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Systems Administrator Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Systems Administrator interview questions and answers.

  1. Why do you want to work as a systems administrator in our business? See answer
  2. What certifications do you have in Computer Science and I.T. in general? See answer
  3. At your previous job, what would you say set you apart from other employees in your department? See answer
  4. If an employee working from home is having trouble joining a video meeting, how would you help them? See answer
  5. How great is your interpersonal communication skill? Can you give me an example of when you used this skill at your previous job? See answer
  6. What is RAID? Can you tell me the difference between RAID 0 and RAID 10? See answer
  7. During your personal time, what skills are you constantly trying to improve on to help you in this job? See answer
  8. Do you know how to make a process run in the background? If you do, what are the benefits of doing so? See answer
  9. What is a Group Policy? Can you tell me the different kinds of Group Policy Objects? See answer
  10. In your previous job, was there ever a time you prevented their system from being hacked? What procedures did you follow? See answer
  11. Some of your daily tasks can be monotonous, and you might have to deal with the same issue from the same employee over and over again. How do you plan to stay motivated? See answer
  12. Can you quickly run me through the first five commands you input on a *nix server after login?
  13. Can you do a quick check-up of our business’s system? What modern system upgrades do you recommend?
  14. Do you think you can help train other employees in basic I.T. knowledge? 
  15. Let’s say you’re trying to fix a problem for a group of users, and your attempt fails. What do you do next?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Systems Administrator Interview Questions and Answers

Why do you want to work as a systems administrator in our business?

It's essential to your business to know that the candidate is interested in doing the work of a systems administrator. You will want to know what motivates them and why they want to work in your establishment. What to look for in an answer:

  • Their interest in IT-related fields
  • What interests them in your business
  • Why they chose to be a systems administrator 

Example:

"Ever since I was a child, I've always been fascinated with computers. It's no surprise I decided to venture into the I.T. field. During the summer as a teen, I attended programmeming camps and participated in different extracurricular activities such as the A.V. club in my high school. Being a systems administrator is my dream job. Your business also stands for something I believe in working in…"

What certifications do you have in Computer Science and I.T. in general?

You want someone with the necessary qualifications to work for you. The higher their certification levels, the more qualified they are to perform the tasks of a systems administrator. Look for: 

  • Associate or higher degree in computer science, I.T., or systems administration
  • Systems administration certifications in Cisco, Linux, and Microsoft
  • Experience in scripting and automation tools

Example:

"I have a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Toronto. I have also completed different trainings and gathered certifications in software, hardware, networking protocols, I.T. strategy and plans, scripting and automation tools, and Microsoft administration. I also have working knowledge on virtualization and VMWare."

At your previous job, what would you say set you apart from other employees in your department?

You're looking out for personal traits and skills that this candidate has to help them execute their work duties effectively and move your business forward. What to look for in an answer:

  • Candidate's work ethics 
  • Specific examples of candidate's abilities 
  • Actual achievements at candidate's previous job

Example:

"At my previous job, I was the employee of the month twice in a row because of my ability to relate respectfully with other employees and clients. This trait of mine allowed for a seamless operation and execution of my work-related duties. I have good communication skills and high patience levels, so I don't get frustrated while trying to help out or perform my duties."

If an employee working from home is having trouble joining a video meeting, how would you help them?

Employees now more than before have the opportunity to work from home. They might not necessarily be present at your business establishment. You want to know if a candidate is equipped with the skills needed to help someone having issues remotely. Look out for:

  • Good communication skills
  • Ability to give out productive instructions
  • Knowledge of all leading video call platforms 

Example:

"If there's an employee that is having difficulty joining a meeting, I will calmly instruct that employee on what to do. I will first suggest they restart whatever platform they're on. If that doesn't work, I will log in on the system to find whatever might be restricting the said employee from joining the video meeting. I intend to communicate politely to get my message across to them."

How great is your interpersonal communication skill? Can you give me an example of when you used this skill at your previous job?

A systems administrator is constantly faced with communicating with clients, employees, or executives. The way the candidate communicates with these people is essential. You might want to see how well the candidate does with this particular skill. Look out for: 

  • Verbal and non-verbal communication skills
  • Ability to relate well with people
  • Candidate's example of this skill

Example:

"I'd like to believe my interpersonal communication skills are top-notch. At my previous job, I was tasked with setting up the workstation for recruits and always had questions regarding I.T. related issues. I never for once got frustrated trying to explain these things to them."

Can you quickly run through the five basic commands you input on a *nix server after login?

This is basic knowledge for anyone in this field, and any good candidate can answer this question. It tests the candidate on their basic computer skills. Look out for:

  • Knowledge of basic computer commands
  • Candidate's preparedness for this interview 
  • Ability to solve simple problems

Example:

"The five basic commands are *lsblk which shows the information on every block device, *who to know if anyone is logged into the server, *top to see if anything is running on the server and what, *df -khT which shows the server's available disk space, and finally, *netstat gives some information on active TCP network connections."

