Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' customer service skills. They should be able to describe a situation where they had to deal with a difficult customer and how they handled the situation.
Sample Answer: I had a customer who was upset because her computer wasn't working. She was using an old operating system that was no longer supported by the manufacturer. I helped her find a new computer and transfer her data over to it.
Question Overview: This question tests candidates' experience with Java-based applications. Clustering is a way to improve the performance of applications by spreading them across multiple servers. Candidates should be able to explain how they would configure clustering for an application and why they chose that configuration.
Sample Answer: I've configured tomcat clustering for a number of different applications. I would start by setting up the cluster manager on each server. Then I would configure the application to use the cluster manager.
Question Overview: This question tests candidates' ability to handle conflict and communicate with people who are not familiar with the technical aspects of IT. They should be able to explain how they would handle this situation and why they would choose a particular approach.
Sample Answer: I would try to understand the person's point of view. If they were a manager, I would explain how the research findings support my recommendations. If they were an employee, I would explain the research findings and provide them with a copy of the report.
Question Overview: This question is a classic interview question that tests candidates' self-awareness. They should be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses. If they are weak in a particular area, they should be able to explain how they plan to improve.
Sample Answer: I'm a strong communicator, but I need to work on my patience. I tend to get frustrated when I'm working with people who don't understand the importance of documentation.
Question Overview: This is a simple yes or no question that tests whether candidates have read and understood the job description.
Sample Answer: Yes.
Question Overview: This is a standard question that gives you a chance to learn more about the candidate's personality and work history. They should be able to provide a brief overview of their work history and explain why they are interested in the position.
Sample Answer: I've been working as a systems analyst for the past five years. I've worked on several large projects that involved integrating new applications with existing databases. I'm interested in this position because I want to work with a company that has a large network and a lot of data.
Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' interest in the position and their ability to communicate effectively. Systems analysts should have a passion for technology and a desire to work with computers. If they don't, they may not be a good fit for the position.
Sample Answer: I've always been interested in computers and how they work. I've been working with them since I was a teenager.
Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' interest in the position and their ability to communicate their enthusiasm. Systems analysts should be able to explain why they are interested in the position and how it fits with their career goals.
Sample Answer: I want to work with your company because I've heard that you have a great reputation for supporting your employees. I'm really interested in learning more about your company's culture.
Question Overview: This question tests how candidates handle situations where they need to take the initiative. They should be able to describe a time when they took the initiative to complete a task or solve a problem. They should also be able to explain why they took the initiative and what the outcome was.
Sample Answer: I was working on a project with a team that was having trouble with a software application. The application was causing problems for other applications and the network. I took the initiative to research the problem and find a solution.
Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' commitment to their education and their ability to communicate effectively. A candidate should be able to explain how they are using their time to learn new skills and prepare for the job.
Sample Answer: I'm taking a few classes that focus on network design and security. I'm also working part-time as a systems analyst at a small company.
Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' leadership skills and ability to work with others. Systems analysts may need to motivate their team mates to work on a project that is not in their immediate area of responsibility. They should be able to explain how they would approach the situation and what they would do to motivate their team mates.
Sample Answer: I would talk to my team mates about the importance of the project and how it fits into the company's overall goals. I would also show them how their contributions are important to the success of the project.
Question Overview: EDI stands for electronic data interchange. EDI transactions are used to exchange business documents between companies. Systems analysts may need to understand EDI transactions to integrate applications that use EDI.
Sample Answer: I've never worked with EDI transactions before, but I've heard of them. I'm willing to learn more about them if I get the job.
Question Overview: This question tests candidates' knowledge of computer network technology. SAN stands for storage area network. These are used to connect storage devices like hard drives and tape libraries to servers.
Sample Answer: A storage area network connects storage devices to servers.
Question Overview: This question tests candidates' database skills. They should be able to write a general select statement for a database query that will return all the records from a table.
Sample Answer: I'd write a general select statement for a database query by using the following syntax:
Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' career goals and their ability to articulate those goals. Systems analysts are often promoted to project managers or senior analysts. Look for candidates who have a clear understanding of their career goals and the skills they will need to achieve them.
Sample Answer: I expect to be a senior systems analyst in five years. I plan to continue my education and earn a master's degree in computer science.
Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' ability to work with others and their communication skills. They should be able to describe a conflict they had with a supervisor or peer and how they resolved it. Candidates should also be able to explain how they handled the conflict and what they learned from it.
Sample Answer: I had a disagreement with my manager about how to handle a project. I was new to the company and didn't know all of the details of the project. I learned that it's important to ask for more information when you don't understand something.
Question Overview: This question tests candidates' ability to write code and their understanding of the programming process. They should be able to explain the steps they would take to write a program for a specific application.
Sample Answer: I would first create a design document that outlines the program's purpose and functionality. I would then create a prototype to test the program's logic. After that, I would create a full version of the program.
Question Overview: This question tests candidates' ability to apply their knowledge of computer science to a real-world problem. Binary search trees are a common data structure that can be used to store information in a way that is easy to search and retrieve. Candidates should be able to explain how they would create a mirror image of a binary search tree.
Sample Answer: I would use the in-order traversal method. I would start at the root node and follow the left branch until I reached a leaf node. Then, I would follow the right branch until I reached another leaf node. I would continue this process until I had visited every node in the tree.
Question Overview: This question tests candidates' ability to gather and analyze requirements. They should be able to explain how they would gather requirements for a new product and how they would analyze them. They should also be able to explain how they would present their findings to the company.
Sample Answer: I would start by interviewing the company's marketing team and the design team. I would ask them about the current product line and what features they want to add to the new travel mugs. I would also ask them about their target market and what features they want to add that will appeal to that market.
Question Overview: This question gauges candidates' understanding of the position and their ability to communicate their goals. Systems analysts should be able to explain how they define success for a project. They should also be able to explain how they define success for themselves.
Sample Answer: I define success as completing a project on time and within budget. I also like to see the users of the system I helped design are happy with it.