Interview Transcript

Introduction

Interviewer: Hi, thanks for coming in. Before we jump into my technical questions, I'd like to know a bit more about you. Tell me, why are you interested in this position?

Candidate: When I came into college, I was a pre-med major, and eventually, I took an introduction to IT course. After that course, I realized how impactful IT was and became more curious about how computers work and why they break. I changed my major to IT after that class. After two years of being in the major, I got a job at the IT services [inaudible] where I was able to help students with their computer issues. I believe having this job will allow me to advance my knowledge and troubleshooting skills, and also learn new things.

Interviewer: That's great. Can you tell me what, in particular, you find appealing about IT?

Candidate: I like IT because it allows me to be very creative and hone in on my problem-solving skills. It's also very broad, with various career trajectories such as database management, software engineering, IT support, and networking.

Question 1: Handling a Time-Sensitive Issue

Interviewer: Let's get started with our first question. Let's say that you're the only person supporting a help desk, and you're currently helping me with an issue when a VP walks in and asks you for help. They say they have a presentation to give in 15 minutes. How would you handle this situation?

Candidate: I would prioritize issues based on severity, and it seems that the VP's issue is a bit more time-sensitive. I would ask you if it's okay for me to help out the VP.

Interviewer: That's fair. I'm okay with that. Now, how would you help the VP?

Candidate: I would want to get the VP up and running as soon as possible. I would offer them a spare laptop, and in the meantime, I would fix their computer while they're at the meeting.

Question 2: Dealing with a Critical Issue

Interviewer: Let me rewind for a second and change things up. What if you were helping me, and my issue was actually very critical and part of a larger issue affecting a number of users, such as our wireless network having issues? How would you handle that?

Candidate: If I could help the VP right away by offering a spare laptop, I would do that. But if that's not the case, I would let the VP know that the issue I'm dealing with is more severe because it affects the business. I hope the VP would be understanding, and I would probably have to have a co-worker come and help the VP, or I could suggest rescheduling their meeting if possible.

Interviewer: That's great. I think that's fair, and you're right. We should take into account what's most important to the business in that type of scenario. Good job.

Conclusion

In this scenario, we saw Candice deliver her elevator pitch and show why she's passionate about IT and becoming an IT support specialist. We also saw one typical complication of troubleshooting problems: getting priorities right. Time-sensitive issues usually have higher priority, but issues that are preventing a large number of users from getting work done should be dealt with first, even if the person asking for help is a director or a VP.

That's it for now. See you again at the end of the next course.