Interview Questions for Desktop Support Technician/Analyst

General Questions

Q. What desktop operating systems are you familiar with?
A. Before you answer this question, you should have some background information on what operating systems are used within the organization you are interviewing with. Undoubtedly, you will be asked to elaborate on your skill set with each of these operating systems so it’s best to tailor your elaboration to the operating systems that are relevant to the hiring manager. This being said, don’t leave out mentioning experience in other operating systems. You never know whether the company may be evaluating the migration to a different OS.

Q. Have you used imaging software before? How do you find these tools useful?
A. Automation tools are an important part of your job as a desktop support technician. Elaborate on the tools that you’ve used. Hiring managers want to assess your in-depth knowledge and experience with using these tools. This means talking about how you use their various feature sets. (If you have an opinion, you probably know the product pretty well.)

Q. What are the pitfalls of using imaging software?
A. This question is meant to assess how well you know these products. For example, discussing the importance of testing the image demonstrates that you use these tools on a regular basis.

Q. Have you used any software distribution tools? If so, which ones and how were they used?
A. Like imaging software, software distribution tools are an important part of your job. Hiring managers are looking for knowledge that these tools exist and how they can be used to support your organization.

Q. What do you like most about desktop support?
A. Hiring managers are looking for what motivates you. Hopefully your answer will match the characteristics of the job: being busy, working with different people, and the challenges of learning new operating systems and configurations.

Q. What do you like least about desktop support?
A. The hiring manager is testing whether you will fit in with the existing team. An appropriate answer here would be not being able to resolve a problem in a timely manner for reasons outside your control, such as hardware failure. Stick to things outside of your control for the best response.

Q. When solving a desktop problem, do you prefer to work with the end-user, your peers, or on your own?
A. This is another question to determine your fit within the organization. Hiring managers understand that to be successful as a support technician you will have to work in a team environment. This means working with other employees, vendors, and end-users on a constant basis.

Q. Can you describe a situation where you have had to deal with a difficult person? How did you handle it? Would you do anything differently?
A. Desktop support can be very demanding some days. End-users only see their own priority needs and often are not interested in other demands on your time. This question explores how you deal with a difficult end-user by understanding their problem, assessing priorities, and communicating a timeframe for resolution. Often good communication can help both sides come to an agreement. Make sure you have an example with a successful outcome.

Q. How would you say you are able to handle stress?
A. Hiring managers are looking to see what coping techniques you can draw on to deal with stress. Sometimes from the answer, they can also determine whether you are prone to stress. When responding, some techniques for handling stress that you may want to talk about include continually evaluating what’s on your plate and prioritizing, communicating with your manager on what your priorities are, and making sure that you take a break to reenergize, particularly at lunch time.

Q. What do you see yourself doing two or three years from now?
A. Hiring managers want you to stick around. They realize that you will not be in this position forever, and they want to make sure there’s a desire to move up within the organization as well as the right fit. They ask this question to see whether there’s a growth path for you possible within the organization. As a desktop technician, natural growth paths are team leads, quality assurance, engineering positions, and entry-level development. Be honest about where you want to be in two to three years, and ask the interviewer whether they see your career path as a possibility.

Q. How do you learn new technologies?
A. Learning is an inherent part of the job. Hiring managers are looking for someone who enjoys learning technology on their own and who has the foresight to look for training opportunities. Besides the traditional books and manuals, don’t forget to include user groups, eLearning subscriptions, and IT professional sites such as CramSession.

Q. How do you prioritize tasks and manage your time?
A. What hiring managers want to know is whether you have time-management skills. Everyone manages their time differently, but think about how you handle e-mail, when you check voice mail, how you respond to pages, when you research and document, and how you pick up new trouble tickets.

Q. Imagine the following situation: you receive three simultaneous calls from three vicepresidents who need assistance immediately. How do you manage these conflicting priorities?
A. Obviously this is a trick question. What the hiring manager is trying to assess is how you set expectations with each of the individuals, knowing very well that you won’t be able to assist all of them at the same time. They are also looking for how you will prioritize each of these incidents, including seeking assistance from peers and supervisors in order to meet user expectations. Don’t allow the “tyranny of the urgent” to divert you from managementestablished support priorities.

Q. How would you handle a user who continually misdiagnoses their PC issues?
A. By asking this question, the hiring manager is assessing your customer service skills. In this situation, you may want to discuss that the key is to not offend the user and turn them off to your support services. In handling this situation, you would pay particular attention to ways you can build trust with the user and lead them to the right resolution to their problem.
These components may include:

• Acknowledging the user’s diagnosis
• Asking the user to reproduce the problem
• Finding a solution that works

Q. How do you handle setting up new employees?
A. This question is used by the hiring manager to assess your knowledge of common practices within the IT department, such as setting up new users. Obviously, the IT department plays a critical role in the productivity of the new employee. The role of the desktop technician is to help ease the new employee into the resources available to them and get them up to speed quickly. In responding to this question, you may want to talk about some of the tools you’ve used in
the past to help users acquaint themselves with their new environment. Some tools that help are:

• A new-user welcome letter that is customized to the specific user with all their relevant information including telephone extension, how to access voice mail, and how to log in. It might also include a FAQ on getting help.
• A “Getting to Know Your Helpdesk” document that provides an orientation to helpdesk service, such as how to contact the helpdesk, its hours of operation, what is and what is not supported by the helpdesk, and answers to common new-user questions.

Technical Questions

Q. What questions would you ask to help isolate a user’s problem?
A. This question is used by the hiring manger to assess your problem-solving abilities. The following represent some of the common questions that you would ask the end-user to help diagnose a situation:

• When did the problem first start?
• Has the system ever worked properly?
• What was the last thing done to the system prior to the failure?
• Is the issue intermittent or ongoing/constant?
• Are there any error messages? If so, what are the specific error messages?
• Has any new hardware been added to the system?
• Has any new software been added to the system, including downloads from the Internet?
• Has anything changed with the system (for example, has it been moved) since the issue presented itself?
• Has anyone else had access to the system?
• Are there any environmental factors that could be causing the issue?
• Have you done any troubleshooting on the system on your own?
• Have you checked all the cables/connections for a tight fit?

Q. What are the main differences between the following operating systems?
A. Unfortunately, most companies have not been able to standardize the operating systems used by users. It’s always critical that you know more than just the current version because there will always be a user who has a problem with an older version. By asking this question, the hiring manager is actually testing your knowledge of different operating systems that you may need to support. The following provides a concise summary of some of the major differences.

Windows 2000 and XP

Overall, XP is a minor update with Windows 2000 designed to get Windows 2000 technology into the hands of consumers. The major changes include the following:

• Device driver rollback
• Remote control (single-user terminal services)
• New Start menu, control panel, and user interface elements
• Fast user switching
• Encrypted file system support for redirected folders
• Better support for roaming wireless networking
• Enhanced policies
• Credential Manager
• Personal firewall

Q. What are typical virus sources and how do you prevent virus attacks?
A. This is virus protection 101 just to ensure that you understand the basics of protecting against viruses. Possible virus sources include e-mail attachments, Internet downloads, and infected floppy disks. To prevent virus infections:

• Use anti-virus software.
• Perform regular updates to the virus software definition files and scan engines. Verify updates have succeeded.
• Perform regularly scheduled virus checks.
• Configure software to check all files, not just program files.
• Educate users on virus attacks, their consequences, and how to prevent them.
• Know where all software came from.
• Do regular backups.
• Develop reporting mechanisms to inform server administrators of observed desktop infections and how these could impact the server environment (such as deletions or corruption of files on public shares, hidden payload files that might have been uploaded to servers, and so on).

