[B5geek]

A nice simple test that I like to give as a first-wave elimination:

Have a computer setup and running (all properly configured). Pull the network cable out of the jack a little bit (so it looks like it's plugged in but isn't). Ask the person being interviewed to show me an IP being used by microsoft or google. (so ping/dig/nslookup/etc)

Let the person know that (a) the computer is in working condition (i.e. no drivers are missing) (b) the network works (i.e cables are good, switch is good, DHCP is enabled, etc.) (c) tell them that this is a test to determine their troubleshooting skills

It is always disappointing to see how few ever open a term/cmd window (depending on the OS). 90% of participants just try to open a web-browser and type in "what is the IP address of google"

[icelancer]

>Let the person know that (a) the computer is in working condition (i.e. no drivers are missing) (b) the network works (i.e cables are good, switch is good, DHCP is enabled, etc.)

So you lie to them? I don't understand what the point of this test is. My first inclination is to open up a term and ping google but I would be pretty annoyed that your "first-wave" test involved actively lying to a candidate.

[lmkg]

If this is a user-facing tech-support position, then it is a hard job requirement that the candidate be able to handle being lied to by the user. I don't care what they say, they didn't check the cable, they didn't reboot, and they most certainly didn't not do anything that might have caused the problem.

[icelancer]

>If this is a user-facing tech-support position, then it is a hard job requirement that the candidate be able to handle being lied to by the user.

Yes, I agree. Are we supposed to also assume that our bosses and interviewers lie to us, too? At no point does he say that he is emulating a user that needs support help.

[Rapzid]

Well if not lying, you should always entertain the possibility they are mistaken. The best confirm and reaffirm constantly. You know what they say about assumptions.

[tarpherder]

You are going to think your boss is mistaken/wrong/lying in the first hour you meet her/him, during a job interview? Nah. You're not.

[corobo]

To be fair the first thing you do is look for relevant buttons to click on if there are any, the next thing is to google the problem, the thing after that is check it's all plugged in

It's just testing the basics really

[lazylizard]

yeah! screenshots and logs or it didn't happen!

[jschwartzi]

All he said was that everything was in working order. He didn't say that the cable was fully seated into the receptacle. Your first inclination would challenge your assumption and you would likely follow the stack down to the wire. At that point you'll note that the link lights are off and reseat the cable.

[icelancer]

>the network works (i.e cables are good...)

This means - to me - that the network... well, works. And it clearly does not. If this was a Windows machine I'd probably wonder what the hell was going on with the Ethernet (!) sign in the bottom right of the tray and if it was a decent version of Ubuntu (11.x or earlier) then you'd also notice it quickly.

But still. He's pretty obviously leading the person astray by giving him the solid impression that the machine is in good working order. (which it is not) If you mean to say that he didn't CLEARLY specify that the "cable was fully seated..." I don't know what to tell you. That's a "gotcha" question. Not a good diagnostic one. Unless this is for a $12/hour CSR position. In which case, OK fine.

[hardwaresofton]

"Check connections" used to be the first rule or something of debugging

[icelancer]

And not lying to your candidates is usually a good rule of thumb.

[lambda]

Every day, I have QA, tech support, my boss, and other developers tell me something that is not actually true, or simply omits any of the relevant information necessary to fix the problem. This is something you live with on a daily basis in a technical job involving complex systems that not everyone understands the entirety of.

If you can't solve a problem with only some information, and some of it incorrect, then how are you supposed to be able to help?

[icelancer]

You are looking at this like it is a single-variable problem. This "test" should be easily solvable by a candidate. It is also a very bad one if it involves lying to the candidate. These two factors are not mutually exclusive.

[tehwalrus]

No statement in that list is a lie; the computer is in working condition, the network itself works, the cable works, the switch it is connected to is working, DHCP on the computer is enabled. The cable being unplugged doesn't break any of those.

[javajosh]

Then...they pull out there smart phone and look it up. Moral: just because someone gives you a computer to use doesn't mean you should use it.

[icebraining]

If I answer without touching the computer, do I pass? :) Google DNS comes in handy!

[walshemj]

I know even with my poor short term memory 8.8.8.8 is memorable

[sauere]

> 90% of participants just try to open a web-browser and type in "what is the IP address of google"

Oh god.

[cmdrfred]

I don't know why this is downvoted. This is Hacker News, a hacker always uses the least amount of effort (the least number of lines of code for example) to achieve his goal.

  Windows key + R / "cmd" / Return / "nslookup google.com" then when that fails, "ping 8.8.8.8" and when that fails, "Ipconfig /ALL", then ask "Do you use Dhcp or are ip's assigned?" as I reboot the computer and check the physical connections at the same time.

*I stand corrected.

[dylz]

So let's make it shorter:

"ping goo.gl"

http://74.125.239.9

[lunixbochs]

Least effort?

    win+R, ping -t google.com, return

[malka]

Agreed.

A good hacker is a lazy hacker.

[jschwartzi]

dig @8.8.8.8 www.google.com

[onion2k]

Doesn't giving someone a non-working computer that you tell them is working make you look like you haven't bothered to test it? As a candidate that'd be a warning that I'd be working with lazy idiots.

You should always remember that hiring is as much about persuading the best person to say yes to a job offer as it is about weeding out the bad people.

[chris_mahan]

What if they just tell you, because they've memorized the IP address of Google? You hire on the spot then?

[MAGZine]

8.8.8.8

Job please 8-)

[ryanburk]

I would say no! google's DNS address is not its IP address :-)

[sophacles]

The question was "show me an IP being used by microsoft or google"

If you are asserting that google is not using the IP of it's public facing DNS service, this company is full of horrible tech people, so nevermind: I don't want the job.

[cmdrfred]

http://8.8.8.8 just times out. Why not point it to http://www.google.com or just serve a little javascript redirect or something?

Sloppy work Google.

[groby_b]

And a DNS server should have an open port 80 (and so an additional attack vector) because...?

[shabble]

DNS over websockets, obviously!

[cmdrfred]

Ever hear of port forwarding?

[manifesto]

I believe that's the IP address of Google Public DNS, not Google.com per se.

[sophacles]

I beleive the exact question was: "show me an IP being used by microsoft or google"

Are you really asserting that a google owned, and google operated service is not using the IP with which I access it?

[TylerE]

127.0.0.1!

Easy question

[jibberia]

8.8.8.8