1

What are the common questions asked during an interview for an IT job (mainly for a system admin position)?

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2

I like to give the interviewees a technical quiz. I ask about their problem solving methodology, and some difficult challenges they have encountered. You might be asked how you have handled a difficult disagreement with a colleague or manager.

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  1. How do you handle stress?
  2. What do you do to manage time?
  3. How do you approach troubleshooting?
  4. What kind of technology are you using at home? Do you have a home lab?
  5. Short technical quiz, not super hard questions but easy stuff. Just enough to gauge the approach they described earlier and so you can observe their stress handling.
  6. Do you like to learn and regularly re-train?
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4

Tell me why you think you’re a good fit for this job?

What sort of situations frustrate you?

Why types of users drive you crazy?

What’s the worst software you’ve worked with?

What’s your first go-to when you don’t know the answer to something?

What’s more important: showing up on time or doing a good job?

What do you think an acceptable number of sick days used in a year is?

What’s your favorite holiday? Why?

What’s more important: getting something done or doing something the correct way?

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5

Technically, I just ask simple questions.

Name a router/switch configuration command and tell me what it does.

Name a Windows command line command and tell me what it does.

Name the typical roles for a Windows server in a domain environment and give a brief explanation of what their functions are.

What are the different RAID levels and describe their configuration.

What are the components of a typical network and what are their major functions?

What are the different types of backup strategies and describe them.

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6

For me, I’d want to ask a mix of technical questions based on stuff they state in their resume and based on the position. General ones I’d ask:

  • What are the differences between RAID5 and RAID10?
  • What is the difference between BCP and DR?
  • Static IP or DHCP or mixed and why?
  • What technical portions of the job position attract you the most? The least?
  • Come up with a generic technical problem and have them troubleshoot it verbally to see how their logic works.
  • Then come up with a list of questions in regards to the specifics of the position (Windows, Linux, etc.)
7

It’s funny. Most of my interviews don’t involve any technical questions and are mainly personality and corporate fit concerned questions. I’ve had exactly one involve semi-technical questions, and those were high level - like best practices when setting up firewalls, security practices, or a overview of PowerShell and what it could do.

If someone asked me a set of purely technical questions, I’d have to Google for answers.

I mean - based on what’s been posted above me…

I couldn’t name a router/switch config command. First Windows command that comes to mind is ipconfig, but that’s a minor-league command. Windows server roles are pretty easy to run through. I don’t have every RAID memorized and keep getting confused on RAID 1 vs. RAID 0 (which is mirror and which is stripe?), but I know the difference between RAID 5 and 10. Network components are fairly easy to riff off, as are backup strategies (though I may not know them all). I don’t even know what BCP and DR are, unless DR is Disaster Recovery. Static/DHCP is an easy one…

I personally look for folks who can find answers easily, too, and not just pure technical skills.

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8

Tell me 5 things about yourself that aren’t on your resume?

What do you do you in your free time?

Describe a perfect day at work?

What are your IT related weak spots? Strengths?

How do you migrate a server from P to V?

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