Re: Test questions? (off topic)

From: Joe Richards [MVP] (humorexpress_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 05/15/04 

Date: Sat, 15 May 2004 10:42:02 -0400

Honestly if someone asked me questions like this I would probably walk out of
the interview if I didn't feel like shredding the person asking the questions
instead. Most of this stuff is stuff you look up when you need it or is just
plain silly to ask. It would be a sign to me of someone who I am not sure I
would want to work for/with as the emphasis is on the wrong thing.

You should not focus on what someone knows, but what they are capable of
figuring out or doing. The answers to your questions can be memorized and
someone could know them right there which means they might be right for the job
right now, what about a year from now when something new and different hits. On
the flip side, I don't want someone working for/with me that has simply proven
they can memorize stuff, I want them to be able to figure things out or know how
to find answers.

Questions along that line are much harder to come up with and for a lot of them
there are no single right answers. I would ask things along the line of "How
would you tackle a problem like this or that?". Where would you go look for
answers. Do you use network sniffer software? If so, what software? What are
some issues you figured out? What annoys you about exchange? What annoys you
about AD? How do you feel about patch management? Etc. The responses should
give you a feel of the actual knowledge and capability versus what is memorized
from a book or newsgroups. Basically communicate with the people and get a feel
for them. A knowledgeable admin will pick out other knowledgable admins.

I agree that a lot (most) of these questions are too specific. Many admins I
know that have been forced into a position of interviewing people get into a
pissing battle with the applicant to try and show who knows more. That shouldn't
be the goal however if one of my junior admins brought me this list of questions
that is what I would determine it to be. You should be looking for someone with
the capability to handle the position that exists now and what unknown thing it
can evolve into.

On top of that, you would probably get some arguments over what you think the
answers are to your questions though I am sure you feel your answers are all
correct (and could be in your environment) so any argument would be considered
as wrong in your scoring. There were several questions in there that I am sure
our answers wouldn't align. The situations being described should have been
prevented in the first place (IMO) or they are only applicable in small
environments where my experience is with Global Enterprise Systems comprising
tens of thousands of users or hundreds of thousands of users.

If I actually sat through that interview and you let me finish, my questions
back to you would have been about security because from the direction of the
questions I would be very leary of the environment and how secure it was.

Giving specific questions with specific answers like that doesn't work in only
letting good people become MCSE's, why would you think you can come up with
specific questions with specific answers to do so?

The last few people I have worked with would never have gotten the jobs they got
with me had they had to answer a question list I made up like this concerning
our environment. I doubt there is anyone that could have gotten the job, maybe
even me. However the guys in those slots are really good and I am glad they are
there.

    joe 

--
Joe Richards Microsoft MVP Windows Server Directory Services
www.joeware.net
Patrick Rouse [MVP] wrote:
> I'm leaving my current job to go to another company so I'm helping my current boss interview candidates to replace me.  I drafted a 40 question test from scratch covering Active Directory, Exchange Server, Terminal Server, SQL Server & general networking questions that I thought we could use to gauge candidate's skill levels.  My problem is that the first two candidates completely bombed my test (25% or less correct), although they had MCSE, CCNA, Bachelor's Degrees in Information Technology or similar credentials + 4 or more years experience.
> 
> 39 of my 40 questions I made up in my head, without any reference material, so I figured it was a safe bet that experienced administrators would be able to answer a lot of my questions w/o too much difficulty.  Anyone willing to look over my test to tell me if I'm being to difficult, or if the first two candidates just don't know their stuff?
> 
> Here is the list of qualifications we asked for:
> 
> Must have thorough knowledge of Microsoft Server Software and Services (i.e. Exchange, SQL Server, Terminal Server and Active Directory), Windows NT based Client Operating Systems, Network Security, and end user software like Microsoft Office, including Access and other database software. Must have experience performing hardware installation, configuration and repair, i.e. hard drive, RAM or CPU replacement, network cabling, router, switch, firewall, workstation and Server (with RAID Storage Systems) configuration.
> 
> Test questions here:
> http://workthin.com/DOC/NetworkAdministratorTestWithoutAnswers.doc
> 
> Thanks to anyone willing to help me out.  You may email me your response via my website (support request).  I'd also be willing to furnish the answers to anyone who wants them.
> 
> Patrick Rouse
> Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
> http://www.workthin.com
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Test questions? (off topic)
    ... A knowledgeable admin will pick out other knowledgable admins. ... If I actually sat through that interview and you let me finish, ... questions I would be very leary of the environment and how secure it was. ... Joe Richards Microsoft MVP Windows Server Directory Services ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: Test questions? (off topic)
    ... A knowledgeable admin will pick out other knowledgable admins. ... If I actually sat through that interview and you let me finish, ... questions I would be very leary of the environment and how secure it was. ... Joe Richards Microsoft MVP Windows Server Directory Services ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services)
  • Re: Test questions? (off topic)
    ... A knowledgeable admin will pick out other knowledgable admins. ... If I actually sat through that interview and you let me finish, ... questions I would be very leary of the environment and how secure it was. ... Joe Richards Microsoft MVP Windows Server Directory Services ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.group_policy)
  • Re: Test questions? (off topic)
    ... A knowledgeable admin will pick out other knowledgable admins. ... If I actually sat through that interview and you let me finish, ... questions I would be very leary of the environment and how secure it was. ... Joe Richards Microsoft MVP Windows Server Directory Services ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.termserv.apps)
  • Re: Test questions? (off topic)
    ... A knowledgeable admin will pick out other knowledgable admins. ... If I actually sat through that interview and you let me finish, ... questions I would be very leary of the environment and how secure it was. ... Joe Richards Microsoft MVP Windows Server Directory Services ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.networking)