Q. What are some of the guidelines you would recommend for implementing security at the user level?

A. Security is a major part of the desktop technician’s day-to-day responsibilities. As the closest point of contact to the end-users, technicians need to be savvy on the different methods for enforcing security. Some of the top techniques are included below.

Anti-virus software:

• Ensure that all users install and regularly use anti-virus software on their PCs.
• Instruct users to immediately notify the helpdesk when they suspect they’ve contracted a virus.

Password security:

• Instruct users not to give out their passwords.
• Instruct users not to write down their passwords.
• Instruct users to make sure their password cannot be easily guessed by using a combination of alphanumeric characters, including special characters (~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) + = [ ] { } / ? < > , ; : \ | ` ’ ” .).
• Instruct users to change their password if they think there is even a slight chance someone knows it.
• Instruct users to ensure their password is at least eight characters long.
• Instruct users not to use a variation of their user ID.
• Regularly change passwords on Administrator accounts on PCs (NT, Windows 2000 and XP)

Desktop security:

• Instruct users not to leave their workstation logged in overnight.
• Instruct users to enable screen savers that automatically lock their PC when there is no activity on it for more than five minutes.

Interview Questions for Network Support Technician

Q. Please describe the importance you place on customer service versus technical skills.
A. Most interviewers like to start with big picture questions and then work their way into more technical areas. IT is a service organization and customer service is at its core. In particular, customer service skills are just as important as technical skills, particularly in panic situations when systems are down or the user has just deleted their board presentation that’s due in 30 minutes. We’ve all had these situations. You should be prepared to talk about a specific situation where you’ve excelled and received accolades from an end-user. If they put it in writing, mention that as well.

Q. What steps do you take when troubleshooting a networking issue?
A. As a support technician, your job is to solve problems. This question provides the interviewer with insight into your troubleshooting skills. Of course, the most important part of troubleshooting any problem is to divide the tasks of problem resolution into a systematic process of elimination, like this:

1. Define the problem.
2. Gather detailed information.
3. Consider probable cause for the failure.
4. Devise a plan to solve the problem.
5. Implement the plan.
6. Observe the results of the implementation.
7. Repeat the process if the plan does not resolve the problem.
8. Document the changes made to solve the problem.

Be prepared before the interview, so you can provide an example of these skills in action.

Q. How would you prioritize support issues?
A. It is unlikely that as a network administrator or technician you will receive problem calls one at a time. Typically, when you receive one call, you already have three people waiting for service. For this reason, you must learn to prioritize. Your answer to this question will provide the interviewer with insight into how effectively you prioritize. It’s not a trick question, though sometimes it can feel that way. You probably have a process that you use instinctually. Talk about it. It probably includes many of the following components:

• Total network failure (affects everyone)
• Partial network failure (affects small groups of users)
• Small network failure (affects a small, single group of users)
• Total workstation failure (single user can’t work at all)
• Partial workstation failure (single user can’t do most tasks)
• Minor issue (single user has problems that crop up now and again)

Q. Users can send e-mail locally, but cannot send e-mail to external recipients. How would you troubleshoot this situation?
A. The interviewer will run you through a series of questions like this one to see how you would use your troubleshooting skills in a common, real-life situation. He not only gets to see how your mind works, but also begins to get an insight into your technical capabilities. In your answer, be methodical in your approach, identifying the most likely possibility and testing it. Be sure to let the interviewer know that if your first attempt doesn’t work, you know how to move on to the next possibility.

Q. A user complains that when she prints a document in any application, the printer prints garbage. What is the most likely cause of the problem?
A. This question starts the behavioral interviewing questions based on real-life situations that assess your problem-solving skills and your technical skills. They will range from the general (like this question) to very specific technical questions that determine your knowledge level and skill set. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers. The interviewer is mostly interested in how you would resolve the situation and what resources you would use to do so.

Q. A user’s roaming profile is not accessible. Describe how you would solve this problem.
A. This question tests your troubleshooting skills. In this situation you may want to talk about which tests you would perform in order to resolve the issue. These may include:

• Ensuring that the path to the profile directory is correct on the user’s account properties.
• Ensuring that the server where the profile resides is accessible.
• Ensuring that the user has Full Control permissions to the Profile directory.

Q. A user has left the company and you need to create a new user with the same rights and permissions. Please describe some of the ways to create the new user.
A. This question tests your ability to get the job done in the most efficient way possible. For example, you can create new accounts from scratch and assign the original rights to the accounts or you can simply rename the old account for the new user, which saves you a lot of time and effort.

Q. What are the first things you check when a user is experiencing problems accessing the network?
A. This question assesses your basic network troubleshooting skills. You can’t miss this one! You should be able to answer it in your sleep. You can liven up the interview by providing a funny story about user errors that you’ve encountered.

Q. What tools do you have available to you for troubleshooting?
A. At this point, the interviewer is testing your resourcefulness. This is a pretty generic question, so make sure that your answer is consistent with the overall theme of the interview. The tools available may include server log files, network analyzers, error messages, README files, telephone support, or vendor technical support web sites or CD-ROMs. Don’t forget to mention vendor-specific resources that you may use, like TechNet Online, or any other subscriptions that you may have in your bag of tricks. The final resource is of course your colleagues who may have run into this situation in the past.

Q. A user cannot access the local intranet. What would you try first in helping to determine how to narrow the problem down to the intranet?
A. Don’t make this question harder than it really is. Sometimes the interviewer will try to trip you up to test your common sense. Go for the obvious, rather than complicating the situation. In this case, simply trying to access the intranet from another workstation would help isolate the problem to the machine.

Q. Several users can’t log in to the server. What would you do to narrow the problem down to the workstations, network, or server?
A. The situation gets a little more interesting. Again, keep it simple, such as checking the server console for user connections to see if other users are able to log into the server. If they can, the problem is most likely related to those users’ workstations. If they can’t, the problem is either the server or network connection.

Q. Which software troubleshooting tool could you use to determine which protocol is configured with the wrong address?
A. Questions like these assess your knowledge of troubleshooting tools that can help you resolve problems faster. In this case, a typical tool used to determine incorrectly configured addresses is a protocol analyzer. It can be used to examine the details of packets as they travel across the wire. This is a sophisticated tool that requires a deeper understanding of network protocols. Any interviewer will be impressed if you’ve used such a tool in troubleshooting.

Q. Which hardware
troubleshooting tool(s) could you use to find out where a cable is routed?
A. Here’s another question regarding troubleshooting tools. In this case you might want to use a tone generator and tone locator to find out where cables are routed. These tools are alternately known as fox and hound devices. These are more advanced tools that represent a higher skill level. Whenever possible, provide an example of a sticky situation where you’ve had to rely on tools such as these for troubleshooting.

Q. Which Windows NT utility do you use to manage the major Windows NT log files?
A. Typically, the interviewer or someone more technical than the IT manager will ask you detailed operating system–specific questions to assess your knowledge of the various products. Alternately, you may be asked to take an assessment exam like Brainbench.

