Test questions? (off topic)

[Joe Richards [MVP]]

Agreed WINS requirement is dependent on environment which is one of the issues
mentioned with the poster's questions. The questions were specific to that
environment and not to the requirements of the products themselves irregardless
of environment. Someone who had worked only in very large environments would
almost certainly mention WINS as a requirement but I doubt the would be
considered and the question would be simply marked wrong.

I have worked in environments where either WINS or managing hundreds of lmhost
files was required. It would actually fail without one or the other. My
experience though is in hundred thousand plus seat deployments.

 

[Andy Cadley]

Hey! That's where I work! Are you spying on me or something? That's why I
never get really good at any one thing, because I have to spead myself
across these boundaries and be good enough to "poke and eye out" with about
everything, yet am never able to be an "expert" in anything. The brain
cells get thinner the futher you have to spread 'em.

Heh, me too. Fortunately I only have to be an expert in 98, NT4, 2000, XP,
Active Directory and Mac OS (classic and X). Web development and
Linux/Solaris stuff goes elsewhere. University budgets tend not to stretch
too far (make the students pay more I say! ;-)

Alright! I demand a raise!........again......

Time to 'accidently' forward this to the boss?

AndyC

 

[Guest]

Thanks to everyone who participated in my questionaire. So I take it my aspirations of writing tests are shot to h&ll The bottom line is I did the best I could in a short period of time to come up with something we could use to distinguish two otherwise equally qualified candidates.

Thanks again for remarks, positive & negative, as most of them were useful and exactly what I was looking for.

If anyone is interested "my" answers are now posted here
http://www.workthin.com/DOC/NetworkAdministratorTestWithAnswers.do

On a side note, I never flame people posting questions in these newsgroups, (in which I donate a good amount of my time) regardless of how ridiculous their question seems to me. I'd appreciate the same courtesy

Patrick Rous
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Serve
http://www.workthin.co


----- Andy Cadley wrote: ----

Hey! That's where I work! Are you spying on me or something? That's why
never get really good at any one thing, because I have to spead mysel
across these boundaries and be good enough to "poke and eye out" wit abou
everything, yet am never able to be an "expert" in anything. The brai
cells get thinner the futher you have to spread 'em

Heh, me too. Fortunately I only have to be an expert in 98, NT4, 2000, XP
Active Directory and Mac OS (classic and X). Web development an
Linux/Solaris stuff goes elsewhere. University budgets tend not to stretc
too far (make the students pay more I say! ;-

Alright! I demand a raise!........again.....

Time to 'accidently' forward this to the boss

Andy

 

[Roland Hall]

in message
: : > Why? You only get one chance to make a first impression. You're
telling
: > all your candidates, "We don't believe anything you say and your resume
is
: > most likely fake. You MUST take our version of the lie detector test.
: > We'll trust you and actually take the time to fully read your resume, if
: you
: > pass, since we didn't read past your name and phone number to call you
in
: to
: > take it."
:
: Personally I'd be wrapped if a potential employer came out and said this
to
: me, it would give me the chance to prove otherwise Most of the resumes
: out there are fairly exaggerated and it gives me a disadvantage because
mine
: is honest.

I totally agree but I doubt there is a lot of honesty in most "first"
interviews on either side and I'm sure Risk Management would have a heart
attack if anyone ever did say that directly. If I had to list everything
I've done over the last 25 years and all of the knowledge I have, I'd have
to wake them up at the end of it. Some might even go into a comma. If that
is the HR person, I'm cool with it. (O:=

There really is no way to know for sure other than having someone vouch for
you so they have someone to beat if/when they find out you're a moron. When
that does happen, they usually miss the positive side of that type of
discovery which implies you're a perfect fit for the sales department, or
upper management! I think the only difference is the level of lying and of
course the compensation package. (O:=*

Their only recourse is the usual 90-day probationary period where they can
abuse you and dump you if you don't work out without having to commit to
insurance, unemployment benefits, etc. If they find out on day 91, beatings
are the only remedy but at least you're not alone because the person that
vouched for you is right at your side, against their will, tied to the
whipping post.

--
Roland Hall
/* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. */
Online Support for IT Professionals -
http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/technet/default.asp?fr=0&sd=tech
How-to: Windows 2000 DNS:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308201

 

[Roland Hall]

in message
:
: : > "Patrick Rouse [MVP]" wrote in message
: > : > developers, DBAs and System Engineers/Architects, respectively. People
: > working jobs, that cross these boundaries, work for a company that is
not
: > paying them adequately, manipulating them, and/or is too small with too
: > small a budget to do so and probably has the mind set of, "it's a
: computer,
: > how difficult can it be?"
:
: Hey! That's where I work! Are you spying on me or something?

