30 Senior Technical Support Engineer Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Senior Technical Support Engineer interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. Do you hold daily standup meetings with your team, and if so, why are they important?
How to Answer
Standup meetings are a component of the Agile methodology. However, this same technique can be used in any profession in which a team needs to accomplish daily tasks or advance their progress on a project. As an IT professional, you are expected to be familiar with this term and to incorporate it in some manner into your operations. Interviewers will likely ask you about this to see how organized you are and how you manage your team.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"I do hold daily standup meetings with my team to review our tasks for that day, the progress we made during the previous day, and any upcoming events or projects we need to be aware of. This also allows the team to give me feedback and make suggestions on how we could better perform our duties. I also attend standup meetings with my department heads to apprise them of my team's activities and gain additional direction. I've found us to be a helpful technique was adopted for my Agile training."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
2. Can you define OSI and provide an example?
How to Answer
Within the information technology or IT industry, there are thousands of commonly used acronyms. Senior technical support engineers will often use these in conversations to save time since other technical support personnel clearly understand what they mean. You are very likely to be asked about many of these during the interview for this role. However, you should never respond to a question using acronyms or terminology the interviewer may not be familiar with. One of the things the interviewer is looking to learn about you is your communication style and ability to discuss the technical concepts with other people in the organization who do not have a technology background. Keep this in mind when answering any question, even those about the acronyms.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"The term OSI stands for open system interconnection. It describes how messages should be conveyed between any two nodes or devices within a network. It is made up of several layers, and each layer provides services to the layer above. A well-known OSI is TCP/IP, which stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is the standard protocol in most networks and consists of five layers, each of which performs a specific function."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
3. Please detail the sequence of steps performed by the computer's bios when a computer is turned on.
How to Answer
When diagnosing and resolving technical issues with computer systems and related hardware and software, you need to be aware of every process performed by the devices and the symptoms which indicate they have failed. The most basic process a computer performs is during the bootup sequence. This is when it verifies its functionality, sets up parameters, and loads the software and hardware connections needed to operate. Diagnosing these, recognizing issues, and resolving them is a vital part of your job.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"I am very familiar with the sequence of the steps the bios performs when a computer is first turned on. These are critical to the function of a computer because they verify its operations and sets up the parameters and computer needs to function properly. While these vary slightly depending on cycle processor, typically, they include:
Checking the CMOS where the Bios is stored for custom settings
Loading the interrupt handlers and device drivers
Initializing registers and power management setting
Performing the power-on self-test, or POST
Initiating the display system settings
Determining which devices are bootable
Initializing the bootstrap sequence"
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
4. Can you describe the different types of firewalls you may find in a typical network topology?
How to Answer
This question presupposes two things. The first is that you are familiar with networking and the systems and components it contains. The second is that your knowledge is sufficient to describe the different types of firewalls used within a network topology. As a senior technical support engineer, you are expected to know a broad range of computer systems, software, and technology. Since networks are a critical component of any organization's IT infrastructure, you need to be intimately familiar with the technology they employ and any issues that may occur and that you need to address. Obtaining additional advanced Cisco network certifications will further enhance your qualifications.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"I am familiar with eight different types of firewalls. They all vary in their general structure and functions. These include:
Hardware Firewalls
Software Firewalls
Cloud Firewalls
Packet-filtering Firewalls
Circuit-level gateways
Stateful Inspection Firewalls
Proxy Firewalls
Next-gen Firewalls"
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
5. Please describe the BOOT.INI file in Microsoft Windows and discuss what it is used for.
How to Answer
This question seeks to understand your knowledge of older operating systems. Many technical support engineers, especially those who recently graduated from a formal education or tech school, are more familiar with the most current operating systems, hardware, and applications than older versions of these. However, many organizations still use legacy systems and software in their IT infrastructure. A senior technical support engineer needs to be familiar with a wide variety of IT assets. As with any question, if you're not familiar with this, admit it and then describe how you would go about acquiring the information you need to answer the question.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"BOOT.INI is a Microsoft initialization file containing the boot options for the older versions of Microsoft Windows, including NT, 2000 and XP. It is always located on the primary hard drive's root directory, known as the 'C' drive. BOOT.INI has two sections. The first is the boot loader section, which contains option settings applicable to all boot entries for the system. These include default, timeout, and others. The second section contains boot entries for each bootable program or the computer's operating system."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