Q. A user calls you, complaining that he can’t access the corporate intranet web server. You try the same address, and you receive a Host Not Found error. Several minutes later, another user reports the same problem. You can still send e-mail and transfer files to another server. What is the most likely cause of the problem?
A. The interviewer will assess your skills as they relate to all aspects of networking, not just servers. This means you should be prepared to answer questions on web servers as well as local networks. In this case, because other people are experiencing the problem, the problem is most likely either network- or server-related. And because you can transfer files to and from another server, it can’t be the network. Thus, the problem is related to the web server.

Q. You are connecting a cubicle farm to your network. You install NICs in all the workstations and run cables to a workgroup hub. You then connect the MDI port on the workgroup hub to the main hub with a standard patch cable. Upon powering up the cubicle farm computers, none of them can see the servers on the network. What could you replace to solve this problem?
A. Networking devices like hubs, switches, and routers will also be part of the technical interview. It is expected that you can speak fluently on both software and hardware issues.

Q. A user from the marketing department calls complaining that she can’t log in or see any servers on the network. Her computer operates fine otherwise. No other users from the marketing department are reporting any problems. What is the first thing you could check?
A. You should also expect to be assessed on your knowledge of the physical layer of the OSI model.

Q. You are working alone when the following calls come in:

• The CEO can’t access his e-mail.
• Your good friend can’t print.
• A crabby user can’t log in to the network.
• The Internet router goes down.

What would you do in this situation?

A. The interviewer is testing your ability to prioritize very difficult situations. Don’t worry, it’s not a trick question—you just need to apply your prioritization skills. Another critical part of this situation is the proper setting of expectations so the users who don’t end up at the top of the list aren’t upset with you. In providing your answer, don’t forget that you are part of a team. You do have the ability to delegate support to other team members while you handle the most critical task. In this situation, at the top of the list is getting the Internet router back up, because it affects the most number of people. Assisting other people can be delegated to other team members.

Q. You are installing a Windows XP–based TCP/IP network. You accidentally set workstation B to the same IP address as workstation A. Which workstation(s) will receive an error message?
A. This type of question assesses your TCP/IP configuration knowledge. It’s a common problem, but a little tricky based on the configuration mentioned above. The correct answer here is that through broadcasts, both workstations will detect if there is a duplicate IP address on the network and will display error messages to that effect.

Q. Which TCP/IP utility is most often used to test whether an IP host is up and functional?
A. TCP/IP is at the core of just about every network today. You must be familiar with the most often used commands for managing this network environment. This includes Ping, ipconfig, FTP, and tracert. You should also be ready to apply these commands and utilities to various situations, as the next question demonstrates.

Some sample additional questions include:

• Which utility can you use to find the MAC and TCP/IP address of your Windows NT or 2000 workstation?
• Which program can you use to upload and download files to a Unix server?
• Which utility can you use to verify a packet’s path?

Q. You are the network administrator. A user calls you complaining that the performance of the intranet web server is sluggish. When you try to ping the server, it takes several seconds for the server to respond. You suspect the problem is related to a router that is seriously overloaded. Which workstation utility could you use to find out which router is causing this problem?
A. The answer here is the tracert utility, which will tell you which router is having the performance problem and how long it would take to travel between each host. You should be knowledgeable on the application of the most common IP commands for the various operating systems you support. Other questions along this line that you may run into include:

• Which ipconfig switch will display the most complete listing of IP configuration information for that station?
• Which Windows TCP/IP utility could you use to find out whether a server is responding on TCP port 21?

Q. Depending on the Windows client operating system version, which commands can you use to find out what is installed on a system?
A. You may run into operating system–specific questions like this one as you are being interviewed by prospective peers. You should be familiar with the most common commands. Don’t worry about memorizing command syntax. That’s what the /? is for.

Q. Which power condition occurs when the voltage level drops below 120 volts and stays below for an extended period of time?
A. Questions about power conditions don’t rank very high, though they are important. Network support technicians will be faced with many different scenarios. Be familiar with these types of conditions just in case.

Q. You are setting up a workstation for remote access to the office. The office has a modem pool configured, and it is working correctly. The required results are that the workstation and modem bank must establish a connection and that the server at the office must authenticate the workstation. Optionally, the workstation and office must be able to communicate by using a single protocol, and the workstation must be able to access all network devices at the office. The proposed solution is to install a POTS telephone line, modem cable, and modem connected to the workstation. How would you configure the protocols to achieve the desired results?
A. A question like this tests your ability to determine the best protocol solution for a given situation. With so many options available to network engineers, it’s important to understand the benefits and common denominators that will best fit a situation. In this case, TCP/IP would be the best
solution. With TCP/IP installed and configured on the workstation, and TCP/IP with DHCP, as well as IPX, installed and configured on the office server, you have a common protocol for communication.

Q51. What are the data units at different layers of the TCP / IP protocol suite?
Ans. The data unit created at the application layer is called a message, at the transport layer the data unit created is called either a segment or an user datagram, at the network layer the data unit created is called the datagram, at the data link layer the datagram is encapsulated in to a frame and finally transmitted as signals along the transmission media.

Q52. What is Project 802?
Ans. It is a project started by IEEE to set standards that enable intercommunication between equipment from a variety of manufacturers. It is a way for specifying functions of the physical layer, the data link layer and to some extent the network layer to allow for interconnectivity of major LAN protocols.
It consists of the following:

• 802.1 is an internetworking standard for compatibility of different LANs and MANs across protocols.
• 802.2 Logical link control (LLC) is the upper sublayer of the data link layer which is non-architecture-specific, that is remains the same for all IEEE-defined LANs.
• Media access control (MAC) is the lower sublayer of the data link layer that contains some distinct modules each carrying proprietary information specific to the LAN product being used. The modules are Ethernet LAN (802.3), Token ring LAN (802.4), Token bus LAN (802.5).
• 802.6 is distributed queue dual bus (DQDB) designed to be used in MANs.

Q53. What is Bandwidth?
Ans. Every line has an upper limit and a lower limit on the frequency of signals it can carry. This limited range is called the bandwidth.

Q54. Difference between bit rate and baud rate.
Ans. Bit rate is the number of bits transmitted during one second whereas baud rate refers to the number of signal units per second that are required to represent those bits.
baud rate = bit rate / N where N is no-of-bits represented by each signal shift.

Q55. What is MAC address?
Ans. The address for a device as it is identified at the Media Access Control (MAC) layer in the network architecture. MAC address is usually stored in ROM on the network adapter card and is unique.

Q56. What is attenuation?
Ans. The degeneration of a signal over distance on a network cable is called attenuation.

Q57. What is cladding?
Ans. A layer of a glass surrounding the center fiber of glass inside a fiber-optic cable.

Q58. What is RAID?
Ans. A method for providing fault tolerance by using multiple hard disk drives.

Q59. What is NETBIOS and NETBEUI?
Ans. NETBIOS is a programming interface that allows I/O requests to be sent to and received from a remote computer and it hides the networking hardware from applications.
NETBEUI is NetBIOS extended user interface. A transport protocol designed by microsoft and IBM for the use on small subnets.

Q60. What is redirector?
Ans. Redirector is software that intercepts file or prints I/O requests and translates them into network requests. This comes under presentation layer.

Q61. What is Beaconing?
Ans. The process that allows a network to self-repair networks problems. The stations on the network notify the other stations on the ring when they are not receiving the transmissions. Beaconing is used in Token ring and FDDI networks.