Ugh...no...*pan left....zoom...click!*

: That's why I
: never get really good at any one thing, because I have to spead myself
: across these boundaries and be good enough to "poke and eye out" with
about
: everything, yet am never able to be an "expert" in anything. The brain
: cells get thinner the futher you have to spread 'em.

I gave that same speech to my ex-gf. (O;= Now who is the spy? *raises
eyebrow*

: > issue. After all, is the admin now running cable? How many hats is
that
: > and if he has to cover so many areas, is this a 6 figure income? Surely
a
:
: Alright! I demand a raise!........again......

Phillip... I've read many of your posts. You're probably well overdue.


--
Roland Hall
/* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. */
Online Support for IT Professionals -
http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/technet/default.asp?fr=0&sd=tech
How-to: Windows 2000 DNS:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308201

 

[Ken Lynch]

I've been reading this thread with great interest. I 'fell' into doing IT
work for my firm. As such, I know my limits and willingly admit them. If I
were looking for a new job, I would be candid about my abilities. That is
to protect myself. Why would I try to pass off as an expert on something
and then have the system crash and 40 users screaming for my blood? I'd
rather look foolish on the interview than face users with torches and
pitchforks. Users scare me. They look so innocent when they are
downloading spyware and viruses. They seem so nice while they are deleting
critical files on the network. They seem amazed when the CPU starts smoking
because they have junk piled all over it and it hasn't had any airflow since
1983. But don't let that fool you. They are evil.

Maybe that's what should happen at the job interview. They bring in a
typical user and a police dog. If the dog starts growling and barking, you
end the interview and leave. Or maybe you bring in a user and a Bible (Holy
Water, cross or holy object of your choosing). If the user can actually
touch the Bible, it is OK to work for that company.

 

[Roland Hall]

in message : I've been reading this thread with great interest. I 'fell' into doing IT
: work for my firm.

I know a lot of people that are in the IT industry that would be more
comfortable selling appliances which is where a lot of them came from.

: As such, I know my limits and willingly admit them.

An honest geek? I don't believe it!

: If I were looking for a new job, I would be candid about my abilities.
That is
: to protect myself.

It won't protect your pay.

: Why would I try to pass off as an expert on something
: and then have the system crash and 40 users screaming for my blood?

Mainly because all systems will eventually crash. All hardware fails. All
software has bugs and in MSFT's case most have buffer overflows! *sheepish
grin*

: I'd rather look foolish on the interview than face users with torches and
: pitchforks.

I don't think there is a time I would enjoy looking foolish. What do you
face the users with if you don't look foolish in the interview?

: Users scare me.

You're not alone. We have a support group. Welcome. Here's your jacket.

: They look so innocent when they are downloading spyware and viruses.

They learn to deploy that look from Ted Kennedy.

: They seem so nice while they are deleting critical files on the network.

You need to end your daily routine of liquid lunches. You're in denial.
They never seem nice.

: They seem amazed when the CPU starts smoking
: because they have junk piled all over it and it hasn't had any airflow
since
: 1983.

Your systems are probably due for some preventative maintenance because even
if the piles were not on them, they be clogged from all the dust and cr*p
they collect from the air, not to mention the dead skin from the user
(ick!), and most likely not Y2K compliant either. You probably got a raise
this year but it didn't apply since it will not go into effect until 1904.
(O:=

: But don't let that fool you. They are evil.

Just like members of the Liberal party, HollowWood elitists and of course,
the French.

: Maybe that's what should happen at the job interview. They bring in a
: typical user and a police dog. If the dog starts growling and barking,
you
: end the interview and leave.

Or put the user and the dog in a room by themselves and don't open the door
until the screaming stops. Although I don't see a need to punish the dog.

: Or maybe you bring in a user and a Bible (Holy: Water, cross or holy
object of your choosing).

Holy Moley?

: If the user can actually touch the Bible, it is OK to work for that
company.

That's not a reliable test. There are still other users and don't forget
about the ones - on vacation, serving as defendents in criminal court, late
for work because the one particular part of driving they really suck at is
their inability to merge, playing hookey. That's why it's always good to
meet with the users when you interview. It will give you bargaining power
over the company because, after all, they already know the users.