Post #161,661
6/25/04 6:10:08 PM
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Need a PFY screening test.
I've got this guy I know kinda sorta, who wants to break into the IT industry. No prior work in the industry, but lotsa booklarnin', plus he builds his own computers.
He wants a job at our helpdesk, and I'm willing to give him a helping hand - IF he can prove to me that he's not all book and [link|http://www.hardocp.com|[H]ardocp] overclocker, and actually can be useful around the place. His primary role would be end user phone support...
Any questions (especially open-ended ones) that you can toss my way would be helpful.
Couple I've come up with:
1. You're setting up workstations for a new company. Initially, the company will have about 20 workstations, but you anticipate eventual growth to around 500. What kind of computers do you get? From whom? Assume around $1000 per computer. (This is to avoid the "d00d, let's custom build a lotta crap" type person)
2. You encounter a problem that you can't solve out of your own personal knowledge. What steps do you take to further research the issue?
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
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Post #161,663
6/25/04 6:22:36 PM
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how do you solve a problem?
excluding computers, tell me a generic way to solve a problem that could be used by a cab driver, carpenter or bartender. What is the investigative process? Never get the same answer twice and is interesting insight.
Your customer is Irate shouting and demanding that something be fixed now but it isnt broken, it the process the end user is doing that is causing an issue.
a couple of ideas,
also hork a couple of registry problems for him to solve.
thanx,
bill
Anchorage AK: House for sale 3 bed 1 bath 1440 sq feet huge lot near Cheney Lake 175K FSBO 813.273.3518
I wondered what Darwinian moment had to effect itself before we devolved from children flying paper flags in the sky to half formed creatures thundering in a wall of horns down the road to Roncevaux. James Lee Burke
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
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Post #161,664
6/25/04 6:23:03 PM
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Re: Need a PFY screening test.
"I understand you want to be on our helpdesk!"
"Uh, yeah."
"Well, I assume you know your hardware or you wouldn't be sitting there, so let's get right to the ambiguous questions!"
"OK dude!"
"Right! OK, you've tried everything you know to help a customer and the problem isn't solved. What now?"
"OK, like, I'd just say 'Sorry dude! your machine's hosed!'"
"Well that wouldn't work..."
"Oh yeah man, when it's over it's over, dude!"
"No, it wouldn't work. At this point you have to move them to the next support level. That is your job - to decide what goes up the ladder of support. Time is our enemy, son. Our job is to budget our time."
"Uh, OK. Does this mean I don't get flex time?"
"When can you start?"
"Anytime dude! AlRIGGHHHHT!"
-drl
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Post #161,665
6/25/04 6:24:56 PM
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One that I use
Ask the person to describe a technical problem they recently ran into, and ask for an explanation of how they tracked down and solved the problem.
Asking for a specific incident tends to get at details that help you judge that person's problem-solving techniques.
Cheers,
Ben
To deny the indirect purchaser, who in this case is the ultimate purchaser, the right to seek relief from unlawful conduct, would essentially remove the word consumer from the Consumer Protection Act
- [link|http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?NewsID=1246&Page=1&pagePos=20|Nebraska Supreme Court]
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Post #161,675
6/25/04 7:34:06 PM
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What other jobs has he had?
Has he worked with people? Has he had to explain things step-by-step to a novice?
Why does he want a job in IT?
Does he know when he needs help?
General stuff like that.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #161,678
6/25/04 7:53:59 PM
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also have him define the difference between
getting it working and getting it fixed and describe when one is more advantageous than another.
thanx,
bill
Anchorage AK: House for sale 3 bed 1 bath 1440 sq feet huge lot near Cheney Lake 175K FSBO 813.273.3518
I wondered what Darwinian moment had to effect itself before we devolved from children flying paper flags in the sky to half formed creatures thundering in a wall of horns down the road to Roncevaux. James Lee Burke
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
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Post #161,710
6/26/04 3:55:39 AM
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Re: Need a PFY screening test.
"How's your home network set up?"
This is a good question on a number of levels.
It's open; it's a good icebreaker; it's technical.
Peter
[link|http://www.debian.org|Shill For Hire]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Blog]
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Post #162,202
6/30/04 1:55:57 AM
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Ask him how he would differentiate ....
... between a hardware fault and a software fault.
Wade.
Is it enough to love
Is it enough to breathe
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
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Is it enough to die
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be Anything but Ordinary
Please
| -- "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne. |
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Post #162,275
6/30/04 2:14:55 PM
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That's easy
Look around for whether there is an engineer or a programmer around. If neither is around, say what you want. If one is around, blame the other. If both are around, blame Microsoft.
:-)
Cheers,
Ben
To deny the indirect purchaser, who in this case is the ultimate purchaser, the right to seek relief from unlawful conduct, would essentially remove the word consumer from the Consumer Protection Act
- [link|http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?NewsID=1246&Page=1&pagePos=20|Nebraska Supreme Court]
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Post #162,282
6/30/04 2:38:14 PM
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I usually just cut to the chase. :)
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