6. In your opinion, what are some of the characteristics a technical support engineer should possess?
How to Answer
An interviewer will ask you this type of question because you are expected to recruit, screen, hire, and onboard junior support engineers. Even though you may not formally be a manager, you will be involved in the hiring process as a senior technical support engineer, even if it's just to interview the candidates. Knowing about the characteristics and skills a technical support engineer should possess is vital. The best way to be prepared for this question is to carefully review the job descriptions of junior technical support engineers before going to the interview.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"I believe that some of the key skills a technical support engineer should possess include:
Having a detailed knowledge of computer systems, including hardware, software, and network topology.
They should have good problem-solving skills and methodologies to work through an issue to a resolution quickly and efficiently.
They should be aware of the latest trends in information technology and how to integrate these into the organization's technology strategy.
They should be attentive to details and able to concentrate when trying to solve an issue.
They should enjoy working with people and have strong communication skills.
They should be curious and have a passion for continuous learning.
They should be flexible and adaptable, and willing to work at nontraditional times."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
7. What is a heat sink, how is it used in a computer system, and what technical issues could it be related to?
How to Answer
Computer Systems have hundreds if not thousands of components, all of which contribute to the system's functionality and can cause issues that technical support teams need to address. While you can't possibly be intimately familiar with each of these, you should know all the major ones and the problems they may create if they fail. This will help you quickly diagnose and resolve issues when users contact you. You can always reference these in online manuals and other resources; however, knowing them firsthand will help you quickly know where to look for the answers you need.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"A heat sink is a component of a computer system which moves heat away from other components, thereby keeping the system cool and functioning. If a heat sink were to fail, the attached component would heat up and possibly fail. Symptoms that indicate issues with a heat sink include the CPU or other chips slowing down or malfunctioning, the computer fan being constantly on, and the computer shutting itself down due to overheating. Heat sink issues are normally resolved by reattaching the heat sink to the component or replacing it."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
8. Why would you recommend that a user purchase a processor which has more cache memory?
How to Answer
In addition to resolving issues, a senior technical support engineer is expected to make recommendations to optimize a piece of hardware or software. This requires in-depth knowledge of everything IT-related, including the hardware, software, network, and other IT infrastructure components. When making a recommendation, you should have a good sound rationale to support your recommendation and explain it is simple to understand non-technical terminology to the user. You may also be requested to make formal presentations to the senior leadership team, including recommendations to optimize the IT infrastructure.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"Cache memory is a temporary storage device between the CPU, central processing unit, and the computer's main memory known as RAM, or random access memory. The purpose of the cache is to increase the system's speed by placing the most used information closer to the CPU. I would recommend purchasing a processor with additional cache to increase the performance of less compute-intensive and more memory-intensive applications. Examples of these include database, inventory management systems, and any application which the CPU frequently fetches data from storage."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
9. What is an Application Binary Interface, or ABI, and how does it differ from an API?
How to Answer
As a senior technical support engineer, you are expected to be familiar with the IT industry's wide range of terminology. The interviewer can present these in several different ways, using acronyms, formal names, or other types of descriptions for items you should be aware of. One way to prepare for these questions is to review an index of computer terminology and definitions. This will refresh your knowledge of these and keep them front of mind during the interview. When answering questions about technology terminology, avoid using acronyms and industry jargon that the interviewer may not know.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"An application binary interface or ABI is the interface for a compiled application program. It refers to the interface between the application and the operating system. This is different than an API, or Application Program Interface, which creates connections between the program and other items it may interact with, including other software and external devices such as printers, disk drives, were input devices."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
10. What is a child domain?
How to Answer
As the interview for the senior technical support engineer position progresses, the interviewer will continue to ask technical questions which require you to define a term, discuss how it is used, and possibly provide an example. Most of these technical questions will be challenging since the interviewer expects senior technical engineers to be more knowledgeable of these topics. However, some may still be very simple. These are bridge questions that allow the interviewer to continue the interview, provide you with a break, and helps the interviewer gain some understanding of how you communicate complex concepts to non-technical users.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"A child domain is nothing more than a Windows Active Directory subdomain. Child domains allow systems administrators to organize the domains better to optimize their performance and make them easier to manage. An example of a child domain may be the accounting department within a large global organization."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
