Thread: Interview Tips for IT folks

This isn't an article, but more real world observations from the hiring side of things.

I manage nine network engineers directly, and work within a team of 40 engineers, Tier IV IT support for the military. Over the past year I have taken on the the role of technical screener/interviewer for people being hired.

Here are some things that sink people time after time when interviewing.

* If you cannot discuss or answer questions on the subject, take it off your resume.
When I interview people, I usually am pulled away from my job. I don't have a long time to digest and pour through resumes. I read through experience listed and look for what people advertise on their resume. When I see specific skills mentioned, It draws attention to the subject. If you cannot go into details on a skill, it is going to show. The analogy I frequently use is that when people claim they know how to swim, the first place we are going to visit is the pool.

* If you do not know the answer to a question, admit it. Do not try to improvise on technical subjects.
When people are asked questions that they do not know and try to answer anyways with something other than knowledge, it is a huge mark against them. The interviewer may not make a huge issue out it, but you just struck out. I would rather see someone tell me flat out, I do not know the answer to that because I haven't worked with it up to this point. In most cases, a serious interview is going to consist of someone who knows the answers to the questions they are going to ask and wont be fooled.

* Try to focus on what you have been doing within the past year or two.
I rarely pay any attention to the information about the jobs you held beyond the past 6 years. Technology moves quickly, and (at least in my case) people understand that skills go stale after you have been busy doing other things. If you can find a way to steer the interview in the direction of what you are freshly familiar with, you will be better off. One of the most successful people I have interviewed to date stopped me and flatly said " I may not be able to answer all the questions on technologies you are interested in, because I don't work here yet. Could I give you a chance to see what I know about where I currently work?" He then whiteboarded the overview of his current network, and it showed that he knew his job in a different environment.

* Try to avoid power phrases and jargon. Be real.
Some phrases that make me laugh when I hear them.
I am a team player (sorry TTP)
I think outside the box
My biggest weakness is that I work too hard

A couple of questions to break the ice and probe familiarity:

Binary - What does a 32 bit IP address mean in your own words

CIDR - Explain to me what 192.168.101.128/25 means. How many networks, and how many hosts.

DHCP - Describe the service path of a DHCP request. What is a DHCP relay agent, or helper address and why is it necessary.

DNS - Name a few of the different types of DNS records and describe their function. Name a few of the different zone types and describe their differences.

TCP/IP - Describe the difference between TCP and UDP.

NAT - Describe Network Address Translation and how it works.

What is the difference between layer 2 and layer 3 of the OSI model.

What protocol does "ping" use.

Explain the difference between Forests, domains, and OUs in Active Directory.

Can you publish software using Group Policy

What are the three scopes and two types of groups in an Exchange enabled Active directory environment. What are the differences.

White has a point. I would also like to note here, as I go about my job search for the day:

If y'all hate hearing the "I am a team player" phrase trotted out so much? STOP PUTTING IT AS A REQUIREMENT IN YOUR JOB ADS.

My god, I could make a living (if anyone could see the need) writing job advertisements that didn't sound boring, dreary, and same-shit-different-day.

There, that feels better. I demand a drink with dinner from the house wench... oh wait, that's me.

He says I have to get him an apron if he's going to be my house wench.

...does TTP have an apron in the Cafepress store? They so do!

Bumped to include some of the questions I usually start with.

Originally Posted by Muqtar SGT_Clintok

This isn't an article, but more real world observations from the hiring side of things.

I manage nine network engineers directly, and work within a team of 40 engineers, Tier IV IT support for the military. Over the past year I have taken on the the role of technical screener/interviewer for people being hired.

Here are some things that sink people time after time when interviewing.

* If you cannot discuss or answer questions on the subject, take it off your resume.
When I interview people, I usually am pulled away from my job. I don't have a long time to digest and pour through resumes. I read through experience listed and look for what people advertise on their resume. When I see specific skills mentioned, It draws attention to the subject. If you cannot go into details on a skill, it is going to show. The analogy I frequently use is that when people claim they know how to swim, the first place we are going to visit is the pool.

* If you do not know the answer to a question, admit it. Do not try to improvise on technical subjects.
When people are asked questions that they do not know and try to answer anyways with something other than knowledge, it is a huge mark against them. The interviewer may not make a huge issue out it, but you just struck out. I would rather see someone tell me flat out, I do not know the answer to that because I haven't worked with it up to this point. In most cases, a serious interview is going to consist of someone who knows the answers to the questions they are going to ask and wont be fooled.

* Try to focus on what you have been doing within the past year or two.
I rarely pay any attention to the information about the jobs you held beyond the past 6 years. Technology moves quickly, and (at least in my case) people understand that skills go stale after you have been busy doing other things. If you can find a way to steer the interview in the direction of what you are freshly familiar with, you will be better off. One of the most successful people I have interviewed to date stopped me and flatly said " I may not be able to answer all the questions on technologies you are interested in, because I don't work here yet. Could I give you a chance to see what I know about where I currently work?" He then whiteboarded the overview of his current network, and it showed that he knew his job in a different environment.

* Try to avoid power phrases and jargon. Be real.
Some phrases that make me laugh when I hear them.
I am a team player (sorry TTP)
I think outside the box
My biggest weakness is that I work too hard

A couple of questions to break the ice and probe familiarity:

Binary - What does a 32 bit IP address mean in your own words

CIDR - Explain to me what 192.168.101.128/25 means. How many networks, and how many hosts.

DHCP - Describe the service path of a DHCP request. What is a DHCP relay agent, or helper address and why is it necessary.

DNS - Name a few of the different types of DNS records and describe their function. Name a few of the different zone types and describe their differences.

TCP/IP - Describe the difference between TCP and UDP.

NAT - Describe Network Address Translation and how it works.

What is the difference between layer 2 and layer 3 of the OSI model.

What protocol does "ping" use.

Explain the difference between Forests, domains, and OUs in Active Directory.

Can you publish software using Group Policy

What are the three scopes and two types of groups in an Exchange enabled Active directory environment. What are the differences.

A little off topic but related, Im a CCNA/CCDA (Design came with the firehose class) and Im in the middle of doing my CCSA. Ive been a Systems Engineer for the last 6 years but Im working to focus on networking now. A coworker and I were talking and Im planning on going CCSP, he thinks CCNP is a better track to get jobs with. I think security is only becoming a bigger and bigger market and would be sought more. The argument is CCNP prepares you better for working with routers, and CCSP will leave you lacking in some core skills. What do you think?

Side question, are you at Gordon? Im at Hood (CTSF), havent heard of a tier IV support in the army. We get our configs that support the ABCS networks from the CFNWG, curious if youre part of that in some fashion or are you part of the DOIM?

I'm at the Pentagon. HQDA.

I work for the DOIM.

Tier I - Call center
Tier II - Desktop support
Tier III - Network administration and maintenance
Tier IV - Network Engineers (wall plate out).

Answer your question on that?

On the other question, I am not really equipped to give a relevant answer. As stated above, we maintain from the wall plate forward. So there aren't any 'true' network engineers on board in terms of network infrastructure. In reality, we need people who understand the transition between the application and the network it travels across. That was my job for two years, working with customers, being the interface between the DBA (for instance) and the team that had modify access to ACLS. I can write ACLs, understand TCP captures (such as Schnoz) and use that to determine why something isnt' working. I have never configured a router or VPN concentrator as we dont control those devices. Most of the guys who do control those devices dont understand VM, Active Directory, Exchange, and so on, I implement and maintain those technologies on a daily basis.

Proficient with many technologies. A master at none.

The supervisory role has slowed my advances in technical knowledge, but its the path I have decided to take.