Q62. What is terminal emulation, in which layer it comes?
Ans. Telnet is also called as terminal emulation. It belongs to application layer.

Q63. What is frame relay, in which layer it comes?
Ans. Frame relay is a packet switching technology. It will operate in the data link layer.

Q64. What do you meant by “triple X” in Networks?
Ans. The function of PAD (Packet Assembler Disassembler) is described in a document known as X.3. The standard protocol has been defined between the terminal and the PAD, called X.28; another standard protocol exists between hte PAD and the network, called X.29. Together, these three recommendations are often called “triple X”

Q65. What is SAP?
Ans. Series of interface points that allow other computers to communicate with the other layers of network protocol stack.

Q66. What is subnet?
Ans. A generic term for section of a large networks usually separated by a bridge or router.

Q67. What is Brouter?
Ans. Hybrid devices that combine the features of both bridges and routers.

Q68. How Gateway is different from Routers?
Ans. A gateway operates at the upper levels of the OSI model and translates information between two completely different network architectures or data formats.

Q69. What are the different type of networking / internetworking devices?
Ans. Repeater:
Also called a regenerator, it is an electronic device that operates only at physical layer. It receives the signal in the network before it becomes weak, regenerates the original bit pattern and puts the refreshed copy back in to the link.

Bridges:
These operate both in the physical and data link layers of LANs of same type. They divide a larger network in to smaller segments. They contain logic that allow them to keep the traffic for each segment separate and thus are repeaters that relay a frame only the side of the segment containing the intended recipent and control congestion.

Routers:
They relay packets among multiple interconnected networks (i.e. LANs of different type). They operate in the physical, data link and network layers. They contain software that enable them to determine which of the several possible paths is the best for a particular transmission.

Gateways:
They relay packets among networks that have different protocols (e.g. between a LAN and a WAN). They accept a packet formatted for one protocol and convert it to a packet formatted for another protocol before forwarding it. They operate in all seven layers of the OSI model.

Q70. What is mesh network?
Ans. A network in which there are multiple network links between computers to provide multiple paths for data to travel.

Q71. What is passive topology?
Ans. When the computers on the network simply listen and receive the signal, they are referred to as passive because they don’t amplify the signal in any way. Example for passive topology – linear bus.

Q72. What are the important topologies for networks?
Ans. BUS topology:
In this each computer is directly connected to primary network cable in a single line.
Advantages:
Inexpensive, easy to install, simple to understand, easy to extend.

STAR topology:
In this all computers are connected using a central hub.
Adva
ntages:
Can be inexpensive, easy to install and reconfigure and easy to trouble shoot physical problems.

RING topology:
In this all computers are connected in loop.
Advantages:
All computers have equal access to network media, installation can be simple, and signal does not degrade as much as in other topologies because each computer regenerates it.

Q73. What are major types of networks and explain
Server-based network
Peer-to-peer network.
Ans. Peer-to-peer network, computers can act as both servers sharing resources and as clients using the resources.
Server-based networks provide centralized control of network resources and rely on server computers to provide security and network administration

Q74. What is Protocol Data Unit?
Ans. The data unit in the LLC level is called the protocol data unit (PDU). The PDU contains of four fields a destination service access point (DSAP), a source service access point (SSAP), a control field and an information field. DSAP, SSAP are addresses used by the LLC to identify the protocol stacks on the receiving and sending machines that are generating and using the data. The control field specifies whether the PDU frame is a information frame (I -frame) or a supervisory frame (S – frame) or a unnumbered frame (U – frame).

Q75. What is difference between baseband and broadband transmission?
Ans. In a baseband transmission, the entire bandwidth of the cable is consumed by a single signal. In broadband transmission, signals are sent on multiple frequencies, allowing multiple signals to be sent simultaneously.

Q76. What are the possible ways of data exchange?
Ans. (i) Simplex (ii) Half-duplex (iii) Full-duplex.

Q77. What are the types of Transmission media?
Ans. Signals are usually transmitted over some transmission media that are broadly classified in to two categories.
Guided Media:
These are those that provide a conduit from one device to another that include twisted-pair, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable. A signal traveling along any of these media is directed and is contained by the physical limits of the medium. Twisted-pair and coaxial cable use metallic that accept and transport signals in the form of electrical current. Optical fiber is a glass or plastic cable that accepts and transports signals in the form of light.
Unguided Media:
This is the wireless media that transport electromagnetic waves without using a physical conductor. Signals are broadcast either through air. This is done through radio communication, satellite communication and cellular telephony.

Q78. Difference between the communication and transmission.
Ans. Transmission is a physical movement of information and concern issues like bit polarity, synchronization, clock etc.
Communication means the meaning full exchange of information between two communication media.

Q79.The Internet Control Message Protocol occurs at what layer of the seven layer model?
Ans. Network

Q80.Which protocol resolves an IP address to a MAC address?
Ans. ARP

Q81.MIDI and MPEG are examples of what layer of the OSI seven layer model?
Ans. Presentation

Q82.What is the protocol number for UDP?
Ans. 17

Q83.Which protocol is used for booting diskless workstations?
Ans. RARP

Q84.Which layer is responsible for putting 1s and 0s into a logical group?
Ans. Physical

Q85.What does ‘P’ mean when running a Trace?
Ans. Protocol unreachable

Q86.UDP works at which layer of the DOD model?
Ans. Host to Host

Q87.What is the default encapsulation of Netware 3.12?
Ans. 802.2

Q88.Ping uses which Internet layer protocol?
Ans. ICMP

Q89.Which switching technology can reduce the size of a broadcast domain?
Ans. VLAN

Q90.What is the first step in data encapsulation?
Ans. User information is converted into data.

Q91.What is the protocol number for TCP?
Ans. 6

Q92.What do you use the Aux port for?
Ans. Modem

Q93.Repeaters work at which layer of the OSI model?
Ans. Physical

Q94.WAN stands for which of the following?
Ans. Wide Area Network

Q95.What ISDN protocol specifies concepts, terminology, and services?
Ans. I

Q96.LAN stands for which of the following?
Ans. Local Are Network

Q97.DHCP stands for
Ans. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Q98.What does the acronym ARP stand for?
Ans. Address Resolution Protocol

Q99.Which layer is responsible for identifying and establishing the availability of the intended communication partner?
Ans. Application.

Q100.Which OSI layer provides mechanical, electrical, procedural for activating, maintaining physical link?
Ans. Physical.

Q1. What are 10Base2, 10Base5 and 10BaseT Ethernet LANs?
Ans. 10Base2—An Ethernet term meaning a maximum transfer rate of 10 Megabits per second that uses baseband signaling, with a contiguous cable segment length of 100 meters and a maximum of 2 segments.
10Base5—An Ethernet term meaning a maximum transfer rate of 10 Megabits per second that uses baseband signaling, with 5 continuous segments not exceeding 100 meters per segment.
10BaseT—An Ethernet term meaning a maximum transfer rate of 10 Megabits per second that uses baseband signaling and twisted pair cabling.

Q2. What is the difference between an unspecified passive open and a fully specified passive open?
Ans. An unspecified passive open has the server waiting for a connection request from a client. A fully specified passive open has the server waiting for a connection from a specific client.

Q3. Explain the function of Transmission Control Block.
Ans. A TCB is a complex data structure that contains a considerable amount of information about each connection.

