20 National Oilwell Varco Interview Questions and Answers

When you go to an interview for a position at National Oilwell Varco, you can expect to be asked questions about your experience with industrial equipment, your knowledge of NOV’s products and solutions, and your ability to troubleshoot and solve problems.

In this guide, we’ll give you some tips on how to answer common National Oilwell Varco interview questions so you can make a great impression and land the job you want.

National Oilwell Varco Interview Process

The interview process at National Oilwell Varco can vary depending on the position you are applying for. However, most positions will require at least one phone interview and one in-person interview. For some positions, there may also be a written exam or coding challenge. Overall, the interview process is generally positive, with reviewers finding the interviewer to be friendly and inquisitive. However, some reviewers have found the process to be disorganized, particularly when it comes to scheduling interviews.

1. What are your goals for the next 5 years?

This question is a great way to learn more about the applicant’s career goals and how they plan to achieve them. It also helps employers see if you’re likely to stay with their company for an extended period of time. When answering this question, be sure to include your short-term goals as well as your long-term ones.

Example: “My goal within the next five years is to become a manager at NOV. I know that in order to do so, I need to continue working hard and making my employer proud. In the meantime, I would like to earn my certification as a Certified Composite Technician.”

2. How would you approach a situation where you disagreed with a coworker?

This question can help an interviewer understand how you work with others and your ability to resolve conflict. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a specific example of when you disagreed with someone and the steps you took to resolve the situation.

Example: “In my previous role as a sales representative, I had a coworker who was very aggressive in their sales tactics. While this approach worked for them, it wasn’t always effective for me. Instead of telling them they were wrong, I explained why my approach worked better for me and asked if they would consider trying it. They agreed, and we both saw an increase in our sales.”

3. Do you have experience working in a team environment? If so, tell me about it.

This question is a great way to learn more about your potential co-workers and how you might fit in with them. It’s also an opportunity for you to share any leadership qualities you may have.

Example: “I’ve worked on several teams throughout my career, including the one I’m currently on. My current team has five members, but we often work together as a group of seven or eight people. We all have different strengths, which makes it easy to collaborate and solve problems. In fact, our team recently won first place at the company competition.”

4. Describe how you handle pressure.

This question is a great way to assess your ability to handle stress and pressure. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe how you manage pressure in your daily life or how you handled a specific situation that involved pressure.

Example: “I have always been someone who thrives under pressure. I find that when there’s a lot of work to do, I am able to focus more on the task at hand and get things done quickly. In my last role as an engineer, we were working on a project for one of our largest clients. There was a lot of pressure to deliver a quality product within a tight deadline. I used this pressure to motivate myself to complete the project ahead of schedule.”

5. What is your current salary and what do you expect to make from this position?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s important to be honest. If you’re not sure what the salary range for this position is, do some research before your interview so you can give an accurate answer.

Example: “I’m currently making $50,000 per year as a senior engineer at my current company. I expect that with my experience level and education, I would make somewhere between $60,000 and $70,000 per year if hired by NOV.”

6. Tell me about a time when you had many projects due at once. How did you prioritize them?

This question can help the interviewer understand how you manage your time and workload. Use examples from previous jobs to show that you are organized, efficient and able to meet deadlines.

Example: “At my last job, I had three projects due at once. One was a rush order for an oil rig, another was a large-scale project with many components and the third was a smaller project that needed to be completed within two weeks. I started by prioritizing the rush order because it would have been costly if we didn’t complete it on time. Then, I worked on the larger project next since it could take longer than expected. Finally, I finished the smaller project.”

7. Would you be willing to relocate or travel up to 50% of the time?

This question is a way for the interviewer to learn about your willingness to move or travel. If you are interviewing for a position that requires extensive traveling, it’s important to be honest about how much time you would spend on the road and if you’re comfortable with this aspect of the job.

Example: “I am willing to relocate as long as I’m able to bring my family along. My spouse has a full-time job in our current city, so we have no plans to leave until she finds another opportunity here. However, I am open to up to 50% travel, depending on where the company needs me.”

8. Are you comfortable managing people and delegating tasks?

This question is an opportunity to show your leadership skills and ability to work with a team. When answering, it can be helpful to mention specific situations where you have managed people or delegated tasks successfully in the past.

Example: “I am comfortable managing people and delegating tasks because I’ve done both of these things for my current employer. In my previous role as a project manager, I was responsible for overseeing multiple projects at once. This required me to delegate tasks to other employees on my team so we could all meet our deadlines. I find that when working with others, it’s important to clearly communicate expectations and provide feedback throughout the process.”

9. Tell me about a project that you were very proud of. Why were you excited about it?

This question is a great way to learn more about your potential new colleagues and their work. It’s also an opportunity for you to show the interviewer that you’re proud of your accomplishments, which can be important in any workplace.

Example: “I was very excited when I completed my degree because it took me five years to complete all of the courses required to graduate with honors. I had worked hard during those five years, so it felt good to finally finish. I’m always excited when I get promoted or receive positive feedback from my manager.”