11. Can you explain the difference between forward and reverse lookup in DNS?
How to Answer
An interviewer will ask you this question to understand your technical knowledge and see if you know some of the more detailed aspects of the technology you support. While many technical support engineers may be familiar with DNS, many may not understand the subtle difference between reverse and forward lookup. Knowing small details like this will differentiate you from other candidates and qualify you for this role.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"The purpose of DNS is to resolve the IP addresses users are trying to reach. Typically, users will type in the name of a website using the familiar 'WWW.' format. The DNS server will then identify the correct IP address for the website or server and connect the user to it. Converting the names the user types into the appropriate IP address is called a forward lookup. A reverse lookup occurs when the user types the actual IP address, and then the DNS server resolves the name of the website or server."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
12. What are some of the duties you typically assign to your team members?
How to Answer
The rationale behind this question is that the interviewer wants to confirm that you know the technical support team's duties. While some of these are specific to the organization, most are common across different companies. The easiest way to understand this is to review the job posting for this role and postings for other technical support roles within the organization. You can also contact current and former employees of the company's technical support group to discuss their jobs. This later technique will also provide you the opportunity to ask them about the company, the role, and the interview process.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"The main role of the IT support organization is to maintain the companies IT infrastructure and ensure that the business users have access to the resources they need to do their jobs. Components of this include responding to users' technical support issues, periodically upgrading and maintaining the equipment, software, and applications, and making recommendations for new technology to the organization's leadership team. Other more specific duties include provisioning and de-provisioning users, replacing broken equipment, creating documentation for both the IT team and end-users, and meeting with vendors to learn about new technologies and to negotiate service contracts."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
13. When looking to hire someone for your team, what qualities do you look for in a technical support employee?
How to Answer
This question will only be asked during an interview for a senior technical support engineer or an engineering manager's position. As a senior support engineer, you may not be the hiring manager, but you will be asked for your input about a candidate. You may even be expected to interview the candidate. Knowing the characteristics and qualities that a good technical support employee must have is critical to this role. It also provides the interviewer with a clear understanding of what qualities you feel are important and possess. A good way to prepare for this question is to research the job posting for this role and junior roles on the same team.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"There are many characteristics a good technical support engineer must possess. These include a deep knowledge of the technology and systems they will be supporting, awareness of current trends in the industry, and a passion for providing excellent customer service. They must also possess attention to detail, concentration, flexibility and adaptability, strong communication skills, and a willingness to learn. Some of these characteristics can be taught, but many are innate."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
14. What does SATA stand for, and what is its purpose?
How to Answer
Being familiar with a wide range of terminology used in your profession, knowing the functions it performs, and what issues they create in the operations of the IT infrastructure is crucial for anybody at the senior level. You need to be aware of these terms, and you also need to coach your team on them and communicate them clearly and efficiently to non-technical business users. You're likely to be asked many questions about these during the interview for a senior technical support engineer role. The best way to prepare for this is to review the terminology used in your profession before the interview.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"SATA stands for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. SATA is a high-speed bus interface connecting the computer's bus adapters on the main circuit board to mass storage devices, such as hard disk drives. If a SATA were to fail or misfunction, their computer would not access the storage device. It is also essential to understanding which type of SATA connection the computer has so that you can pair the appropriate storage device with it."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
15. What is a jumper, and how could it impact the function of a computer system or device?
How to Answer
As a senior technical support engineer, you need to be familiar with virtually every component within your support equipment. This doesn't mean knowing down to the part number, but a general knowledge of each component, what they do, and what issues they can cause that you will need to address. This is an example of this type of question. Interviewers will ask you this question to understand your technical knowledge and learn how well you communicate technical issues to non-technical individuals. This is because your work supports the company's business operations, and you'll be collaborating with people from across the company who do not have the same technical background.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"A jumper is a piece of metal that connects to pins or endpoints within an electrical circuit. It can be a wire soldered to the circuit or a metal connector with a plastic cover. The function of a jumper is to either bridge the circuit or select one of several options that the circuit can perform. If a jumper is either broken or connected to the wrong pins, it could make the circuit inoperable or cause it to perform the wrong function. Addressing issues with jumpers involves either reconnecting a circuit or moving the jumper to a different set of pins."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
