ICT Technician Technical Test

[nathan]

Hi All,

 

I have to help out with interviews for an ICT Technician but they want me to stay in the interviews whilst the applicants go away to do a technical test. There won't be anyone technical with them to reset the tests.

 

I only want to test pretty basic stuff as it's a junior position and i'm more concerned with their personality than technical skills (The latter can be taught). I need to think of some technical issues that can be fixed and when the pc is restarted it's ready for the next one. The applicants would write down what they did to resolve the issue.

 

So far all i can think of is adding the proxy settings (i'll give them the address info etc).

 

I'l like to stay away from local policies etc as this could be a bit advanced for them.

Edited June 19, 2014 by nathan

[JHLEHS]

How about setting up a small wireless network using a router or configure three PCs with a switch giving them a specified IP address?

 

• How about disabling the NIC and give them a question like "This PC cannot get a IP address, and see there troubleshooting steps?"
  
• Installing a printer and sharing?
  
• Installing graphics drivers?
  
• Replacing a faulty HDD?
  
• Configuring BIOS to boot from NIC or CD
  
• PC wont boot
  

Edited June 19, 2014 by JHLEHS

[mac_shinobi]

How about setting up a small wireless network using a router or configure three PCs with a switch giving them a specified IP address?

 

• How about disabling the NIC and give them a question like "This PC cannot get a IP address, and see there troubleshooting steps?"
  
• Installing a printer and sharing?
  
• Installing graphics drivers?
  
• Replacing a faulty HDD?
  
• Configuring BIOS to boot from NIC or CD
  
• PC wont boot
  

 

As per your original question it depends what they are going to be required to do in the actual job, if it will involve getting pc's repaired or connected back to the network, resetting AD passwords , printer issues etc then I would try and come up with a number of common faults and see if they can resolve those so

 

1) Network cable not fully inserted so it looks like the network cable is in the pc but it won't get a network connection as the network cable needs pushing in all the way

2) Enabling the network card / updating or installing the relevant network card driver ( provide the driver in a folder on the root of C )

3) As JHLEHS's suggestions ref other drivers, pc won't boot so maybe needs to ensure it is trying to boot from the hard drive and not another device ie usb storage device etc

4) PC Won't boot so maybe no RAM Installed which should give the relevant error or beep codes ( depending on motherboard )

5) Can't print so installing the printer whether form a print server or manually installing the printer as a local printer using tcp/ip

 

Again as I mentioned above with regards to depends on what there daily tasks would generally include / entail

[nathan]

It needs to be so that it can reset with just a reboot as i or anyone else won't be there to reset it for the next applicant.

[nathan]

Had another thought, i'll use Reboot Restore RX (Similar to Deep Freeze) so when the PC is rebooted it restores back to the original state. Need to test to see how long it takes etc for this to happen.

 

I can then do simple things such as disable the nic card in device manager. Enter a proxy setting etc

[pantscat]

How about a VM with nonpersistent disks?

[Quackers]

We just got some old netbooks from the store room , fresh installed Windows XP on them , then removed the hard disk, ram.

 

We then asked them to put it back together , connect it to the WiFi, manually configure the IP details to the static address we specify on the sheet, then download the display drivers and install them.

 

Used this in 2 interviews and on both occasions more than half did not know how to manually specify an IP address, i was gob smacked. They would be going to Internet Explorer, Internet Options everywhere but the network control panel.

[jonnykewell1]

would a Junior even know what proxy settings are and why they are used? I don't think i'd of known before I started working in schools. Rather than static addresses leave it to dhcp and and ask if he can demonstrate how to find out the ip address information for the machine.

[mac_shinobi]

would a Junior even know what proxy settings are and why they are used? I don't think i'd of known before I started working in schools. Rather than static addresses leave it to dhcp and and ask if he can demonstrate how to find out the ip address information for the machine.

 

Or the opposite so that the IPv4 TCP/IP Settings are set to a static ip address on the wrong subnet mask etc and the issue being that no one can logon to the pc with the error message of can't find / communicate with the domain controller etc and just needs these settings putting back to DHCP instead of a static ip address etc.

 

All the tech would need was logon details ( an account whether local admin or similar so he / she could update / change the NIC settings )

 

Presume you would only do this for Version 4 of TCP/IP Settings unless you use version 6 ??

 

Something like so ( at least on windows 7 )

 

INNET - Setting the TCP / IP protocol in Windows 7 and 8 - ethernet adapter

Edited June 19, 2014 by mac_shinobi

[Garacesh]

External physical issues:

PS/2 peripherals in the wrong slot.

Speakers plugged into microphone port

Network cable not inserted fully.

O/I rocker switch on the PSU set to O

Video output wired onto motherboard instead of GPU

USB peripheral plugged into the network port

 

Internal physical issues:

HDD power or data leads unplugged

F-panel not wired in*

Memory not seated properly

CPU fan unplugged

 

Networking issues:

Invalid IP address (10.113.*.*, for example)

Incorrect subnet mask

Proxy not set

 

Other issues:

Boot device priority set wrong

Other bootable media present

Laptop battery dead

Laptop mouse disabled

Screen set to extended instead of mirrored

 

Just some ideas off the top of my head. I'd personally go for 2 external, 1 internal, 1 networking and 1 other issue. Nothing too complex, but still checks their base knowledge. Not too difficult to setup/revert, but might not be feasible in your situation.

Don't forget to ask the important CP question, though! "You find porn in a kid's user area. Wat do?"

 

* I'd advise this only if it's a machine with 'fixed' f-panel plugs, rather than one with individual power, LED, etc

[hallb15]

What if the applicants are already EduGeek users - you've just given the game away!

They should ace the technical test though...

[Duckstein]

the basic tech task we have is a CD of cover work that needs to be put on to the network, in a specific folder, in a specific location, with a specific name. We unplug the CD drive ever so slightly so that there is power to the drive, but it isn't being read by the PC. Ultimately, they have to diagnose, identify and fix the fault, and then ensure that they copy the data to the right place.

 

It sounds simple, but it shows us their quick thinking, safe working practice, ability to fix issues, as well as their ability to follow instructions and navigate network locations.

 

It also must not be as simple as we think as we have had people try and open the PC whilst it is still running, catch their ties in the fans and some who just don't know what they're doing!!

[nathan]

What if the applicants are already EduGeek users - you've just given the game away!

They should ace the technical test though...

 

Then there half way to getting the job! Knowing where to find folks with knowledge is important!

[SovietRussia]

Subnet masks would be good, even if its just one number off it aint workin'