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A computer network technician is typically referred to as a network technician. People who have this job title manage a network system of computers and their responsibilities can include installation, operations, maintenance, upgrades, fixes, and other diagnostic tasks on computers and network equipment.
They can work in a company and specialize in that organization’s equipment. They can also work for a large-scale provider of technology and help a broad base of consumers, this might include individuals at home, keeping their technology in working condition.
It’s an important job, it requires a lot of technical expertise, and it can be very rewarding. Whether it’s your first job or you’re switching careers or companies, these interview questions and answer examples will help you land a job as a network technician.
Key Takeaways:
Network technician candidates should research the organization and the position to be able to answer questions the interviewer may ask, as well as ask questions to the interviewer.
Interviewers should create network technician behavioral interview questions to assess the candidates teamwork and interpersonal skills along with how they may handle specific situations.
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Please note that we are giving you sample questions and answers. This is no guarantee that these will be the exact questions you will be asked but they will help you prepare for your interview. Likewise, we’ll give you possible answers, but you’ll have to answer the questions honestly and as they apply to your experiences.
Tell me about yourself. This is a common interview question typically asked at the start of an interview. Your answer should highlight your relevant experiences and skills
Example Answer:
I have eight years of experience as a network technician. Thorough out my career, I have worked with various network technologies, including routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless access points.
In my previous role, I actively participated in network design and implementations projects and collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet business requirements. I am a team player with excellent communication that allows me to collaborate with colleagues.
I am excited about the opportunity to apply my technical expertise and problem-solving abilities to contribute to the success of your organization and your success.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? It's important to be honest and thoughtful when talking about your strengths and weaknesses. Your answer should highlight your relevant strengths, and how you are improving in any areas of weakness.
Example Answer:
My greatest strength would be my attention to detail. I have a meticulous approach to network administration to ensure accurate demonstration. It also allows proper device configurations and thorough testing before deploying any changes.
My weakness would be my time management. There are often multiple tasks and priorities that are competing for attention. To help improve this, I am implementing strategies such as task prioritizing and using productivity tools to help me manage my time better.
Why do you want to work here? The interviewer will often ask this question to see how much research you have done on the position and organization. Your answer should demonstrate your genuine interest in the organization and try to align your values with the company values.
Example Answer:
I want to work here because I am drawn to your organizations commitment to technological innovations. You prioritize staying at the forefront of advancements in networking technologies and embracing new solutions to drive operational efficiency.
I am also impressed by your organization's reputation for a collaborative and supportive work environment. I believe collaboration leads to success and it helps provide opportunities for professional growth and learning from peers.
Where do you see yourself in five years? The interviewer will ask this to get an understanding of what your career goals are and how their organization fits in. Your answer should convey your career aspirations and goals and be sure to emphasize your commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
Example Answer:
In five years, I hope to expand my expertise in areas such as network design, implementation, and security. I plan on taking on more complex projects and assuming greater responsibilities in managing and optimizing network infrastructure.
My ultimate goal is to make a significant impact in your organization's network infrastructure, contributing to its growth and success. I am also excited about the potential growth opportunities this organization offers.
How do you deal with conflicts at work? The interviewer is looking to see how you navigate and resolve conflict. Your answer should highlight how you approach conflict resolution and how you use your communication and collaboration skills to fix issues within the job.
Example Answer:
When dealing with conflicts at work, I think approaching the situation with communication and active listening is the first step in resolving the conflict. I try to understand the root cause and perspectives of all parties involved.
I try to remain calm and respectful throughout the process. I avoid assigning blame and I try to encourage a problem-solving mindset. My main goal is to maintain a positive and collaborative work environment.
What skills and knowledge do you have that have prepared you for a job as a network technician? Try to hit on both your hard and soft skills when answering this question. In many situations, this job requires you to communicate with other people.
Sometimes you’ll simply be listening to them to gather information. In other situations, you may have to instruct them so that a problem can be fixed.
No matter which situation you’re in, having communication skills and being understanding and thorough are just as important as knowing the technical ins and outs of the job.
I am completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science in a month and have taken all of the courses necessary to be a network technician. I consistently rank at the top of my class and am on track to graduate with honors. Also, my instructors have always said that I communicate well and am easy to understand. I believe my technical knowledge combined with my love of teaching people makes me an ideal network technician.
Explain Active Directory. This is a straightforward knowledge question and it’s just one example. You may encounter many of them. You should expect something like this and should be able to answer thoroughly and in a confident manner.
The interviewer doesn’t want to know how Active Directory works or what it’s used for so there’s no need to go into great detail. They’re checking to see if you know how to answer the question and know your stuff. Confidence is everything here.
