IT Job Interview Question

Entry-Level and Help Desk Positions

These questions are mostly for Help Desk positions but I wouldn’t be surprised if an entry-level candidate was asked any one of these questions. If you don’t know the answer, find it, memorize it and then practice explaining it in your own words.

• • Describe Active Directory?
  • Describe TCP/IP and what does it stand for?
  • Describe default gateway?
  • Describe DHCP stand for?
  • Describe an IP Address?
  • Describe the difference between a hub and a switch?
  • Describe a network?
  • Explain the significance of the IP address 255.255.255.255?
  • Tell me the 3 major classes of an IP network?
  • What is a Class D IP address?
  • Describe OSPF?
  • If a user is complaining of delays when using the network. What would you do?

Network Administrator Positions

Some of these questions may also be included in the previous category for Help Desk Technician positions. In either case, they’re worth preparing for.

• • Differentiate between layer 2 and layer 3 in the OSI model?
  • Differentiate between a hub, switch, and router?
  • Describe VLAN?
  • Differentiate between TCP and UDP?
  • How do you distinguish a DNS problem from a network problem?
  • Explain runt, Giant, and collision?
  • Describe broadcast storm?
  • Describe the purpose of VRRP?
  • Explain VPN?
  • What d you know about default route?
  • How do you set a default route on an IOS Cisco router?
  • Define metric?
  • Explain MAC address?
  • Explain ARP/RARP?
  • What is TCP connection sequence.
  • Describe MTU?
  • Which another TCP setting can you modify besides MTU to shorten packets?

System Administration Position

Here are a few more questions that are a little bit more difficult. System Admins should know all these answers by heart in addition to the Network Administrator questions.

• • Differentiate between layer 2 and layer 3 devices?
  • Describe subnet for a class C network?
  • Have you configured a NIS server/client before? If so, describe what you did.
  • Have your configured a NFS server?
  • Explain RAID 1 and RAID 5?
  • What are the required components of Windows Server 2003 for installing Exchange 2003?
  • What must be done to an AD forest before Exchange can be deployed?
  • Which Exchange process is responsible for communication with AD?
  • Which type of connector would you use to connect to the Internet, and what are the two methods of sending mail over that connector?
  • How would you optimize Exchange 2003 memory usage on Windows Server 2003 with more than 1Gb of memory?
  • Tell me the standard port numbers for SMTP, POP3, IMAP4, RPC, LDAP and Global Catalog?
  • Name the process names for the following: System Attendant, Information Store, SMTP/POP/IMAP/OWA.
  • How many amount of databases that can be hosted on Exchange 2003 Enterprise?
  • Tell me the disadvantages of circular logging?
  • Describe Active Directory schema?
  • Explain the domain functional levels in Windows Server 2003?
  • Describe the default domain functional level in Windows Server 2003?
  • Explain the forest functional levels in Windows Server 2003?
  • Describe global catalog server?
  • How can we raise domain functional and forest functional levels in Windows Server 2003?
  • Explain the default protocol used in directory services?
  • Describe IPv6?
  • Explain the physical & logical components of ADS?
  • In which domain functional level, we can rename a domain name?
  • Describe multimaster replication?
  • Describe a site?
  • Which command used to remove active directory from a domain controller?
  • Name the file that’s responsible for keeping all Active Directory databases?

General HR Questions

These general questions can be the toughest ones to get through. They might sound easy, but they require a lot of thought and preparation. I would suggest writing down your answers first, then reading them over a few times so that you’re comfortable in answering them.

Some of these questions are very tricky and can get you in trouble. So if you run into problems finding a good answer, check out these 64 Interview Questions for some help.

• Tell me little bit about yourself.
• Tell me about your greatest strengths?
• Tell me about your greatest weaknesses?
• What do you like about your current job or what did you like about your last job?
• How do you handled a stressful situation.
• Tell us toughest problems you had to face, and how did you deal with it?
• Why Should we offer this position to you?
• How Do you think you are the best person for this job? If so, why?
• Why did you apply for this position?
• Why did you apply for a position with our company and what do you know about us?
• Why should we hire you?
• Tell us about your short and long term dreams?
• Where do you see yourself five years from now?
• what does customer service mean to you?
• What a team player mean to you?
• How you handled a conflict with another employee?
• Tell us about your salary expectations?
• What would you consider your most important accomplishment?
• Define success?
• At your last Stage, what improvements did your manager suggest you make?
• What would your coworkers have thinking about you?

We compiled a list of the top questions you might be asked when going through a job interview. These questions and answers will have you be prepared for any job interview.