skilled trades technical operations8d problem solvingautomotive assemblydimensional inspectioniatf 16949
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Hands-on competence
35% weight
Check hands-on use of calipers, micrometers, gap and flush gauges, CMM programs and torque audit tools, plus reading GD&T on body-in-white and trim drawings.
Evidence to listen for
Names the equipment, materials, and tolerances they work to
Can describe a job start to finish without hand-waving the hard parts
Holds the tickets, licences, or certifications the work requires, and they are current
Knows what they are not qualified to touch
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot describe the work concretely; lacks required tickets or licences.
2
Needs Improvement
Basic familiarity; needs supervision on routine tasks.
3
Satisfactory
Competent on standard work; slower or unsure on unfamiliar jobs.
4
Very Good
Skilled and independent across the normal range of the role.
5
Excellent
Names specific gauges and CMM routines used daily, reads GD&T callouts confidently, and cites tolerances held on real body or powertrain parts.
02
Evaluation factor
Safety discipline
30% weight
Probe lockout/tagout on the line, PPE discipline in paint and weld shops, andon pull authority, and willingness to stop or quarantine suspect vehicles.
Evidence to listen for
Treats procedure as protection rather than paperwork
Can describe a time they stopped work and why
Knows the specific hazards of this trade and the controls for each
Reports near misses instead of hiding them
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Casual about safety; describes shortcuts with pride.
2
Needs Improvement
Follows procedure when watched; cannot name the hazards that matter.
3
Satisfactory
Sound safety habits; less certain on unfamiliar hazards.
4
Very Good
Safety is instinctive; can describe stopping work over a real concern.
5
Excellent
Describes pulling andon or containing suspect units despite line pressure, and follows LOTO and paint shop PPE rules without prompting.
03
Evaluation factor
Fault finding
20% weight
Test defect diagnosis: tracing paint runs, water leaks, squeak and rattle, or torque failures back to station, fixture wear, or supplier lot using 8D and fishbone.
Evidence to listen for
Has a method for narrowing a fault rather than swapping parts
Reads schematics, manuals, or error codes and acts on them
Knows when to escalate rather than guess
Can describe a fault that took real work to find
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Parts-swapper; no diagnostic method.
2
Needs Improvement
Fixes symptoms; cannot explain how they found the cause.
3
Satisfactory
Solid on familiar faults; less structured on new ones.
4
Very Good
Clear systematic method with a real hard-fault story.
5
Excellent
Walks a real defect from detection to root cause and countermeasure, with containment, 5 Why logic, and verified reduction in ppm or DPU.
04
Evaluation factor
Reliability and conduct
15% weight
Look for audit rigour: completed control plan checksheets, layered process audits, calibration schedules, and clean traceability records under IATF 16949 or PPAP submissions.
Evidence to listen for
Turns up, on time, prepared
Handles shift work, callouts, or travel as the role requires
Documents work so the next person can pick it up
Deals with customers or site staff professionally
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unreliable attendance; unprofessional on site.
2
Needs Improvement
Inconsistent; documentation is an afterthought.
3
Satisfactory
Dependable; paperwork is adequate.
4
Very Good
Consistently reliable, documents well, professional with customers.
5
Excellent
Keeps legible, auditable records, holds calibration dates, and has passed customer or third party audits without repeat nonconformances.
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