senior engineer

engineer

electrical engineer

laborer

senior developer

Omaha Public Power District

Again, I made this job interview prep while volunteering at the VA	

Interview Team:
For most jobs you will be interviewed by the supervisor for that position.  Large companies you will likely have the supervisor and an HR representative present.

If you are interviewing for a supervisor position you will likely interview with the manager for that division and an HR representative.

If you are interviewing for a management position you will likely interview with the director or Vice President for that division along with an HR representative.

•	Questions you are likely to be asked
This depends a lot on the level of the job you are interviewing for and if there is an HR representative present.  You will typically be notified on who will be involved in your interview when you get the call to schedule it.

Prepare for a mixture of technical questions about the position you are interviewing for and HR type questions.  One thing to consider is that for the higher positions (supervisor/manager) the questions will typically be less technical and more “What would you do in this situation” type questions.  

What would you do to resolve conflict between two employees, how would you address tardiness, how would you handle habitual violations by one of your subordinates, are some examples.  
The following are common HR questions that are used in just about any interview, regardless of the position, and top answers for each.

1.	What did you like about your last job, what did you not like?

Here is where you want to say that you enjoyed working with others (your old coworkers), But the job didn’t challenge you enough, or you felt you could offer more to the company if given more responsibilities.

DO NOT degrade your former boss, coworkers, or the job itself.  

2.	Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

DO NOT say that you want the job of the person who is interviewing you.  It’s ok to be somewhat vague here.  Answers like this work very well:

By then I will have gained a very thorough understanding of my position and the company overall and hope to have been promoted accordingly in line with my performance.

3.	What is your best quality and what is your worst quality?

You know your own best qualities, I would advise you to pick one that deals with job performance.  Good examples are, multitasker, photographic memory, great communication skills, an energetic self-starter, highly motivated, loyal, etc.

The worst quality part is a tricky one.  The idea here is to somehow turn it into something positive.  My go to answer for this one has always impressed the HR rep.  “I have high anxiety which can cause me stress, but it also causes me to relentlessly prepare and plan for situations and always meet deadlines on time.”

4.	Describe how you work with others?

Regardless of your feelings about coworkers you want to explain that you have no issues when it comes to working with others.

Good answers here are:
I am friendly, I have no trouble getting along with others, I appreciate feedback (positive and negative), I like to learn my coworkers’ strengths to utilize their support, I have no problem helping others, I am team oriented, etc.

5.	How would you handle a conflict between you and another coworker, or conflict between two other coworkers?

Start by addressing the fact that you recognize conflict between coworkers is bad for morale and production.  Then go one with something like:

I would try to find common ground with my coworker(s) and solve the problem in an assertive manner.  

It’s not a bad idea to add that you understand sometimes people are just having a bad day and you don’t want to make issues worse by confronting them.

My experience working at OPPD was nothing short of a nightmare. From the very beginning, it was clear that safety was not a priority. The equipment was outdated and poorly maintained, with little regard for the potential hazards posed to employees. Regular safety protocols were often overlooked or rushed, leaving workers to navigate dangerous conditions without the proper training or resources. I witnessed several near-misses that could have resulted in severe injuries, yet management seemed indifferent, prioritizing production over the well-being of their staff.

The toxic work culture at the plant was equally alarming. There was a pervasive atmosphere of fear and mistrust among employees, fueled by the constant pressure to meet unrealistic deadlines. Instead of fostering teamwork and collaboration, leadership encouraged cutthroat competition, which only served to exacerbate feelings of isolation and stress. Gossip and backstabbing were rampant, and any attempts to speak up about concerns were met with hostility or, worse, retaliation. This environment not only hindered job satisfaction but also made it difficult for employees to feel safe or valued in their roles.

Adding insult to injury, the issue of forced overtime was a constant source of frustration. While it was never disclosed during the hiring process, workers quickly learned that your days off would never be guaranteed. Many of us found ourselves working weeks straight without proper compensation or an explanation for the sudden increase in workload. This lack of transparency and respect for personal time created a sense of burnout that was palpable among the staff. Overall, my time at OPPD was marked by unsafe conditions, a toxic work culture, and a complete lack of leadership, making it an experience I would not wish on anyone.

I have had several jobs for OPPD, starting out as a trainee, then as a shift worker, and now as a instrument and quality control chemist.  Shift work required 12hr coverage, nights and weekends, but for 6 years I have had a normal 7-330 work schedule.  Typical work for me includes instrument development, troubleshooting, and maintenance.  Additionally, I run the QA/QC program to ensure proper operation of lab equipment.  

My direct supervision and management team is great.  I disagree with their decisions at times, but they listen to my concerns and then attempt to explain the reasoning behind their decisions.  I still might not agree but at least I understand what they were thinking and what other pressures they may be under.

The best part of OPPD are my co-workers.  They are very smart but also great to work with and fun to be around.  We eat lunch together every day and get together for outings several times a year outside of work.  

