

2. If a customer was not satisfied with their purchase, how would you handle the situation?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you handle customer service issues. Use your answer to showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to resolve conflicts.

Example: “If a customer was not satisfied with their purchase, I would first apologize for any inconvenience they experienced. Then, I would try to find out what went wrong so that I could fix it or offer them a refund if necessary. If the issue is something I cannot solve, I would work with my manager to find an appropriate solution.”

3. How do you think you can help our team grow?

This question is a great way to show your potential employer that you’re ready for more responsibility and are eager to learn. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention specific skills or knowledge you’d like to develop in order to help the team grow.

Example: “I think I could help the team grow by learning how to use Keyence’s new vision system. It looks like an incredibly useful tool for helping our company meet its goals, and I’m excited to learn about it. I also want to continue developing my programming skills so I can become even more efficient at troubleshooting problems with sensors.”

4. Do you have any experience in mechanical or optical engineering?

This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience and expertise in mechanical or optical engineering. If you have any relevant experience, share it with them to show that you’re qualified for this role.

Example: “I do not have formal training in mechanical or optical engineering, but I have worked as a technician for several years. In my last position, I was responsible for repairing vision systems, which required me to understand how they functioned mechanically and optically. This helped me troubleshoot problems more quickly and efficiently.”

5. Describe for us one of the most challenging problems you’ve had to solve and how you solved it.

This question is a great way to show your problem-solving skills and how you approach challenges. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe the steps you took to solve the challenge and what you learned from the experience.

Example: “When I was working for my previous employer, we had a client who needed us to create a vision system that could read barcodes on products in their warehouse. The first thing I did was research different types of vision systems and determine which one would work best for our client’s needs. After researching the different types of vision systems, I determined that an omnidirectional vision system would be the best option for our client.

I then created a plan with my team to implement the new vision system at our client’s warehouse. We were able to successfully install the vision system and train employees on its use.”

6. How well do you work under pressure?

This question is a great way to assess how well you can perform under pressure. It’s important for employers to know that their employees will be able to handle the stress of working in an environment where they’re expected to meet deadlines and produce quality work. When answering this question, it’s best to highlight your ability to stay calm and focused when faced with challenges or tight deadlines.

Example: “I’ve worked in several high-pressure environments throughout my career, so I’m used to handling stressful situations. In fact, I find that I do my best work when I have a deadline looming over me. I think it helps me focus on getting the job done as quickly as possible. I also like knowing that I’ll get positive feedback if I complete the task ahead of schedule.”

7. Tell me about an instance where you were able to improve upon the design of something, what did you change and why?

This question is a great way to show your problem-solving skills and ability to make improvements. When answering this question, it can be helpful to provide specific details about the changes you made and how they helped improve the overall design.

Example: “At my last job, I was working on a project that required me to create an efficient system for scanning barcodes. The company had recently changed their packaging, which meant we needed to update our systems to scan the new barcode format. I worked with my team to develop a program that could read both old and new barcodes. This allowed us to continue using our existing equipment while also being able to scan the new barcodes.”

8. Why do you want to work at Keyence?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand why you are a good fit for their company. Use your answer to highlight any specific aspects of Keyence that interest you, such as its mission statement or values. You can also use this opportunity to show how your own personal goals align with those of the organization.

Example: “I want to work at Keyence because I am passionate about helping businesses improve efficiency and productivity. In my last role, I helped a client reduce production time by 20% using a vision system from Keyence. This made me realize how much impact I could have on an organization’s bottom line if I joined Keyence.”

9. Are you comfortable working independently as well as on a team?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you are a good fit for their company culture. When answering, it can be helpful to mention how you enjoy working with others and also how you feel about being on your own.

Example: “I am very comfortable working independently as well as in teams. I find that when working alone, I can get more work done than when I’m working with other people. However, I love collaborating with my coworkers because we can all bring different ideas to the table. In my last position, I was often tasked with doing quality assurance testing by myself, but I enjoyed this responsibility and felt like I could do a great job.”

10. Can you tell me about a time when you decided to go above and beyond for a client?

This question can help the interviewer get a better idea of your work ethic and how you handle customer service. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific situation where you helped a client solve a problem or find an alternative solution.

Example: “I once had a client who was having trouble with their vision system because they were using outdated software. I spent several hours researching different solutions for them until I found one that would work well with their current setup. They ended up being very happy with my research and implementation.”

11. Give us an example of a time when you felt that you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.

This question is a great way to show your potential employer that you are willing to go the extra mile and help out when needed. It’s also an opportunity for you to highlight some of your best qualities, such as dedication, loyalty or teamwork.

Example: “When I was working at my previous job, we had a client who was in desperate need of our services. They were having issues with their vision system and they needed it fixed immediately. The problem was that there was no one else available to work on the issue because everyone was busy with other projects. So, I volunteered to stay late and fix the issue so that the company could meet its deadline.”