Q4. What is a Management Information Base (MIB)?
Ans. A Management Information Base is part of every SNMP-managed device. Each SNMP agent has the MIB database that contains information about the device’s status, its performance, connections, and configuration. The MIB is queried by SNMP.

Q5. What is anonymous FTP and why would you use it?
Ans. Anonymous FTP enables users to connect to a host without using a valid login and password. Usually, anonymous FTP uses a login called anonymous or guest, with the password usually requesting the user’s ID for tracking purposes only. Anonymous FTP is used to enable a large number of users to access files on the host without having to go to the trouble of setting up logins for them all. Anonymous FTP systems usually have strict controls over the areas an anonymous user can access.

Q6. What is a pseudo tty?
Ans. A pseudo tty or false terminal enables external machines to connect through Telnet or rlogin. Without a pseudo tty, no connection can take place.

Q7. Which layer of the 7 layer model provides services to the Application layer over the Session layer connection?
Ans. Presentation.

Q8. What does the Mount protocol do ?
Ans. The Mount protocol returns a file handle and the name of the file system in which a requested file resides. The message is sent to the client from the server after reception of a client’s request.

Q9. What is External Data Representation?
Ans. External Data Representation is a method of encoding data within an RPC message, used to ensure that the data is not system-dependent.

Q10. Which OSI Reference Layer controls application to application communication?
Ans. Session

Q11. BOOTP helps a diskless workstation boot. How does it get a message to the network looking for its IP address and the location of its operating system boot files ?
Ans. BOOTP sends a UDP message with a subnetwork broadcast address and waits for a reply from a server that gives it the IP address. The same message might contain the name of the machine that has the boot files on it. If the boot image location is not specified, the workstation sends another UDP message to query the server.

Q12. What is a DNS resource record?
Ans. A resource record is an entry in a name server’s database. There are several types of resource records used, including name-to-address resolution information. Resource records are maintained as ASCII files.

Q13. What protocol is used by DNS name servers?
Ans. DNS uses UDP for communication between servers. It is a better choice than TCP because of the improved speed a connectionless protocol offers. Of course, transmission reliability suffers with UDP.

Q14. What is the difference between interior and exterior neighbor gateways?
Ans. Interior gateways connect LANs of one organization, whereas exterior gateways connect the organization to the outside world.

Q15. What is the HELLO protocol used for?
Ans. The HELLO protocol uses time instead of distance to determine optimal routing. It is an alternative to the Routing Information Protocol.

Q16. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the three types of routing tables?
Ans. The three types of routing tables are fixed, dynamic, and fixed central. The fixed table must be manually modified every time there is a change. A dynamic table changes its information based on network traffic, reducing the amount of manual maintenance. A fixed central table lets a manager modify only one table, which is then read by other devices. The fixed central table reduces the need to update each machine’s table, as with the fixed table. Usually a dynamic table causes the fewest problems for a network administrator, although the table’s contents can change without the administrator being aware of the change.

Q17. What is a characteristic of Store and Forward switches?
Ans. They read the entire frame and check CRC before forwarding.

Q18. What is source route?
Ans. It is a sequence of IP addresses identifying the route a datagram must follow. A source route may optionally be included in an IP datagram header.

Q19. What is RIP (Routing Information Protocol)?
Ans. It is a simple protocol used to exchange information between the routers.

Q20. What is SLIP (Serial Line Interface Protocol)?
Ans. It is a very simple protocol used for transmission of IP datagrams across a serial line.

Q21. What is Proxy ARP?
Ans. It is using a router to answer ARP requests. This will be done when the originating host believes that a destination is local, when in fact is lies beyond router.

Q22. What is OSPF?
Ans. It is an Internet routing protocol that scales well, can route traffic along multiple paths, and uses knowledge of an Internet’s topology to make accurate routing decisions.

Q23. What is Kerberos?
Ans. It is an authentication service developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Kerberos uses encryption to prevent intruders from discovering passwords and gaining unauthorized access to files.

Q24. What is a Multi-homed Host?
Ans. It is a host that has a multiple network interfaces and that requires multiple IP addresses is called as a Multi-homed Host.

Q25. What is NVT (Network Virtual Terminal)?
Ans. It is a set of rules defining a very simple virtual terminal interaction. The NVT is used in the start of a Telnet session.

Q26. What is Gateway-to-Gateway protocol?
Ans. It is a protocol formerly
used to exchange routing information between Internet core routers.

Q27. What is BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)?
Ans. It is a protocol used to advertise the set of networks that can be reached with in an autonomous system. BGP enables this information to be shared with the autonomous system. This is newer than EGP (Exterior Gateway Protocol).

Q28. What is autonomous system?
Ans. It is a collection of routers under the control of a single administrative authority and that uses a common Interior Gateway Protocol.

Q29. What is EGP (Exterior Gateway Protocol)?
Ans. It is the protocol the routers in neighboring autonomous systems use to identify the set of networks that can be reached within or via each autonomous system.

Q30. What is IGP (Interior Gateway Protocol)?
Ans. It is any routing protocol used within an autonomous system.

Q31. What is Mail Gateway?
Ans. It is a system that performs a protocol translation between different electronic mail delivery protocols.

Q32. What is wide-mouth frog?
Ans. Wide-mouth frog is the simplest known key distribution center (KDC) authentication protocol.

Q33. What are Digrams and Trigrams?
Ans. The most common two letter combinations are called as digrams. e.g. th, in, er, re and an. The most common three letter combinations are called as trigrams. e.g. the, ing, and, and ion.

Q34. What is silly window syndrome?
Ans. It is a problem that can ruin TCP performance. This problem occurs when data are passed to the sending TCP entity in large blocks, but an interactive application on the receiving side reads 1 byte at a time.

Q35. What is region?
Ans. When hierarchical routing is used, the routers are divided into what we call regions, with each router knowing all the details about how to route packets to destinations within its own region, but knowing nothing about the internal structure of other regions.

Q36. What is multicast routing?
Ans. Sending a message to a group is called multicasting, and its routing algorithm is called multicast routing.

Q37. What is traffic shaping?
Ans. One of the main causes of congestion is that traffic is often busy. If hosts could be made to transmit at a uniform rate,congestion would be less common. Another open loop method to help manage congestion is forcing the packet to be transmitted at a more predictable rate. This is called traffic shaping.

Q38. What is packet filter?
Ans. Packet filter is a standard router equipped with some extra functionality. The extra functionality allows every incoming or outgoing packet to be inspected. Packets meeting some criterion are forwarded normally. Those that fail the test are dropped.

Q39. What is virtual path?
Ans. Along any transmission path from a given source to a given destination, a group of virtual circuits can be grouped together into what is called path.

Q40. What is virtual channel?
Ans. Virtual channel is normally a connection from one source to one destination, although multicast connections are also permitted. The other name for virtual channel is virtual circuit.

Q41. What is logical link control?
Ans. One of two sublayers of the data link layer of OSI reference model, as defined by the IEEE 802 standard. This sublayer is responsible for maintaining the link between computers when they are sending data across the physical network connection.

Q42. Why should you care about the OSI Reference Model?
Ans. It provides a framework for discussing network operations and design.

Q43. What is the difference between routable and non- routable protocols?
Ans. Routable protocols can work with a router and can be used to build large networks. Non-Routable protocols are designed to work on small, local networks and cannot be used with a router.

Q44. What is MAU?
Ans. In token Ring , hub is called Multistation Access Unit(MAU).

