Modern Apprentice Interview Questions Suggestions please.

[MrLudwig]

Hi everyone,

At 16:45 today I was informed by the Principle that I'm sitting on the interview panel at 11:00 tomorrow for a new modern apprentice position being offered.

This came as something of an unwelcome surprise to me, but for reasons that have to remain confidential (I don't know either) the Network Manager is unable to do the interviews, so I was volunteered! I'm the schools ICT Technician, and I don't have any experience of interviewing candidates.

Just to make things that little bit worse, the other two members of the interview panel (an Assistant Principle and a Governor) don't have any IT background or any involvement in the ICT department.

So, I'm after any help and advice on how to handle the situation, and ideally, suitable questions to ask.

Thanks for any help.



MrLudwig

[edie209]

Hi I just interviewed for a modern apprentice last week I decided to keep it simple, just really trying to draw out what they new rather than giving them direct technical questions. After all you want the person who wants to learn not the one that thinks they know it all.

As for questions I asked things like

What is you understanding of a network?
What can you tell me about a server?
How good are you at making coffee? (not really that comes from another post)
Good luck

[MrLudwig]

Thanks edie209, thats really helpful.

[Ric_]

You can always be a b*stard and throw in a question at the end along the lines of "Explain the 7-layer OSI Network Model, giving examples of the processes occuring at each level."

Don't forget the digital camera to capture their expressions!

[GrumbleDook]

Next you will be suggesting they name all of the original IMP guys from BBN.

And people call me a b*stard?

[Ric_]

@Grumbledook: You probably have a minion to think up (and ask) your questions for you... is it still four and a half underlings or has it increased?

[GrumbleDook]

erm ... 5 1/2 now ... actually it will be 6 1/2 this week whilst we have the ovarlap of placement students ...

[ChrisC]

Seiously, the coffee making question is the killer, it can make or break the interview!

Pay attention to the questions asked from the other members of the board, especially personality questions!

you do mentional b*stardism of the 7-layer osi model, but if they've recently done A Level computing (might not be likely for apprentices, dunno), they should actually know most of it!

Chris

[MrLudwig]

Ah, the ISO OSI model... Please Do Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away... I remember it well!

[Dos_Box]

I was taught it the other way aoround.

All
People
Seem
To
Need
Data
Processors

This is the correct top down model <cue argument>

[ChrisC]

indeed:
http://www.novell.com/info/primer/art/prim02.gif

Chris