Interview experience
ABB Interview Questions
Overview
Section titled “Overview”ABB’s campus process for its power, automation, and robotics engineering roles runs an online test, an optional group discussion, a resume-heavy technical interview, and an HR round that sometimes closes with an unscripted chart-paper case study and a psychometric test.
ABB interview process at a glance
Section titled “ABB interview process at a glance”| Round | Duration | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Online Test | ~60 min | Verbal, analytical/logical reasoning, attention to detail, branch-specific technical section |
| Group Discussion (if applicable) | 15-20 min | Communication and structured thinking, added only when applicant volume is high |
| Technical Interview | ~60 min | Resume and projects discussed line by line, plus C++/Java, OOP, DBMS, OS, networking, power-electronics/automation fundamentals |
| HR Interview | 20-30 min | Culture fit; some drives include a chart-paper case-study presentation |
| Psychometric test (select drives) | Varies | Analytical and problem-solving style, ahead of salary discussion |
Online Test
Section titled “Online Test”An elimination round mixing standard aptitude sections (verbal, analytical/logical reasoning, attention to detail) with a technical section that varies by branch - electrical/instrumentation candidates see core-subject questions, CS/IT candidates see programming and CS-fundamentals questions.
Common questions
- Verbal ability and reading comprehension
- Analytical/logical reasoning and attention-to-detail puzzles
- Branch-specific technical MCQs (core electrical/automation for EE, programming fundamentals for CS/IT)
Group Discussion (conditional)
Section titled “Group Discussion (conditional)”Only added when the applicant pool for a drive is large enough to need an extra filter before technical interviews. You get about 5 minutes to prepare before a moderated discussion.
Common questions
- Current-affairs or industry-trend topics (automation, sustainability, electrification)
- Ethics or workplace-culture discussion topics on some campuses
- Structured-thinking prompts scored on articulation and listening, not just talking
Technical Interview
Section titled “Technical Interview”The most distinctive round: a senior ABB engineer works through your resume nearly line by line, questioning design choices and outcomes on every project you list. Some interviewers ask you to name 2-3 domains you’d prefer to go deep on before steering the rest of the conversation there.
Common questions
- Walk through this specific line of your resume - what exactly did you do, and why?
- C++/Java fundamentals, OOP concepts, and basic DBMS/SQL
- Operating systems and computer networking basics
- Core electrical/power-electronics or automation fundamentals (branch-dependent)
- Edge vs. cloud, IoT, or PLC/robotics basics depending on the business unit
Round-by-round breakdowns are on the ABB interview experience page.
HR Interview
Section titled “HR Interview”Evaluates culture fit and communication. Distinctively, some drives close this stage with an unscripted case-study or idea pitch presented to the panel using only chart paper and markers, no slides.
Common questions
- Tell me about yourself and why ABB
- Walk me through a project on your resume - be ready for the interviewer to question almost every line of it
- If asked to pitch an idea to the panel with only a chart paper and markers, how would you structure it?
- ABB is particular about ethics and safety culture - how would you handle a safety-vs-deadline conflict?
Sample answer frameworks for each of these are on the ABB HR interview questions page.
The chart-paper case study and psychometric close
Section titled “The chart-paper case study and psychometric close”On drives that include it, after HR clears you, a final stage layers in a psychometric test (analytical/problem-solving style assessment) ahead of a salary discussion. The chart-paper case study - presenting a business idea or solution on plain paper with markers rather than slides - is a genuine ABB quirk worth practicing for specifically: focus on a clear problem-approach-impact structure rather than visual polish, since you won’t have design tools to lean on.
Frequently asked questions about ABB interviews
Section titled “Frequently asked questions about ABB interviews”What is the ABB interview process for freshers?
ABB’s process typically runs 4-5 rounds: 1. Online Test (about 60 minutes) - verbal, analytical/reasoning, attention-to-detail, and a technical/branch section. 2. Group Discussion (only when the applicant pool is large) - 5 minutes to prepare, then a moderated discussion on a current-affairs or industry topic. 3. Technical Interview (about 60 minutes) - a senior ABB engineer goes through your resume almost line by line, plus core CS/EE/automation fundamentals; candidates are sometimes asked to name 2-3 preferred domains for deep discussion. 4. HR Interview (20-30 minutes) - culture fit, and on some drives a case-study presented on chart paper without slides. 5. A closing psychometric test and salary discussion.
What questions are asked in ABB interviews?
Technical rounds lean heavily on your resume and projects - expect the interviewer to pick apart almost every line, so be ready to explain design choices and outcomes in detail. Beyond that, common topics are C++/Java fundamentals, OOP, DBMS, operating systems, computer networking, and core electrical/automation/power-electronics concepts (ABB is a power and automation technology company), along with domain questions like edge vs. cloud, IoT, and robotics/PLC basics depending on the business unit.
How many rounds are there in the ABB interview?
Most ABB campus drives run an Online Test, an optional Group Discussion (added when there are many applicants), a Technical Interview, an HR Interview, and sometimes a closing psychometric test - typically 4-5 stages in total. Not every drive includes the GD or psychometric stage; it depends on applicant volume and the specific business unit hiring.
How should I prepare for ABB interviews?
Know every project on your resume cold, since ABB interviewers tend to interrogate it line by line. Brush up OOP, DBMS, OS, and networking basics, and if you’re from an electrical/instrumentation background, revisit core power-electronics, automation, and control concepts. For the HR round, be ready to think on your feet - some ABB drives close with an unscripted case-study pitch presented on chart paper rather than slides.
Does ABB hire for both electrical/automation and software roles?
Yes. ABB is a power and automation technology company (electrification, robotics and motion, process automation), so campus hiring spans core electrical/automation engineering roles alongside software roles supporting those product lines. The online test branch-splits its technical section accordingly, and the technical interview probes whichever domain(s) you list as your preference.
What is the ABB chart-paper case-study round?
On some drives, the HR or final round includes an unscripted case study or business-idea pitch that you present to the panel using only a chart paper and markers - no slides. It’s designed to test structured thinking and communication under pressure rather than design skill, so focus on a clear, logical structure (problem, approach, impact) rather than making it visually polished.