Q45. Explain 5-4-3 rule?
Ans. In a Ethernet network, between any two points on the network, there can be no more than five network segments or four repeaters, and of those five segments only three of segments can be populated.

Q46. What is the difference between TFTP and FTP application layer protocols?
Ans. The Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) allows a local host to obtain files from a remote host but does not provide reliability or security. It uses the fundamental packet delivery services offered by UDP. The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is the standard mechanism provided by TCP / IP for copying a file from one host to another. It uses the services offered by TCP and so is reliable and secure. It establishes two connections (virtual circuits) between the hosts, one for data transfer and another for control information.

Q47. What is the range of addresses in the classes of internet addresses?
Ans. Class A 0.0.0.0 – 127.255.255.255
Class B 128.0.0.0 – 191.255.255.255
Class C 192.0.0.0 – 223.255.255.255
Class D 224.0.0.0 – 239.255.255.255
Class E 240.0.0.0 – 247.255.255.255

Q48. What is the minimum and maximum length of the header in the TCP segment and IP datagram?
Ans. The header should have a minimum length of 20 bytes and can have a maximum length of 60 bytes.

Q49. What is difference between ARP and RARP?
Ans. The address resolution protocol (ARP) is used to associate the 32 bit IP address with the 48 bit physical address, used by a host or a router to find the physical address of another host on its network by sending a ARP query packet that includes the IP address of the receiver. The reverse address resolution protocol (RARP) allows a host to discover its Internet address when it knows only its physical address.

Q50. What is ICMP?
Ans. ICMP is Internet Control Message Protocol, a network layer protocol of the TCP/IP suite used by hosts and gateways to send notification of datagram problems back to the sender. It uses the echo test / reply to test whether a destination is reachable and responding. It also handles both control and error messages.

MYTH #1: Every interview in my job search will be a job interview.
REALITY: Some of the most fruitful interviews you can engage in are referral interviews. These are interviews which you set up and conduct to gain information, advice, referrals and to be favorably remembered. Referral interviews often lead to job interviews and provide invaluable information for your later job interviews—including the process of negotiating your salary.

MYTH #2: My resume will get me the job. If I write an excellent resume, I don’t have to worry about anything else.
REALITY: The purpose of your resume and cover letter are to get the attention of the employer and to motivate that person to want to find out more about you—invite you to an interview. You still must sell yourself in the interview which includes establishing rapport with the interviewer(s) as well as giving evidence of your accomplishments.

MYTH #3: Once I send off my resume for a job, the only thing I can do is wait to hear from the employer.
REALITY: Waiting is not a good job search strategy. You should attempt a proactive approach to complement your reactive application. If you have responded to an ad and mailed your resume to the personnel department, do a little sleuthing on the Internet or amongst acquaintances familiar with the company. You may be able to determine the operating department where the opening exists. If you target the head of the operating unit that has a need to fill a position, you may find yourself interviewing with that person only to go home to find a rejection letter from the human resources department! This actually happened to one of our clients!

MYTH #4: If I get a phone call from an employer, it must mean they aren’t very interested in my candidacy because they didn’t take the time to reply by letter.
REALITY: If you get a phone call from an employer after submitting your resume, you should assume it is a screening interview. Your resume piqued the employer’s interest enough that he or she wants to know about you, but not enough that he or she wants to commit to a face-to-face interview yet. Always be prepared for an unexpected call that is a screening interview. You must listen carefully, keep your responses and questions focused and remember your goal is to be invited for a face-to-face interview.

MYTH #5: For the employer, the purpose of the interview is to determine if you are qualified for the job.
REALITY: The employer already has determined that you are qualified for the job before he or she invites you to the interview. The primary purpose of the interview is to determine whether or not you will fit into the organization—your personality and likability. The employer will be looking for “chemistry.” In the end, the employer wants to hire someone who is both qualified and likable.

MYTH #6: My goal in a job interview is to get the job.
REALITY: Your goal is to both give and elicit information—especially if this is your first interview with this employer—and get a second interview! You want to impress the interviewer favorably so that you will remain a candidate and be called back for another of what will probably be a series of interviews, and you also want to get information as to what the employer needs. That will both help you present your accomplishments so that they demonstrate your “fit” for the particular position and help you determine if this is a job you likely will accept if it is offered.

MYTH #7: I have all the right skills and lots of experience related to this position. It’s a cinch the job is as good as mine if I can just get the interview.
REALITY: Everyone invited to interview for a position is thought to have the requisite skills to do the job. What will set you apart from the others is how well you convince the interviewer(s) that you are the perfect “fit” for the job. You must communicate many qualities other than your skills and experience.

MYTH #8: I can’t really do much to prepare for the interview since I don’t know what questions I will be asked.
REALITY: Although you cannot know exactly what questions you will be asked, you can anticipate most of the areas they will cover. You will no doubt be asked about your accomplishments, your job progression, your personality, and if you are a recent graduate—your education. Expect to be asked questions about your strengths and weaknesses, your goals, and how you might behave in certain situations. You not only can prepare, you absolutely must prepare!

MYTH #9: I have always been able to talk my way through anything. I’ll just go into the interview and dazzle the interviewer with my verbosity.
REALITY: You may fill silence, but the verbosity will most likely come out as a “stream of consciousness” without focus. You need to be highly focused in the interview—both with your responses to questions and the targeted questions you ask. Preparation is a necessity even for those comfortable with their conversational abilities.

MYTH #10: I’ll wear something to the interview that will really get their attention and make them remember me.
REALITY: If they remember you because of what you wore to the interview, it is because you stood out. If you stood out, you did not fit in as one of them. Your attire should look professional and like the people who are interviewing you. You do not want your appearance to detract from the focus of the interview which should be on your accomplishments and “fit.”

MYTH #11: I should do most of the talking in the interview because they want to know more about me.
REALITY: You need to talk, but you also need to ask questions of the interviewer(s) and listen to the answers. The questions you ask will provide you with information you need to determine whether this job is right for you. Your questions will also impress the interviewer if they are questions geared to determining more depth about the position and the qualities needed to excel on the job. Your talk should be focused. Avoid long rambling responses.

MYTH #12: Once I get into the job interview, I should take charge so the interviewer will recognize my leadership abilities.
REALITY: In most situations this is a good way to kill your chances of being further considered for the job. In a job interview, the employer shoul
d be responsible for the structure and progression of the interview. Certainly you want to ask questions at appropriate junctures, and you may provide information that you believe will further your candidacy if it appears the interviewer is not going to ask about it. If the interviewer is particularly inept, you may subtly try to direct the line of questioning toward areas that allow you to demonstrate your strengths relative to the employer’s needs. But this must be so subtle that it never appears that you have really taken control of the interview.

MYTH #13: It is impossible to be too confident in a job interview.
REALITY: It is called being cocky, and unless one of the job qualifications is being obnoxious, it will not advance your candidacy. You want to appear self-assured and confident of your ability to do the job. You do not want to appear cocky.

MYTH #14: If I arrive late for the interview, I’ll find a good excuse—I got lost or couldn’t find a parking space.
REALITY: It is nearly impossible to recover from the negative impression made when one is late for a job interview. Employers expect you are on your best behavior for the interview. If you cannot get to the interview on time, it raises serious questions about your likelihood of getting to work on time. We know that the first five minutes of the interview are the most important; you will fail to make a good impression in the first five minutes if you are not there.