16. Walk me through the process you use to troubleshoot an issue.
How to Answer
This is a typical question that you will be asked during an interview for a senior technical support engineer's role. The interviewer is interested in the process you use and confirms that you approach issues systematically and organized. When responding to this question, you should describe the process step by step, without providing too much detail, just more of an overall high-level description. The interviewer will ask a follow-up question if they need additional details or wish to explore the topic further.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"The first thing I do when presented with a technical issue is to collect as much information as possible. I try to determine the criticality of the issue, what symptoms the user is experiencing, and the last actions they took just before the issue occurred. I then develop a theory about what I believe is the cause and start working through the standard steps to resolve the issue. I document what I am doing and what results I am seeing, adjusting my approach as necessary. Once I believe the issue is resolved, I test the process or application. The last thing I do is ask the user to verify that the fix solved their problem. Finally, I close the ticket and document anything relevant so my team and I can refer to it the next time a similar situation occurs."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
17. What is a "Spike" in the context of the role of a senior technical support engineer?
How to Answer
There are many different buzzwords, acronyms, or other phrases specific to the job role in any profession. While you need to be careful about using these in your career materials and during an interview, you should be aware of their meanings and discuss how they are used in the profession. This question is an example of that. You should define the term you are being asked about, discuss how it is used in your profession, and possibly give an example to illustrate your answer.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"Spike is a term that refers to the most urgent issues encountered during a project or task and the solutions to them. Typically, a spike is an issue that needs to be resolved first, and the solution to this is also called a spike. Recognizing and addressing spikes during a project or task is a key competency interviewers will expect you have for this role."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
18. Discuss the ways you support your team when they work on daily activities or projects.
How to Answer
A key element of managing any organization, especially those working in information technology, is supporting the team members. Assigning tasks to each member, providing the resources needed, and managing their work are all important, but you also need to be there when they need help. This may be in the form of advice, obtaining outside resources, removing impediments to their progress, or doing other things that will assist them in accomplishing their goals. It would help if you also supported their personal development and advancement within the organization. Finally, you need to be able to resolve conflicts within the organization. Interviewers will be interested in learning about your skills in this area.
A key component of managing a team is ensuring that they are equipped to accomplish their tasks. This means ensuring that they understand the objective, have the resources needed to complete the work and are supported when needed.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"I consider supporting my team to be my number one duty. The support I provide can come in many forms. It can include answering questions they have, helping them to obtain additional resources, resolving any issues which are blocking their progress, and most importantly, resolving conflicts between them and other project stakeholders. I also make an effort to expand their experience and skills and help them advance within the organization. I treat them as though they were part of my family, wanting them to succeed, and if possible, advancing even more than I have."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
19. How well do you deal with frequently changing requirements, and what techniques do you use?
How to Answer
Being flexible and dealing with change is a key characteristic of any IT professional, especially those who are more senior. Information technology environments are dynamic and change frequently. Senior technical support engineers who are not flexible will become an impediment to the organization's progress. While it is important to promote standards and develop repeatable processes and procedures, being flexible and open to change allows IT team members to pivot when necessary and adapt to new situations. Interviewers are more likely to hire candidates who have these characteristics.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"One of the things I've learned in this profession is that nothing stays the same. I recognize that I need to be adaptable, flexible, and willing to change as the environment evolves. I have always been a believer in standards and repeatable processes and procedures. These help the IT organization accomplish its tasks quickly and accurately. However, as the environment changes, these processes and procedures also need to change. This is why I review them periodically to make sure we're keeping up with the developments the organization is undergoing and adapting as needed."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
20. Would you mind defining the various roles of a Scrum team?
How to Answer
Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall are methodologies normally associated with software development projects. However, any senior technical support engineer should be familiar with these and should be able to describe how they were used in their profession. This is also important when collaborating across the organization because these terms often come up during discussions of projects which need to be completed related to the IT assets you are likely to be supporting.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"There are several different roles on a scrum team. These include the project owner, who has the overall responsibility for keeping the project on schedule and under budget. This person typically interfaces with other project stakeholders outside of the team. The scrum master works with the team to make sure each task is accomplished per the project schedule. They also delegate tasks to each team member and manage the overall workflow of the team. The scrum team members are assigned individual or group tasks and are responsible for completing the work needed to finish the project."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