10. Give us an example of a time when you made a mistake on a project, how did you handle it?

This question is a great way to show your ability to learn from mistakes and how you can apply that learning to future projects. When answering this question, it’s important to be honest about the mistake you made and explain what steps you took to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Example: “In my previous role as an engineer, I was working on a project where we needed to create a new type of composite material for use in oil rigs. The company had already invested a lot of money into the project, so I wanted to make sure I got everything right the first time. Unfortunately, I didn’t do enough research before starting the project and ended up using the wrong materials. It cost the company thousands of dollars to fix the problem, but I learned from my mistake and now always double-check all of my work.”

11. We need someone who can communicate well with clients, give us an example of a time where you communicated effectively with a client.

This question is an opportunity to show your communication skills and how you can use them in a professional setting. When answering this question, it’s important to highlight the importance of communication with clients and how it helped you achieve success.

Example: “I once worked with a client who was looking for a new composite material that would be strong enough to withstand high temperatures. I explained all of our different options and what each one could do for their company. They decided on a composite material that we were able to make stronger than they originally thought possible. This allowed them to save money by not having to replace equipment as often.”

12. What kind of work environment do you excel in?

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you are a good fit for their company culture. When answering, it can be helpful to mention something specific about the company’s work environment and how it aligns with your own preferences.

Example: “I thrive in a fast-paced environment where I am constantly learning new things. In my last role, I was able to learn from some of the most experienced professionals in the industry, which helped me develop my skills even more. I also enjoy working in a team setting because I find that collaboration helps us all grow as professionals.”

13. Tell me more about your background in mechanical engineering.

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you have a strong background in mechanical engineering and can apply your knowledge of this field to the position. When answering, be sure to highlight any specific skills or experiences that are relevant to the job.

Example: “I graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in mechanical engineering. During my time there, I took several classes on computer-aided design (CAD) software, which has helped me create detailed designs for projects at previous jobs. I also completed an internship at NOV where I learned more about the company’s products and services.”

14. What was your biggest challenge as a mechanical engineer?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you as a person and understand what challenges you’ve overcome in your career. When answering this question, it can be helpful to talk about a challenge that taught you something new or helped you develop a skill.

Example: “My biggest challenge was when I first started my job at NOV. I had just graduated from college and was working on a project with a team of experienced engineers. I wanted to prove myself but didn’t want to ask too many questions for fear of looking inexperienced. After a few weeks, I realized that asking questions is part of the job and that everyone else was doing the same thing. We all learned how to work together and finished the project successfully.”

15. Have you ever had issues communicating with coworkers before? How did you resolve the issue?

This question is a great way to determine how you work with others and your communication skills. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention specific instances where you had to communicate with coworkers or managers about projects or assignments.

Example: “In my previous position as an engineer at NOV, I was tasked with creating a new design for a drilling rig that would increase efficiency in the field. After presenting my initial designs to my team, they provided feedback on what could be improved. I took their suggestions into consideration and made some adjustments to the original design before presenting it again.”

16. What would you say is the most important component of being a good manager?

This question is an opportunity to show your interviewer that you have the skills and abilities needed to be a successful manager. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think about what makes a good manager in your experience.

Example: “I believe the most important component of being a good manager is having strong communication skills. As a manager, I would need to clearly communicate expectations to my team members and provide them with feedback on their performance. In addition, I would need to listen carefully to my employees so that I could understand any concerns they might have.”

17. What type of products have you designed before?

This question is a great way to show your creativity and problem-solving skills. When answering this question, it can be helpful to list the products you’ve designed in the past and how they helped your previous employer or client.

Example: “In my last role as an engineer at XYZ Company, I was tasked with designing new equipment for our clients that would help them drill deeper into the earth. My team and I created a new drilling system that allowed us to reach depths of up to 10,000 feet while using less energy than other systems on the market.”

18. What are your opinions on hydraulic fracturing?

This question is a great way to gauge your knowledge of the industry and how you feel about an important issue. It’s also a good opportunity for you to show that you can be diplomatic in your opinions, even if they differ from those of your interviewer.

Example: “Hydraulic fracturing has been a controversial topic in recent years, but I believe it’s an essential part of our energy infrastructure. While there are certainly environmental concerns with fracking, we need to balance this with the fact that natural gas is much cleaner than coal or oil. In my opinion, we should focus on developing more environmentally friendly methods of fracking rather than banning it altogether.”

19. Tell me about a time when you had to compromise.

This question can help an interviewer understand how you handle challenges and make decisions. When answering, it can be helpful to describe a specific situation where you had to compromise and the steps you took to ensure that your decision was beneficial for everyone involved.

Example: “When I first started working as a sales representative at my current company, I wanted to sell our most expensive products to every client. However, after talking with some of my clients about their budgets, I realized that many of them couldn’t afford our top-tier equipment. Instead, I offered them more affordable options while still providing quality solutions.”

20. Do you think electric cars will impact the oil industry?

This question is a great way to see how you think about the future of your industry. It also shows that NOV wants employees who are forward-thinking and innovative. Your answer should show that you understand the impact electric cars will have on oil, but it’s important to be realistic about what this means for the company.

Example: “I believe electric cars will eventually replace gas-powered vehicles. However, I don’t think this will happen overnight. There are still many benefits to using gas-powered vehicles, including their speed and range. Electric cars are currently more expensive than gas-powered vehicles, so there may be a long period where both types of vehicles exist.”