MYTH #15: If the interviewer asks about my weaknesses, I should indicate I have none.
REALITY: This response is likely to convey to the interviewer that you are less than honest, not an open communicator, or mildly delusional. Select a weakness that the interviewer already knows about, one that has no relationship to the job, or one that you have improved upon.

MYTH #16: If there is something about me that may be perceived as negative, such as that I was fired from a job, I should fully explain the situation if asked about it.
REALITY: Be honest in a way that reflects positively on you. Address the situation in a way that shows you have taken something positive from the experience—turned it into an opportunity. Keep your comments focused and brief. Don’t dwell on what happened. This is a situation where most people talk too much. And don’t disparage your former boss or company.

MYTH #17: If I am asked a clearly illegal question, I should set the interviewer straight so he or she won’t do it again.
REALITY: It may make you feel good for the moment, but it will rarely, if ever, get you the job. You might turn it around and politely indicate that it is a question you have never been asked before and you are curious as to why it is important to the job under consideration. But in most cases, if you still want an opportunity at the job, you will frame a positive response.

MYTH #18: It is best that I memorize responses to questions I expect to be asked.
REALITY: You should anticipate questions and strategize the jist of your response. Do not try to memorize your response. At best it will sound rehearsed, and at worst you will suffer a lapse of memory in the midst of your answer. You should not be concerned about the exact words you use as you respond, but rather that you follow the jist of the message you planned in response to this question.

MYTH #19: I certainly don’t want the employer to think I am desperate for a job, so I will be as low-key as possible.
REALITY: No, you do not want to appear desperate for just any job. But you do want to appear interested and enthusiastic about this job. Employers favor dynamic and energetic people who indicate genuine interest and enthusiasm with their work.

MYTH #20: I should not ask any questions until the end of the interview.
REALITY: You must validate the functional responsibilities of the position early in the interview if you are to be successful at projecting your qualifications and fit for the position.

MYTH #21: I will just answer the interviewer’s questions. I don’t want to ask any questions or he/she will think I haven’t done my homework and researched the company.
REALITY: Certainly you need to prepare by researching the organization where you will interview. You do not want to ask basic questions which some basic data gathering should have answered. However, thoughtful and thorough research should also raise questions that go beyond basics. Employers indicate that the quality of the questions the interviewees ask can be as great a determinant of a job offer as the manner in which questions were answered.

MYTH #22: If I am asked about my salary expectations, I’ll give a high figure. That way they will assume I am worth a lot.
REALITY: Try to avoid discussion of salary until there is a job offer on the table. Even then, try to get the interviewer to state a figure first. If you are in a situation where you are forced to respond, state a range based on salary comparables for the position which you gathered in preparation for the interview. The low figure (of the salary range) should not be lower than the lowest figure you are willing to accept.

MYTH #23: If I don’t get a job offer at the end of my first interview with a company, I haven’t done something right.
REALITY: Many job offers aren’t extended until after several interviews have taken place. Except for entry-level jobs, most job seekers should expect more than one interview.

MYTH #24: When they do offer me the job, the employer will want an acceptance right then and there.
REALITY: Perhaps the employer would like an immediate acceptance, but unless you are interviewing for an hourly position the employer won’t expect one. Ask for at least 24 or 48 hours to consider the offer—longer if acceptance entails a long-distance move. Use the time to carefully consider the offer as well as check on the status of your candidacy with any other employers with whom you have been interviewing.

MYTH #25: Once the interview is completed, I should thank the interviewer and go home and wait to hear from him or her.
REALITY: There are things you should do both before you leave the interview and once you get home. Before you leave the interview, ask what the next step is and the time frame. Will they be calling back candidates for additional interviews in the next week? Will they be making a hiring decision within the
next ten days? Find out. Then ask if you may call to check on your status if you haven’t heard from them by that date. When the date rolls around, make that follow-up call. If you are now out of the running, you need to know so you can re-double your efforts elsewhere. If no decision has been made your call may add to their favorable impression of you—you demonstrate that you follow-through. You may even take this opportunity to briefly summarize again your great fit for the job and your interest in it.

The same day as the interview, write a letter thanking the employer for the opportunity to interview and a summary of how your skills and accomplishments can best meet the employer’s needs. This is a business letter and should be typed or word processed on business stationery.

1."What do you do to stay in shape?"

Staying in physical shape also helps the brain function better. It really doesn’t matter if you are completely in shape or not. But being active indicates that you are not a lazy couch potato.

"I like to take long walks with my dog on a regular basis, and I also go on weekly hikes at a trail near my house."

"I work out at a gym a couple times a week. I like to stay active."

"I play for a co-ed softball team. It’s fun and it gives me a little exercise."

All these examples will work. It doesn’t have to be long but you should answer with something that indicates that you are active.

2."What do you like to do when you’re not in the office?"

This is another question where they want to find out some of your hobbies. Basically, you can answer this question similar to how you would answer, what are your hobbies.

"When I’m not in the office, I like to play golf, read magazines, and spend time with my wife."

"Well, I like the piano so I have piano lessons on a weekly basis. I also like gardening, so I work on my yard a lot. But if I want to relax, I like to watch videos at night."

Something short and simple is the best answer. No need to elaborate on why.

3."What’s the most recent book you read?"

If you are interviewing for a marketing position, don’t say you are reading a book called International Marketing Strategies. Rather, answer with a novel such as Michael Crichton books or John Grisham books. It is more realistic and shows other interests that you have.

"I just finished The Runaway Jury by John Grisham. I find all of his books very entertaining."

"I have a strong interest in World War II, so I was reading a book about Hitler. It’s quite interesting to see how he grew up and what lead him to his hatred towards the Jews."

Something simple like this will be good enough.

4."What is the most recent movie you saw?"

You can either answer by using a similar answer to the recent book question, or you can say that you don’t watch movies that much.

"The last movie I saw was The Last Samurai. I thought it was great."

"Oh gosh… it’s been a while since I’ve seen a movie. I think it was Spider Man. I like to spend my time outside, so I don’t see movies that often."

Both of these answers are fine. Whether you like to see movies or not, just tell them exactly what you think. Your answers will be more natural. If you answer these types of questions awkwardly, they might get the impression that you are uncomfortable or that you are not capable of small talk. So answer without thinking too much about these questions.

5."Did you have any trouble finding this place?"

This question is not an interview question, but a question usually asked by an interviewer right when you see them. This is especially common if the building location is hard to find. Here is another question you should tell exactly what happened.

"No problem at all. I checked for directions on the Internet and found it pretty easily."

"A little bit. I didn’t realize that there was another building back here, so I drove by a couple times, but that’s ok, I eventually found it."

With the first answer, they will say something like, that’s good. Then they will move on to other questions. If you answer with the second question, they will probably talk a little more about how he or she agrees that this building is hard to find. Either answers are acceptable.

6."Will working on weekends be a problem?"

If the interviewer is asking this question, then this position is probably going to requires some weekend work. Maybe it’s not a lot, but they want to make sure that if something goes wrong and more work is required, you will be able to work on weekends. I recommend answer by saying it will not be a problem. If you want to find out how often you will have to work weekends, you can ask it after answering the question.

"It shouldn’t be a problem at all. I frequently worked on weekends in my other position, especially during tax season. How often is weekend work required here on average?"

This answer is stating that it is no problem. It also supports the answer by saying I have worked on weekends in my previous group. And the last sentence is an example how you can ask them about weekend work.

