Welcome, Register for free! or Login below:
EduGeek.net RSS Feeds Register FAQ Members Social Groups User Map Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

General Chat

General Chat forum sponsored by
General Chat Sponsored by LanSchool

From what you think about Billy G to what you think about your favourite beer.

Go Back   EduGeek.net Forums > General > General Chat
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search Thread Language
Sponsored Links
Old 12-06-2007, 11:45 AM   #1
 
jonathan.lees's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Halifax
Posts: 32
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0 jonathan.lees is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Job Interview questions and tasks

Hopefully I'll be interviewing for an IT technician soon. Can anyone share their killer questions to ask such as "What would you do if a backup failed".

Also we have to test their practical skills, they each have 30 mins to complete a set of tasks such as resolve why the printer doesn't print etc. Can anyone share such tasks that will clearly eliminate the bad from the good.

thanks
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2007, 11:58 AM   #2
 
theeggmaster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Posts: 8
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0 theeggmaster is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Job Interview questions and tasks

When I interviewed for a technician a few years ago, I set up a PC with some common faults that would happen in a classroom, such as bent pins in a PS/2 mouse, network cable unplugged, keyboard keys switched around etc, then gave them a few minutes to get the machine logged on and working. Just try and make it a real-world example that you would troubleshoot regularly.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2007, 12:22 PM   #3
 
greenfieldsupport's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Newton Aycliffe, Durham
Posts: 235
Thanks: 10
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Rep Power: 4 greenfieldsupport is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Job Interview questions and tasks

Ask the question " what is DHCP ... "

You'd be suprised at how many have no clue whatsoever...

I agree with theeggmaster, go for a real life situation...
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2007, 12:40 PM   #4
 
acrobson's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Tyne & Wear
Posts: 403
uk
Thanks: 2
Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts
Rep Power: 5 acrobson is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Job Interview questions and tasks

I agree with the eggmaster too, I have 1st hand experiences with his interview techniques!

I would suggest such questions as 'What is the difference between TCP/IP, IPX/SPX and NetBios/NetBeui'.

Also, try changing the keys around on the keyboard and get them to re-arrange them in the correct order, just like what the kids would normally do in a school environment.

I have had a 45 min written exam in one of my interviews as well as a test inc the above scenarios as well as being given a bunch of cables and being asked to tell what the differences are, such as EIA/TIA standards for cat5e etc.

Another one was where there were MS office icons missing from the programs menu and links failed, what would you do etc. They could copy them back from the program files, run a repair from the CD in case their are any underlying issues or depending on time etc, re-ghost the machine with a ghost cast image that from experience only takes 15 mins inc config time.

I hope that’s some food for thought for ya.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2007, 01:03 PM   #5
 
Friez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 782
uk uk england
Thanks: 13
Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts
Rep Power: 11 Friez has a spectacular aura aboutFriez has a spectacular aura about
Default Re: Job Interview questions and tasks

To be fair most of the time you just need to quiz them about obvious things like:

What does HTML stand for?

In your opinion what is the best way to arrange a RAID? (this could get some colourful answers if the interviewee is computer illiterate!).

It'll become blatently obvious who's a computer bod and who's "just after another job innit guv".

Also ask them what they would do if they recieve a screensaver file in an email as an attachment, the clued would understand it's likely to be a virus and therefore eradicate it asap.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2007, 01:40 PM   #6
 
NickJones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Reading, Berkshire
Posts: 1,371
Thanks: 33
Thanked 20 Times in 20 Posts
Rep Power: 12 NickJones has a spectacular aura aboutNickJones has a spectacular aura about
Default Re: Job Interview questions and tasks

Quote:
Originally Posted by Friez
What does HTML stand for?.
Really? I would rather have some who was technically competent, handled themselves well under pressure, could switch quickly between modes, e.g. speaking to children, teachers and Headteacher, and had a good analytical problem-solving mind. Obviously I would be concerned if they didn't know that HTML was the language used on web pages, but I wouldn't mind as much if they couldn't break that, or other, industry-standard acronyms down.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2007, 02:57 PM   #7
 
Scotmk's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 277
Thanks: 1
Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Rep Power: 5 Scotmk will become famous soon enough
Default Re: Job Interview questions and tasks

[quote="NickJones"]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Friez
speaking to children, teachers and Headteacher.
This is just as important as knowing IT (well nearly as important)
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2007, 03:01 PM   #8
 
acrobson's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Tyne & Wear
Posts: 403
uk
Thanks: 2
Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts
Rep Power: 5 acrobson is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Job Interview questions and tasks

[quote="Scotmk"]
Quote:
Originally Posted by NickJones
Quote:
Originally Posted by Friez
speaking to children, teachers and Headteacher.
This is just as important as knowing IT (well nearly as important)
Customer service in general.
  Reply With Quote
Reply

Register now for FREE and post messages!


Username: Password: Confirm Password: E-Mail: Confirm E-Mail:
Birthday:      
Image Verification
  I agree to forum rules 

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Help with interview questions. lill Educational IT Jobs 8 11-12-2007 12:44 PM
Interview questions for st-nicholas school, chppenham, wilts MicrodigitUK Educational IT Jobs 5 30-11-2007 01:50 PM
Seeking advice for tasks jumpinjamez Educational IT Jobs 4 29-06-2007 10:15 AM
Restore scheduled tasks Jobos Windows 1 22-06-2007 12:07 PM
Modern Apprentice Interview Questions Suggestions please. MrLudwig General Chat 10 19-07-2006 07:40 AM



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search Thread
Search Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On
Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:41 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.2.0 ©2008, Crawlability, Inc.
Copyright EduGeek.net