Tell me about a difficult engineering problem you have encountered and how you made it through it.

Being able to overcome complex challenges is a critical skill computer hardware engineers need to possess. Not only is the Cisco interviewer interested in your ability to do this, but they also want to hear about the details of how you accomplished it. When answering questions like these, you can use the STAR format. Briefly state the Situation, talk about the Task you needed to complete, discuss the Actions you took, then provide details of the Results you achieved. Using this framework will help you respond to any question which requires you to tell a story. Additionally, having your stories prepared in advance will make the Cisco interview easier and more effective.