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A nice simple test that I like to give as a first-wave elimination: Have a computer setup and running (all properly configured). Pull the network cable out of
by B5geek 12y ago
A nice simple test that I like to give as a first-wave elimination:
Have a computer setup and running (all properly configured). Pull the network cable out of the jack a little bit (so it looks like it's plugged in but isn't).
Ask the person being interviewed to show me an IP being used by microsoft or google. (so ping/dig/nslookup/etc)
Let the person know that (a) the computer is in working condition (i.e. no drivers are missing) (b) the network works (i.e cables are good, switch is good, DHCP is enabled, etc.)
(c) tell them that this is a test to determine their troubleshooting skills
It is always disappointing to see how few ever open a term/cmd window (depending on the OS). 90% of participants just try to open a web-browser and type in "what is the IP address of google"
- icebraining 12y agoIf I answer without touching the computer, do I pass? :) Google DNS comes in handy!
- walshemj 12y agoI know even with my poor short term memory 8.8.8.8 is memorable
- chris_mahan 12y agoWhat if they just tell you, because they've memorized the IP address of Google? You hire on the spot then?
- MAGZine 12y ago8.8.8.8 Job please 8-)
- ryanburk 12y agoI would say no! google's DNS address is not its IP address :-)
- cmdrfred 12y agohttp://8.8.8.8 http://8.8.8.8 just times out. Why not point it to http://www.google.com http://www.google.com or just serve a little javascript redirect or something? Sloppy work Google.
- sophacles 12y agoThe question was "show me an IP being used by microsoft or google" If you are asserting that google is not using the IP of it's public facing DNS service, this company is full of horrible tech people, so nevermind: I don't want the job.
- manifesto 12y agoI believe that's the IP address of Google Public DNS, not Google.com per se.
- jibberia 12y ago8.8.8.8
- icelancer 12y ago>Let the person know that (a) the computer is in working condition (i.e. no drivers are missing) (b) the network works (i.e cables are good, switch is good, DHCP is enabled, etc.) So you lie to them? I don't understand what the point of this test is. My first inclination is to open up a term and ping google but I would be pretty annoyed that your "first-wave" test involved actively lying to a candidate.
- martin1975 12y ago>So you lie to them? He's lying to the same extent as the office employee whose internet connection ceased to work while everything looked plugged in/working as far as the computer is concerned... at which point the BOFH comes over to debug the situation, unplugs your rj45 from the socket, plugs his laptop's in and now his laptop has a blazing fast internet connection... He then plugs your ethernet connector back into the wall, firmly this time, and now you have internet too even though you were allegedly plugged in, 'freshly rebooted', etc. Diagnosis: the janitor yanked the cable hard enough to dislodge it but not to unplug it and didn't even know he/she did that.
- lmkg 12y agoIf this is a user-facing tech-support position, then it is a hard job requirement that the candidate be able to handle being lied to by the user. I don't care what they say, they didn't check the cable, they didn't reboot, and they most certainly didn't not do anything that might have caused the problem.
- lazylizard 12y agoyeah! screenshots and logs or it didn't happen!
- icelancer 12y ago>If this is a user-facing tech-support position, then it is a hard job requirement that the candidate be able to handle being lied to by the user. Yes, I agree. Are we supposed to also assume that our bosses and interviewers lie to us, too? At no point does he say that he is emulating a user that needs support help.
- javajosh 12y agoThen...they pull out there smart phone and look it up. Moral: just because someone gives you a computer to use doesn't mean you should use it.
- sauere 12y ago> 90% of participants just try to open a web-browser and type in "what is the IP address of google" Oh god.
- cmdrfred 12y agoI don't know why this is downvoted. This is Hacker News, a hacker always uses the least amount of effort (the least number of lines of code for example) to achieve his goal. Windows key + R / "cmd" / Return / "nslookup google.com" then when that fails, "ping 8.8.8.8" and when that fails, "Ipconfig /ALL", then ask "Do you use Dhcp or are ip's assigned?" as I reboot the computer and check the physical connections at the same time. *I stand corrected.
- malka 12y agoAgreed. A good hacker is a lazy hacker.
- dylz 12y agoSo let's make it shorter: "ping goo.gl" http://74.125.239.9 http://74.125.239.9
- lunixbochs 12y agoLeast effort? win+R, ping -t google.com, return
- jschwartzi 12y agodig @8.8.8.8 www.google.com
- onion2k 12y agoDoesn't giving someone a non-working computer that you tell them is working make you look like you haven't bothered to test it? As a candidate that'd be a warning that I'd be working with lazy idiots. You should always remember that hiring is as much about persuading the best person to say yes to a job offer as it is about weeding out the bad people.