Active Directory stores information about network components. It is where you’ll turn to look for user accounts and passwords and you can use it to manage accounts and passwords, like if you want to add or delete them or change passwords.
What is bus topology? Just like the last question, this one is looking to see what your basic knowledge is. Answer it well, making sure to display your knowledge.
Bus topology connects workstations to the servers with bus cables. It’s a great option for many companies because it is less expensive than other options and there is better security than with a wireless network. But for a technician, like me, they can require more maintenance and skill to handle.
Describe what a switch is to you. This should be easy to answer for people in the field. People who do not have professional expertise will have a harder time answering this question accurately.
In my work world, switches are everything. They’re the network devices that handle communication routing and the connections between devices. They’re the first place you check when there’s a connection problem in the system.
Are you familiar with VPN? Most companies now use them, especially with more and more people working from home. If you haven’t had the experience yet, it’s important that you at least know what one is.
Yes, our company was using VPNs long before COVID, so we already had a protocol in place for them to access our network remotely. My company deals with large amounts of secure information so we must protect it as much as possible. That said, it simply wasn’t practical for them to insist people always be onsite.
I take it from that answer that you’re comfortable working with wireless networks. What do you think is a drawback of this set-up? If you answered that you are familiar with VPNs and using them, then you know about wireless. But even if you didn’t answer that way, you should know what benefits and downfalls there are with wireless networks.
I’m very familiar with wireless networks and I like it because it’s so convenient and there seem to be fewer problems, especially when it comes to adding more connections or users. Of course, the downfall is that it’s much easier to hack them. From my perspective as a network technician, wireless is the way to go but I understand why our legal department has fears.
I want to speed up network performance. What would you do to help me? Do you know how to speed up a network? If you do this is the time to show off your knowledge base.
It all depends on what you’re doing on your computer. Using a lot of media, peer-to-peer downloading, compression files – these are all things that can slow down your network. You can also clear your cache or check your tech to make sure it’s in good working order. Finally, a new internet plan or provider can help.
Do you work in a heterogeneous or homogeneous work environment? Basic knowledge question. You should be able to answer it and elaborate a bit.
At this point, I think all work environments, or at least most, are heterogeneous. The tech world is so complicated that homogeneous is hard to find. Because my current employer is very diversified, we have a lot of different technologies that we have to be familiar with: desktops, laptops, Mac, Windows, and then different programs and platforms. It’s very confusing for sure and we all try to stay on top of tech as much as possible.
How do you stay on top of technology and trends? Are you a true tech-geek? If so, this is where you can show off all the groups you belong to, all the e-zines you read, the conferences you attend – let them have it.
I belong to seven different tech societies and read everything I can on the topic. We also have in-office workshops each week to share news and events. Sometimes they’re short and sometimes they can last several hours, especially if someone includes a “show-and-tell” portion. In addition to all of that, I guess I just am always looking for information because this is something I’m passionate about.
If I were to call you with a problem, what steps would you take to solve it? This can be a difficult question to answer if they don’t give you a specific issue to base your question around, but you should still be able to answer. This one is about the process but it’s also a test of your technical and soft skills.
The process itself may vary by company so that’s not always important but there can be individualized parts, and they’ll get insight into your work habits.
In this situation, I gather as much information from you as possible. I like to take notes as we go, so I can refer back to them if necessary. If I can quickly identify the problem, I begin to correct it. If I do not understand what is going on, I will try to replicate the issue to see if that gives me any more insight.
Finally, if I cannot figure out what the problem is, I escalate it to a senior technician. If I was able to fix the problem, I try to do the action from the beginning just to confirm that the fix worked.
Let’s look at a specific problem: If I can’t access the internet, how do you help me? This should be something you’ve dealt with or been trained to deal with. It should be a nice comfortable question and you can answer in as much detail as you feel is needed.
First, I’d determine how you were accessing, whether you’re wired or wireless. Then we’d go through the steps together to determine where the failure is. Often, it’s a low signal or a simple user error.
If that doesn’t seem to be where the problem lies, then I begin using a ping test and other diagnostic programs to see if I can find the hangup and create a solution. Of course, there are many different problems and solutions. But the first step is always to go through it with the caller and see if it’s a simple user error.
What do you see as the pros of this profession? What made you choose this field? You might want to anticipate being asked what some of the cons are also. These questions help them see your approach to the profession and what things you might do better or have problems with.
I have always loved technology and have a natural inclination for it. For a while, I considered being a teacher and going into some sort of technical or computer teaching program, but I decided I like the idea of being a network technician better. I like that I could get through school much faster with this degree and begin working in the field. It does seem like the perfect way for me to pair my interests in a profession that helps people. I also get paid to stay on top of trends that interest me.