What is RAID? Can you tell me the difference between RAID 0 and RAID 10?

RAID is short for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, and it's used to provide data redundancy across multiple hard disks. This question also tests the technical knowledge of the candidate. Look out for:

  • Ability to explain general concepts 
  • Knowledge of candidate on this concept 
  • Ability to solve complex problems

Example:

"RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. It's a technology used to increase the performance and reliability of data storage. RAID 0 is a useful technique that helps break up the file and spreads the data across all of the hard disk drives in a RAID group while RAID 10 combines disk striping and disk mirroring to protect data."

During your personal time, what skills are you constantly trying to improve on to help you in this job?

You'll want to know if the candidate is actively trying to improve their skills in their personal time. It's also proof that they're passionate about their job. It would help if you looked out for:

  • Proper utilization of time outside of work
  • The interest of the candidate in obtaining more certifications
  • Ability to learn

Example:

"Outside of work, I'm constantly trying to obtain new certifications and skills that will be relevant to my work as a systems administrator. I'm working on my software and coding skills. I'm also doing a course on Cisco, and at the end, I will be awarded a certificate."

Do you know how to make a process run in the background? If you do, what are the benefits of doing so?

This question tests the candidate's technical skill and I.T. knowledge. They should be able to answer this without any difficulty. You might want to look out for:

  • Ability to execute technical skills 
  • Candidate's knowledge of background processing 
  • Ability to properly utilise time/time management 

Example:

"Yes, I know how to make a process run in the background by adding the special character '&' at the end of the command. It allows you to work in the terminal while the application is still running in the background. As a result of this, we're able to save time and be productive."

What is a Group Policy? Can you tell me the different kinds of Group Policy Objects?

This question tests the candidate on some critical knowledge needed to perform one of the tasks that come with the job. Look for: 

  • Knowledge of candidate on this concept 
  • Ability to explain the concept
  • Good communication skills 

Example:

"In simple terms, a Group policy allows me to implement specific configurations for users and computers. In this case, your employees and their systems.  The two different types of Group Policy Objects are Nonlocal Group Policy Objects which are kept on a domain controller and are only available in an 'Active Directory environment', and Local Group Policy Objects which are stored on individual computers."

Can you do a quick check-up of our business's system? What modern system upgrades do you recommend?

This question tests the candidate's ability to think fast and tests their knowledge of modern I.T. systems. It shows that they're also ready and able to work. Look out for:

  • Preparedness
  • Knowledge of modern system upgrades
  • Good suggestions for improvements

Example:

"I can take a look at your current system. After taking a quick run-through of your systems, I can suggest a few modern updates such as…"

Do you think you can help train other employees in basic I.T. knowledge?

This will help you know if the candidate is willing to take up different training for your employees and future recruits. It also tests their willingness to help to move your business forward. You might want to look out for:

  • Great teaching skills 
  • Good listening skills
  • Willingness to help out when needed 

Example:

"Of course, I'm willing to help train employees and recruits anytime I'm required. I have great patience and the ability to communicate and teach well. Your employees will be able to learn and improve their knowledge on Information Technology."

In your previous job, was there ever a time you prevented their system from being hacked? What procedures did you follow?

Prevention of invasion of company systems by hackers is a crucial part of the job of a systems administrator. They're meant to keep your systems free from bugs and viruses and any external force that might want to steal your data or take control of your systems. Look for:

  • Problem-solving skills 
  • Work experience 
  • Technical skills to prevent hacking

Example:

"At my previous job, not for once was their system vulnerable for hackers to infiltrate. I had a rigorous and strict procedure for keeping hackers away. I built a strong firewall that prevented the system from being hacked."

Some of your daily tasks can be monotonous, and you might have to deal with the same issue from the same employee over and over again. How do you plan to stay motivated?

This question is to test the candidate's interpersonal skills and work ethics. You need motivated people in your business to have a smooth operation. You might want to look out for:

  • Candidate's work ethics 
  • Interpersonal skills 
  • Candidate's drive to move your business forward

Example:

"Systems Administration is one of my passions. I plan to keep a good relationship with every employee and reach out to Human Resources. I also plan to make good use of my breaks, so I'm well relaxed."

Let's say you're trying to fix a problem for a group of users, and your attempt fails. What do you do next?

It's not unheard of that systems administrators get stuck when trying to fix a problem. Sometimes, they do not get it right the first time around. Your candidate should be able to acknowledge this and provide you with logical strategies they have that get the job done. Look for:

  • Acknowledging that multiple attempts are necessary 
  • Practical steps 
  • Presentation of a logical strategy 

Example:

"At my previous job, I faced similar scenarios where I was finding it difficult to solve an issue. However, my eagerness to learn and know more pushed me to carry out extensive research, and I effectively handled such issues. There were also times when I sought guidance from more experienced colleagues..."

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