21. Can you explain the difference between burn-up and burn-down charts?
How to Answer
As a senior technical support engineer, you will be expected to use and be familiar with many different tools, processes, and procedures. You'll be asked about these during the interview and should be able to describe them in detail. If you're not familiar with a specific tool, you can freely admit this and even ask the interviewer for additional information about the tool and how the organization uses it. You must express your desire to learn new tools and processes if hired by the organization. Hiring managers recognize that candidates may not be familiar with all the tools and processes an organization uses, so this is an appropriate answer to this question.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"Both burn-up and burn-down charts keep track of processes and progress against a project's objectives. The differences are that burn-up charts represent how much work has already been completed, while burn-down charts illustrate the work which still needs to be done. I am very familiar with burn-up and burn-down charts since I've used them in several organizations I've worked with. I use the former in my daily standup meetings to commend the team and encourage them. I use the burn-down charts to set the objectives for the day or week and delegate tasks to the team."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
22. What is your strategy for upgrading the skills of your team?
How to Answer
A competent engineering manager is always trying to increase the skills of their team so they can advance in their careers. Senior team members who are intimidated by this have no place in an organization. Having a strategy to accomplish this is a characteristic that hiring managers will be looking for during an interview. It would be best if you discussed the plan to develop the skills and experience for each of your team members. This strategy can include formal education, mentoring, on-the-job training, and other ways to develop their skills.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"I consider developing the skill set of my team members one of my key obligations as a senior technical support engineer. At the beginning of each year, I create a development plan for each employee and review it. Elements of this plan include formal education, either online or in classes, mentoring by another senior support engineer or me, assigning them challenging tasks that will increase their skills, and asking them to present a brief training to their peers on a skill they need learn. I also seek their input on what skills they would like to develop and how they think they can do this. I monitor their progress against the plan quarterly and adjust the plan as needed."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
23. If you were leading a team of three technical support engineers, how would you divide tasks between them?
How to Answer
Delegation is a key skill every senior member of the IT team needs to possess. Being able to delegate tasks to each of the other team members appropriately demonstrates your leadership skills, judgment, and decision-making. The interviewer is less interested in what you would delegate to each team member than your criteria to make these decisions. The best way to answer this question is to describe the criteria you use and your decision-making process when delegating tasks.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"When delegating tasks to my team members, I make sure I align each task with the skill set and experience of the team member. I also look for opportunities to challenge them and expand their skills. I typically do this with difficult but low-priority tasks. Sometimes I will pair team members on a single task knowing that their collaboration will help them accomplish the task and transfer knowledge. After delegating a task to a team member, I make sure to follow with them to confirm that they understand what they need to do, have the resources needed to accomplish it, and are confident in their ability to complete the task."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
24. When acting as the IT Team Leader, how would you prioritize the following work?
How to Answer
A key responsibility of a senior member of the IT engineering team is to prioritize and schedule the tasks needed to support the users or complete a project involving provisioning, updating, or optimizing the IT infrastructure and applications. They need to evaluate each task, determine its importance and timeline, and prioritize the tasks based on how well they meet the organization's business objectives. During an interview for this role, you may be given a list of typical tasks and asked to prioritize them. Any answer you provide will be correct as long as you can justify the criteria you use in the prioritization process.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"Based on a list of tasks you provided me, here's how I would prioritize them. First, I would fix the software bug impacting the accounting department since this will be a relatively quick fix and greatly impact the organization. Next, I would update the database since most of the organization's users access this, and updating it will make it more efficient and effective. Finally, I would create user documentation for some of the key applications the organization employs. While this is an important task, it will take some time, and the information can be provided ad hoc when users need it while we're upgrading the documentation."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
25. What is the best way to create a test procedure to diagnose an issue when you don't have any supporting documents?
How to Answer
Almost everything within an IT environment is documented, either by the manufacturer or the organization. However, there may be a case when you come across something that isn't supported by documentation. This may involve an older device where the documentation was lost or a unique device or application, and the documentation you have is irrelevant. In either case, you should have a process for developing procedures to diagnose and resolve issues related to the device or application, even though you have no documentation to support these. The interviewer expects you to discuss how you would verify that your process is effective once you have developed it.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"If I come across a device or piece of software that needs to be supported but has no associated documentation, there are several different steps I can take to develop procedures to support it. These include reviewing procedures used for similar devices or applications, contacting the manufacturer or developer for more information, researching the item online to see if other people have developed support procedures, or conferring with my team. Once I have taken each of these steps, I develop procedures to diagnose and resolve IT assets. Before publishing these and putting them into production, I test them to ensure that they will accomplish the objectives."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
26. What techniques or tools do you recommend when ensuring that the procedure used to diagnose an issue is comprehensive?
