Finding the Right Fit: Interview Tips for Trade Staff — Why Honesty Matters

Honesty Matters More Than a Perfect Pitch

When you walk into an interview, it’s natural to want to impress. But the real goal isn’t just to sell your skills – it’s to find out if the company is the right place for you. At Techtrade, a leading trade recruitment agency for engineering and trade staff, we believe that honesty is key to building successful, long-term employment relationships.

It’s not just about whether you can do the job — it’s about whether the company’s values, work environment, career opportunities, and schedules align with what you’re looking for. Getting that match right benefits both you and the employer. It’s what leads to long-term satisfaction and career growth.

We know that many candidates, especially in trade and engineering roles, can feel nervous during interviews. Sometimes nerves get in the way of asking important questions, or candidates hold back instead of giving full examples of their skills. That’s why preparation is so important — it helps you relax, be yourself, and put your best foot forward.

Recruiters are professionals at making you feel comfortable, guiding the conversation, and helping you show the best version of yourself during the interview. Lean on their support – they’re there to help you succeed.

Top 10 Interview Tips to Help You Succeed

1. Be honest – Share your real career goals and experience and why you want the job. Employers value transparency over a ‘perfect’ answer.
2. Research the company – Do your research to understand the industry, the company’s projects and values. Demonstrating you know about the company shows that you’re genuinely interested.
3. Prepare yourself  – Identify your key skills and strengths in relation to the job requirements and have clear, real examples of your work ready — like projects you’ve built, machinery you’ve maintained, or systems you’ve improved. Be ready to talk through what you did, how you did it, and what the outcome was.
4. Dress appropriately – Even for trade roles, a clean, tidy appearance shows respect and professionalism.
5. Stay calm and take your time – It’s okay to pause and think before you answer. It shows you’re thoughtful, not unsure.
6. Bring the right documents – Certifications, licenses, portfolios – have them ready and organised.
7. Prepare your questions – An interview is a two-way street. Ask about work hours, career development, training opportunities, team culture, and anything else that matters to you like the machinery or systems you might be working on, or what a typical maintenance schedule looks like.
8. Talk about safety and reliability – Safety is huge for engineering and trades staff. Be ready to discuss your experience with health and safety systems, permits, certifications, and safe work practices.
9. Be positive, but real – Talk positively about past jobs, but don’t exaggerate or avoid mentioning challenges you’ve overcome — it shows resilience.

The more prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll feel. Interviewers are not trying to trick you — they want to see the real you. It’s better to be upfront about your experience and career aspirations rather than trying to fit into a job that might not actually suit you.

If you’re interviewing through trade recruitment agencies like Techtrade, your recruiter can also help you prepare by offering advice tailored to the company you’re meeting with. Remember, it’s not about giving “perfect” answers — it’s about finding the right fit for both sides.

When you’re honest, prepared, and ready with strong examples from your previous roles, you’ll naturally come across as confident and capable. And you’ll have a much better chance of landing a role that leads to long-term success.

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Looking for engineering or trade jobs?

If you’re looking for engineering or trade jobs you can view our latest job listings here.

Looking for specialist engineering or trade staff?

Techtrade is a specialist engineering and trade recruitment agency in Auckland that has a strong team of engineering and trade temps. We provide temporary trade staff across Auckland, Waikato and Northland as well as the Central North Island for short and long term assignments and shutdowns.

Some of the roles we cover include machine builders, mechanical and maintenance fitters,  fabricator welders, industrial electricians and riggers  – plus many other engineering and trade roles.

You can browse profiles on a selection of our available engineering and trade temps here.

Or, to discuss how a temporary or permanent recruitment solution would work for your business, give Mike a call on 021 991 186.