Hiring network administrators

Network administrators not only need technical knowledge and expertise, but strong collaboration and leadership skills as well. Here, the candidate should provide examples of how they helped to coordinate necessary resources, lay out a plan, handle setbacks, and ultimately see a project through to completion alongside others.

The challenge of scaling is one every network administrator encounters. Your candidate should be able to talk you through how they assess the situation, and what techniques they would employ to expand without decreasing functionality. This will require a clear understanding of the company’s current technical needs, as well as the ability to account for future growth.

Increasingly, companies are seeing the benefit of integrating systems administrators and development teams. You’re looking for either specific hands-on experience in this type of cross-functional working partnership, or indications that the candidate is interested in and capable of working fluidly on a multidisciplinary team.

A large part of a network administrator’s role is knowing how to analyze and troubleshoot network issues, and improve functionality and efficiency. With this question, you’ll gain insight into the candidate’s eye for detail and problem-solving skills. The best network administrators are proactive about implementing fixes and strategizing ways to prevent further issues.

Network and connectivity issues are a constant source of frustration for companies. Every system and network poses its own unique challenges. The key here is to press the candidate for specific and varied examples. What tools did they use to test? How did they isolate the error? And how was it ultimately resolved?

Today, IT is integral to every facet of a business, so network administrators need to be able to communicate the value of what they do to a nontechnical audience. A strong candidate can make complex terminology simple and understandable to a layperson. They should also be able to back their recommendations with solid data that leaders will respond to.

Great customer service is at the heart of every successful business — especially in the digital age. Network administrators invariably find themselves providing on-call support when issues arise. Can your candidate acknowledge and validate a client’s concerns? And are they able to earn back any confidence that’s been lost?

Organizations must remain current with network infrastructures to be able to host the latest technologies, as well as update security protocols as needed. New innovations that could improve your organization’s systems pop up daily. Excellent candidates are passionate about staying on top of the trends that influence their work.