7."How do you feel about overtime?"

If this is an hourly job, then pay is given to employees working extra hours. If it is a salary position, most of the time they will not ask this question because they expect you to work overtime. But expect this position to have some overtime requirements if the interviewer is asking this question.

"I don’t mind working overtime at all. I know during busy times people are expected to work more, and I’m flexible with my hours so I won’t have a problem."

8."Have you filed for bankruptcy?"

This question is for positions that deal with finance and money. You might see this question if you are interviewing for a banker position, a financial analyst position, or a stock broker. If money is a factor, then they want someone who is responsible with money. Just simply tell them the truth. If you have filed for bankruptcy, then you probably shouldn’t be applying for this job anyway. So I’m going to give only one answer of no.

"No. I’m very responsible with money and I have great credit."

9."Do you own or rent your home?"

Renting or owning a home sometimes indicates your financial status. Renters are usually people who do not have enough down payment for a house or people with bad credit who cannot get a loan. So it is best to have your own home, but if you don’t, then give them an answer that shows you are preparing to buy a home.

"I’m currently renting, but I plan on buying my own place next year."

"I’m renting right now, but I’ll probably buy a house when I get married."

If you own your house, then a simple, "I own my house" will be a good enough answer.

10."Do you have any outside income?"

This might be a job interview question, or it could be a question when you are talking to a creditor. In either case, you can simply reply with a yes or no. If it is a yes, then briefly tell them the other source of income.

"I get paid child support from my ex-husband."
"I have a rental property."

"No. I do not."

11."Do you earn any income from investments or hobbies?"

If you are active in the stock market, then you can mention something like that. Another income from investment is from your savings account or mutual funds. Whatever it is, simply tell them what it is.

"I have a savings account that I earn a little extra income from."
"I have some mutual funds that perform about 8% a year."
"I have some investments in the stock market."

12."Are you able to make frequent business trips?"
"Are you willing to travel?"

If they are asking this, then this position probably requires some traveling. If you say no, then you probably won’t get hired because they want someone who is able to travel. But depending on your job, you will already know if it requires traveling or not.

"I know as an auditor that I’ll have to make business trips. So I’m definitely willing to travel."

"I don’t have any problems with traveling."

13."Are you willing to relocate?"

This is a tough question because relocating means moving to a completely new area. It might be ok to answer with a no, but I would answer with a maybe. Here is an example.

"I guess it would depend on the location and the pay. If everything is the same, I would rather stay here because this is where I grew up. But I would be willing to consider it."

This answer is not saying yes or no. This is saying maybe in a polite way. Don’t answer with a direct maybe. That is bad. Instead use something similar to my example. If you are willing to relocate, it is an easy answer.

"I love change and I’d definitely be willing to relocate."

14."May I contact your current employer?"

This all depends on if your current employer knows that you are searching for another job. If you are not employeed, they might ask if they can contact your former employer. Regardless, the best answer is to say yes. If not, then they will think you have something to hide.

"Yes. Do you have their contact information?"

15."May I contact your references?"

The only correct answer to this question is a yes. If they have your references, then a simple yes will be enough. If they do not, then answer yes and offer them a list.

"Sure. After the interview, I can email or fax you a list of references. Will that be ok?"

16."Is there anything else I should know?"
"Is there anything else you want to add?"

Adding one more sentence to state one more thing never hurts. But choose carefully because it is their last impression of you. If you felt you didn’t show that much enthusiasm, here is your chance. Or if you feel that they didn’t ask you about one of your strong traits, you have a chance to state it.

"I don’t know if I expressed it that well, but I’m very excited about this position. I’m confident that I can do very well here."

"One final trait that I have that would be perfect for this position is my organizational skills. I’m very detailed and plan very well."

17."What kind of salary are you looking for?"
"What pay range are you looking for?"

There are a couple of ways to answer this. If you state a figure, you risk stating something that is too high, or something that is too low. Either case, you will not benefit from this question. A lot of people suggest saying something like, "I’m sure whatever I’m offered will be a fair price." But I don’t agree. It is a safe answer, but if I was the interviewer, I would appreciate numbers instead of a safe answer. So I recommend answering this question with a range. I’ll explain this more in the negotiation portion, but just in case you skip that section, here are some examples.

"I’m expecting somewhere between $50,000 - $60,000."

If you know the pay for the position you are applying for. Then giving a figure is not that bad. Just state something a little higher with a small range included

"I know that the average pay for this position is roughly around $45,000, but because I have a couple years more experience, I would want something around $48,000 to $50,000."

If the salary range is already included in the job description, then you can answer that you are willing to consider any offers stated in the job description.

"The job description says that the salary will be around $45,000 to $53,000. I think it’s a fair range."

18."That’s a high salary for this position! Where did you come up with that figure?"

If you said a figure that was too high, you might here this question from the interviewer. This is not good because they would only ask this if the figure you stated was too high. So I would first justify the larger figure and explain that would consider a little less.

"I have three more years of experience that will help a lot. I also have a college degree that is not stated as a requirement. But if the figure is too high, I would consider something a little less."

20."When are you able to start?"

If you are not working, then you are able to start immediately. But saying immediately sounds too desperate so tell them next Monday or something. If you are currently employed, then you have to show that you are responsible by giving your current employer a two week notice.

"I’ll be able to start as early as next Monday."

"I have to give my current employer a two week notice so I could start immediately after that."

21."Are you considering any other offers right now?"

This question is not asking if you got an offer or not. It is asking if you are considering it. Regardless, you can tell them the truth.

"I’m not considering any of my offers right now."

"I was considering an offer I received last week, but I don’t think I will be accepting that position."

"I’m thinking about an offer I have, but I want to keep my options open."

19."How much do you currently get paid?"

I don’t think you can lie about this question. It’s easy to find out the truth. I would recommend saying exactly how much you made.

"I was paid $50,000 a year plus an 8% bonus."

"I received $27.50 an hour at my last position."

22.Asking Questions

Most of the time, the person interviewing you will ask if you have any questions. It is important that you ask intelligent and relevant questions. Make sure you prepare some questions before you interview so you can learn more about the company and the position. Here is a small list of questions you can ask. Feel free to create more of your own.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Does this job usually lead to other positions at the company?"
"Tell me some of the skills that you want in a candidate for this position."
"What are the people I’ll be working with like?"
"What do you like the most about this company and why?"

"How is this company doing in comparison with competitors?"
"I know of products x and y, does the company plan to introduce any new products?"
"What is the company doing to maintain its market strength?"
"How many employees work for this company?"

"What has been the company’s layoff history in recent years?"
"Do you know of any anticipated cutbacks in any departments in the near future?"
"What major problems has the company recently faced?"
"What type of training do you provide here?"

"What do you like best about this company?"
"What position title will I be reporting to?"
"What other departments does this department work closely with?"
"What kind of training should I expect?"

"How long is the training program?"
"How did this position become available?"
"Is a written job description available?"
"Please describe a typical day for this position."

"How long has this position been available?"
"How many candidates have you interviewed for this position?"
"How many total candidates will you be interviewing for this position?"
"Do you interview a large number of people before making an offer to a person, or do you make an offer to the first person who is qualified?"

"What type of hardware and software will I be working with?"
"What will my workstation be like? Will it be an office, a cubicle, or a desk?"
"What opportunities for advancement are available here?"