The hardest part of the job are the long hours needed when unexpected equipment failure occurs.  Sometimes it may only be one day, but at times it can be weeks with working 60+ hours a week and it might include nights and weekends.

The most enjoyable part of my job is instrument development.  Every lab needs to utilize instruments in a unique and special way that the manufacturer can't account for.  Therefor, when an instrument is working with our specific matrix and requirements it is very satisfying knowing that I set that instrument up and it is working properly.

Days here were never really typical.  Work varied from simple document changes to full modification packages.  My time here was during a refueling outage (nuclear power plant).  This was not a typical outage as there were a few events that complicated things.  

I learned quite a bit about the nuclear power industry and how it all works to create electricity.  

The hardest part about my time there was the work hours and days plus the seemingly endless amount of priority work that would come up.  From my personal experience communication wasn't the best between management and employees.  Even though you may be working on the same project it seemed that there was still too much individual work to feel like team work.  

It was a very interesting place.  A lot of people will never get to see what you can see here.  Although this wasn't the place for me, the work was varied and there was opportunity to learn across departments.

Not a bad place to work at all, but I just came in at a difficult time in the power plants history.  My experience is unique and not typical.

Provides customers with information on a variety of topics including: energy usage, outages and service restoration, billing and rates, account security, payment plans and options, customers self-serve offerings, OPPD’s product and service offerings, and other customer service and energy related topics. Initiates a large variety of customer service related transactions including: start, stop, or transfer service requests, billing adjustments, payments, payment arrangements, outage requests, and other customer service related transactions. Maintains knowledge of the systems that support Customer Care Services and keeps the systems updated with complete and accurate customer billing and contact information. Follows the procedures and policies established for the department. Conducts interactions with customers in a friendly and professional approach. Performs work in an efficient and effective manner. Markets products and services offered by the District. Responds to emergency call-outs for service outage support. Performs other duties as assigned by a supervisor or manager.

OPPD pretends to care for their employees, for the environment, for their customers, but it's entirely talk. Unless you're one of Management's favorites, don't expect to build a career here. 

I can not recommend working for OPPD. Yes, the pay and benefits are great, but there's more that goes into making a workplace a best place to work. Example: OPPD is closing Fort Calhoun Station. Rather than just letting them finish their time with dignity, OPPD forces them to have potlucks and charity drives so they can score higher on their Best Places To Work survey, all while refusing to provide the tools necessary to do their jobs, such as updated computers or even regularly-stocked vending machines. 

The President of the company takes great pride in his periodic Town Hall meetings, where he reads his PowerPoint presentation, answers questions, but never makes time to seek input from work groups, nor does he encourage other managers to do it.

I believe that, if OPPD continues being managed as it is, it will eventually terminate many employees in the areas of production, which is another reason that I would not recommend it as a place to work for others.

Typical work days consists of being over worked and under staffed starting at 0630hrs and not ending until 1845hrs. 

Finding time to use a restroom is rough as relief is slow and almost nonexistent - people carry bottles and other means. 

Hardest part about the job is there is no life once you commit to this job, you are there what feels like 6 days a week 13 hours a day and they expect you to put them before family or anyone else. 

Hardest part of this job, is dealing with the consistent policy and procedure changes while not being notified of them or updated on them. Following a consistent pattern from one crew to the next is never going to happen because there is no communication. 

The most enjoyable part about this job is the pay and benefits. - nothing else.

OPPD has a strong company culture in having a passion to serve, honoring the community, and caring about each other - this truly shines every day - we are a relationship and family oriented organization who cares about our customers and the utility we provide.

OPPD is going through some organizational changes to move the company forward and advance in our industry. Management is amazing in providing support and direction across the company. 

OPPD participates in several volunteer events and partners in donating to charities - each employee is encouraged to participate, and is supported at all levels of the organization. OPPD also offers great benefits to support a great total reward for its employees.

originally I got hired to be one of the three summer interns. I loved it so much and so I asked to come back during my college break in the winter, to my surprise management said yes. I have truly loved working here and if I can get hired on it would be a wonderful career opportunity for me. The people are great and willing to teach, the work days vary from day to day so its not the same thing every single day, and you are guaranteed 40 hours a week no matter what.

A day at work would be Reviewing and assigning work
Taking phone calls/solving some problems and discussing others with my supervisor
Answering the questions for Team workers
Writing procedures and Training
Attending Meetings
Taking a break or lunch and taking a short walk
The hardest part of my job was not having enough hours to complete all the tasks that may come to you
The most enjoyable part of my job was helping people and the great feeling of accomplishment each day

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Senior engineer 6 salaries reported	$123,182 per year
Engineer 9 salaries reported	$104,818 per year
Electrical engineer 1 salary reported	$97,143 per year
Laborer 1 salary reported	$26.92 per hour
Senior developer 7 salaries reported	$111,703 per year

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