12. Tell us about a difficult problem you had to solve and how you handled the situation.

This question is a great way to show your problem-solving skills and how you use them in the workplace. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe a time when you had to solve a complex issue or challenge that required you to think critically about the situation.

Example: “At my last job, I was working on a project where we were trying to integrate two different vision systems together. The first system was an older model, so there wasn’t much documentation available for us to reference. We also didn’t have any engineers who could help us with the integration process. So, I took some time to research the system and found out what information I could find online. Then, I used that information to create a plan of action for integrating the two systems.”

13. Have you ever worked with sensors before?

This question can help the interviewer get a better idea of your experience with sensors and how you might fit in at their company. If you have worked with sensors before, share an example of when you used them to solve a problem or improve a process. If you haven’t worked with sensors before, consider sharing what you know about them and what you would do if you were faced with using them on the job.

Example: “I’ve never worked specifically with Keyence sensors, but I am familiar with some of the types of sensors they produce. For instance, I’ve worked with proximity sensors that use infrared light to detect objects within a certain range. These are useful for detecting whether doors are open or closed. I also worked with ultrasonic sensors that emit sound waves and then measure the time it takes for those waves to bounce back. This is helpful for measuring distances.”

14. Give us an example of a goal you reached and how you achieved it.

This question is a great way to show your potential employer that you have the ability to set goals and achieve them. It also shows how you can work independently or with others to reach those goals. When answering this question, it’s important to provide specific details about what you did to achieve your goal.

Example: “When I was working at my previous job, we had a goal of increasing our sales by 10% each month. We started out strong in January, but then sales slowed down in February and March. I met with my team to discuss ways we could increase sales again. We decided to add more products to our website and create an online store. By April, we were back on track to meeting our sales goal.”

15. Have you ever been part of a sales team?

This question can help the interviewer get a better sense of your teamwork skills and ability to collaborate with others. If you have experience working in sales, describe how you helped your team meet goals or quotas.

Example: “In my previous role as an engineer for a technology company, I was part of a small sales team that worked together to develop new products and services for our clients. We had weekly meetings where we discussed our progress on projects and brainstormed ways to improve our workflows. This allowed us to share ideas and learn from each other’s experiences.”

16. Do you have any experience with engineering design and development?

This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience with engineering design and development. If you have previous experience, share what projects you worked on and how they helped develop your skills in this field.

Example: “I’ve had several internships where I was able to work on engineering design and development. In my last internship, I worked on a team that developed an app for a client who wanted to create a new way to track inventory. We used Keyence sensors to collect data from the warehouse floor and then inputted it into the app we created. This allowed the company to keep track of their inventory levels.”

17. Why are you interested in sales engineering?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand why you are interested in working for their company. Use your answer to share a personal story about how you got started in sales engineering or what motivates you to succeed in this role.

Example: “I’ve always been fascinated by technology, so I decided to pursue a career as a software engineer. However, after getting my degree, I realized that I enjoy helping businesses grow more than writing code all day. I love being able to use my skills to create solutions that make people’s lives easier. I’m excited to work at Keyence because it allows me to do both.”

18. What kind of salary are you looking for?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s often the most challenging to answer. It can be difficult because you want to show that you’re worth what you’re asking for while also not being too expensive. When answering this question, try to focus on your experience and skills rather than just your education level.

Example: “I’m looking for a salary of $50,000 per year. I have five years of experience with keyence sensors, and my last employer was willing to pay me $45,000 per year. However, I feel like I’ve gained enough experience to ask for more.”

19. Do you consider yourself to be a self-starter?

This question is a great way to determine how much initiative you take in your work. Employers want employees who are motivated and able to complete tasks without being told what to do every step of the way. Show them that you’re willing to take on new challenges, learn from mistakes and solve problems independently.

Example: “I definitely consider myself to be a self-starter. I’ve always been someone who likes to figure things out for themselves rather than asking others for help all the time. In my last role, I was tasked with setting up a vision system at one of our locations. The system came with instructions, but I wanted to make sure I understood everything before following them exactly as they were written. After reading through the instructions multiple times, I realized there was an easier way to set it up. I figured out the simpler process and saved the company time and money.”

20. How much experience do you have developing test plans?

Test plans are a critical part of the development process, and your interviewer may want to know how you approach this task. Use examples from past projects to describe what steps you take when creating test plans and how they help you complete your work more efficiently.

Example: “I’ve worked on several large-scale projects that required extensive testing before implementation. I typically start by identifying all possible scenarios for each component of the system. Then, I create tests for each scenario based on user requirements and business objectives. Finally, I run the tests multiple times to ensure accuracy.”