What do you do when you have a large amount of work or many problems happening at once? If you have not had any real-world experience at this point, explain what you think you’d do. In this case, our answer above is a good reference point.
If you do have experience in the field, make sure you answer in a way that reflects your actual process and experience.
I understand that this career ebbs and flows. When there are a lot of issues, they often are related, so taking the information and processing as much of it as possible may lead to a solution that solves several problems at once. I think it’s important, in these situations, to communicate well with others on my team because the issues, solutions, and concerns may all be interconnected. If they’re not, then I have to prioritize the critical problems over others and tackle them in a top-down fashion.
Your position often requires that you work alone or in a one-on-one environment. How do you feel about that? This not only gauges how you work but also is a way to determine how you interact with others. The old misconception about IT people being antisocial is still out there, so it might be a good idea to address it.
I find that working alone helps me get to a solution more quickly if I know what steps I need to take. When there’s a very confusing issue at hand, I like to call in my team to get their input. I find that teamwork can play a big role in being successful in this business. I also enjoy working with people one-on-one but they’re often very frustrated so it typically takes a little work to get them to calm down and to let them know that I’m going to do my best as quickly as possible to fix the problem.
What do you see as the future of your field? It’s an interesting question and there’s no right answer. They might just want to gauge how much you’re paying attention to trends.
I think more automation is coming down the road, which means fewer jobs for people like me, but I’m hoping to continue to learn and grow and move into a senior position. I think there will always be a need for senior network technicians and engineers. While automation and computer-aided diagnostics are important and pretty cool, people are still at the core of the solution, especially when people are also on the other end of technology.
Can you explain the difference between TCP and UDP protocols? When would you choose one over the other for a network application?
Walk me through how you would troubleshoot and resolve issues related to network connectivity.
What is subnetting, and why is it important in networking?
Can you describe the process of setting up a VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) and its purpose in a network infrastructure?
How do you ensure network security?
What is the purpose of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) in a network?
How would you diagnose and troubleshoot network latency issues? What tools or techniques would you use to identify the source of latency?
Explain the concept of Quality of Service (QoS) in networking. How can it be implemented to prioritize specific types of network traffic?
What is a firewall, and how does it enhance network security? Discuss different types of firewalls and their functionalities.
Can you explain the process of network device configuration and management? What protocols or methods would you use to remotely manage network devices?
You’re already taking great steps forward in your efforts to get this job. If you have the qualifications and required training for a job, researching this will help you get an interview and get hired. Try these other tips to better your odds of getting the job.
As a Candidate:
Dress to impress. Looking like a professional not only makes it easier for the interviewer to picture you working at their company, it also shows respect. If you don’t know how to dress for a job interview, do some research or ask around.
Research the company. It’s always important to know something about the company before you’re interviewed. This can save you from embarrassing gaffes during your interview. It will also impress the interviewer and it proves that you’re interested in the job.
Reference job posting materials. If you’ve been asked in for an interview, then you’ve probably applied to a job posting, sent a resume and a cover letter. It’s a good idea to go back to this information and reread it. There’s a good chance you’ve been applying to a lot of jobs and it’s hard to keep them all straight.
Ask questions. A job interview isn’t just about you being asked questions. The best interviews are a bit of a give and take. That’s why you must come up with a few questions before you go in for the interview.
While you’re in the interview, if you have other questions, make sure you ask them. This shows that you’re engaged and interested and considering the position as a part of your future.
As an Interviewer:
Develop interview questions. This should be a combination of common, technical and network technician behavioral questions. These questions should be specific to the organization and job position.
Review the candidate's resume. Before the interview, review the candidate's resume and familiarize yourself with their qualifications. Reviewing their resume will also help you create specific questions relating to the candidate and their resume.
Have an understanding of the role. You should have an understanding of the role and what skills and qualifications are needed for the job to run smoothly. You should also get refreshed on network technologies and protocols for the industry.
Be prepared to answer questions. The candidate should have questions relating to the position and organization. You should have excellent knowledge of the organization and specifics of the position.
All job searches are stressful events. The best thing you can do to make your search more successful is to prepare and research. Doing this at the outset helps you narrow down your search to the best jobs for great companies. It also helps you tailor your application to fit their needs and get more attention.
When you get to that job interview, being prepared helps you answer completely and with confidence. This will impress the interviewer and make the process go more smoothly. Likewise, practicing interview questions that are specific to the job of network technician will help you present yourself in the best light.
The above questions are a good start, and our answers should help you come up with your personalized answers. Make sure you consider questions specific to your job and general ones as well.