Job interview and technical exam - Thu

opethdisciple · 24 Nov 2015 at 21:24

Linux and career options (was job related)

Hi Guys.

I've passed round one of the interview process for a new job in cluding a basic 10 question technical exam. On Thu I have the final round. It will be a panel of 3 and a technical exam.

The position is for a junior Linux role providing 1st line and 2nd line support in a Linux environment. I believe the desktop infrastructure is windows.

Any tips on what questions they could possibly ask?

opethdisciple · 24 Nov 2015 at 22:12

memyselfandi said:
Possible things:
What software would you use to log into a server?
How would see the ip-address of a server from the console
LVM
Package management
User creation
List content of print queue
List/edit cronjob
Where are the system logs

From a non-technical front incident and change management, documentation.

I haven't looked these up:

What software would you use to log into a server?
SSH, Telnet

How would see the ip-address of a server from the console
ifconfig

LVM

Package management

User creation
adduser
passwd

List content of print queue
lpq -P nameofprinter

List/edit cronjob

Where are the system logs
var/log/messages

opethdisciple · 24 Nov 2015 at 23:55

One question they asked me in the first round which I got wrong or not correct was something like:

You've received a call from a user saying that when they login none of the network shares are connecting. What could be the problem?

I didn't know if they meant windows network shares or samba shares....

opethdisciple · 26 Nov 2015 at 12:47

Any one know of any good Linux Linux cram videos on YouTube?

A series of stuff I can watch over the weekend, that touches on the basic concepts in a Linux infrastructure.

The urban penguin seems quick good.

opethdisciple · 26 Nov 2015 at 17:54

Quartz said:
You're interviewing for a junior role. You're not expected to know everything. What they'll be looking for will be aptitude, a willingness to learn.

I hope so, as it's a massive bump in my wages.

opethdisciple · 27 Nov 2015 at 17:33

I'm gonna miss my current place of work. Been here 8 years now.

These people are my friends. It's got a family vibe to it.

It's casual, I can come in late and not get in to too much trouble.

However I have out grown the role and four full time admins means there isn't enough of the interesting stuff to go round.

Plus new place is going to pay me around 8-15k more dependant on how much training they think I need.

It's scary to think one day soon I will hand in my notice and then, one day walk out the building for the last time. But I cant be sentimental about this. Business is business right?!!

I have to think about me.

(And new place provide training. Which current work place doesn't)

opethdisciple · 9 Dec 2015 at 20:17

They offered me the role, but I didn't like the place, so boring and bland. Where I work currently is way more fun and interesting.

I've since spoken to my manager and aired a lot of my issues. We also spoke of money and he said he will see what he can do. I have only asked for what I'm worth in the open market.

---

I actually wanted to speak about my career direction.

At the moment where I work is all open source. We only use Widows for the desktop and as VM's running anti virus/WSUS's etc....

I've been here 8 years now. I'm going to stay for one more year. But next year I am going to study. As all my experience is in Linux this has sort of rail roaded me in to this career path. I don't feel like there is any point in going and doing any MS certificates as I don't have daily exposure to MS Server and exchange etc....

My plan is to study for the LPIC level 1 and 2 to start off with. I also want to study for the Cisco CCNA. I feel like with these under my belt, this would be a good platform to build on.

I am very interested in the CCNA security cert. Although I could also go on and do some of the LPIC 3 material.

I want to move away from end user support which is what I do currently. I would say my role is 1st and 2nd line.

Am I on the right lines above with my plans?

---

Just to add, I don't think passing the LPIC1, LPIC2 AND the CCNA in one year is feasible.

But if I can get the LPIC1 & 2 done (4 exams) that would be very good.

opethdisciple · 2 Feb 2016 at 00:50

T4HO said:
Congratulations for getting into your dream career you wanted to do for so long. May I have asked you how have you "dived" into 1st/2nd line support if you don't mind me asking ?

Are you referring to me?

Is so the way I managed to get in was by doing a degree in IT (was actually a Masters in Information Technology, but in reality was a conversion degree as my undergraduate was Politics and sociology)

After all of that however I was going round in circles being told I was either over qualified or didn't have enough experience.

What helped me get a little bit of experience on my CV was interning for free at places. I was lucky that one of my Dad's customers owns his own IT outsourcing company so I went down to work for him for a month. Learnt nothing really, but it gave me something solid to put on a CV.

After that I eventually I got lucky and was hired by my current employer.

I've been working in 1st/2nd line now for 8 years with them. I didn't get the job mentioned in this thread.

Although the money was 8-15k more than I earn now, I think I came on too strong as what they said to recruitment agent was that they felt I already had the skills they where looking for. :confused:

In other words they thought the role was beneath me.... (even tho paying a lot more)

This year my plan is to study Linux. (My current role is open source so makes sense)

I'm going to study the LPIC 1 and 2 and then after that lot do the CCNA.

Lots of Linux roles I've seen also mention they would like people to be CCNA qualified.

So that's how I started and how I plan to proceed.