How to Answer
IT operations are critical to keeping the business up and running. Interviewers want to ensure that the procedures you use to diagnose and resolve information technology-related problems are efficient and complete. The longer a business user is down or unproductive, the more it costs the organization. When answering this question, keep this in mind to convince the interviewer that you can do this job and maintain the uptime of their IT assets.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"When developing processes and procedures for diagnosing and resolving IT-related issues, the most important tools I use are a requirement traceability matrix and coverage matrices. These help me ensure that determine our issue resolution processes are effective and comprehensive. The requirement traceability matrix helps to determine that the diagnostic processes address all the requirements. Coverage matrices will help us to determine that the processes we use are comprehensive enough to identify all the possible conditions the user may encounter."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
27. What is a disk partition, and how many partitions can a hard drive have?
How to Answer
During an interview, the interviewer can ask you a wide range of questions about any device, system, software, application, or other aspects of an information technology environment. While it is impossible to know about everything you may encounter while supporting an IT operation, you should have a general knowledge about the items you work with, how to interact with them, their properties, and what issues can occur with them. If you don't know the answer, admit this, and then describe how you would research and locate the information you need.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"A disk partition is a space allocated for storing data on a hard drive. Its purpose is to organize the data more efficiently. Typically, applications and the OS are stored on one partition, and user data is stored on another. This enables the OS to be formatted completely and then reinstalled without impacting the data. A disk can have up to four primary partitions, with only one active, or three primary partitions and one extended partition, which creates a bigger logical partition."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
28. What is Ghost Imaging, and how is it used?
How to Answer
When interviewing for a senior technical support engineer position, you will be asked many different technical questions. Some of these will be easy, but most will be more challenging. As a senior member of the team, you are expected to act as a resource for the junior engineers when they encounter a problem they are not familiar with. Having advanced knowledge of technical issues is critical for this role. When preparing for the interview, you should review some of the more complex issues you've encountered in your previous roles and research trends in the industry that you need to be aware of.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"Ghost imaging, also known as cloning, is a backup process that copies the contents from a drive to a storage device on another server. It typically saves the individual files in one compressed file, which is known as an image. The image can be restored to the original set of files if a disaster occurs. It can also be used when reinstalling the operating system on the same or a similar computer."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
29. What would you do if a user needed to access a file on a shared drive, but for some reason, they are unable to?
How to Answer
During an interview for a senior technical support engineer role, you will be presented with scenarios you may encounter on the job. The interviewer is seeking to understand how you go about diagnosing and resolving the issue. They are less interested in the actual answer and more interested in the process you use. The best way to answer this question is to methodically walk them through the process, briefly describing each step and the results you anticipate achieving. Be prepared for follow-up questions asking for more detail or contingencies if the original plan did not succeed.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"If a user contacted me stating they were unable to access a file on a shared drive, the first thing I would do would be to check if the system that is sharing the drive is turned on and connected to the network. Next, I would confirm that the user has permission to access or view the file. Finally, I would check that the user's program to access the file is working and that the file is not currently being used by someone else. One of these steps typically resolves the issue."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
30. Can you explain the differences between an SDK and an API?
How to Answer
This is a technical question asking you to define two terms used in your profession. When answering technical questions, you should first define each term, briefly discuss how they are used, and then, if appropriate, provide an example to illustrate your answer. The interviewer will ask a question like this to test your knowledge of the subject and demonstrate your ability to communicate technical issues. As a senior technical support engineer, you should excel and both of these.
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021
Answer Example
"SDK stands for Software Development Kit. It contains tools, sample code, software libraries, and documentation to assist developers in creating software applications. API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is code that allows the software to interact with each other and the hardware it runs on or interacts with. For example, peripheral manufacturers such as HP provide APIs to software vendors so their programs can output to HP printers."
Written by William Swansen on August 25th, 2021