It is unlikely that as a network administrator or technician you will RECEIVE problem calls one at a TIME. TYPICALLY, when you receive one call, you already have three people waiting for service. For this reason, you must learn to prioritize. Your ANSWER to this question will provide the interviewer with insight into how effectively you prioritize. It’s not a trick question, though sometimes it can feel that way. You probably have a process that you use instinctually. Talk about it. It probably includes many of the following components:

• Total network failure (affects everyone)
• Partial network failure (affects small GROUPS of users)
• Small network failure (affects a small, single group of users)
• Total workstation failure (single user can’t work at all)
• Partial workstation failure (single user can’t do most tasks)
• Minor issue (single user has problems that crop up now and again)

It is unlikely that as a network administrator or technician you will receive problem calls one at a time. Typically, when you receive one call, you already have three people waiting for service. For this reason, you must learn to prioritize. Your answer to this question will provide the interviewer with insight into how effectively you prioritize. It’s not a trick question, though sometimes it can feel that way. You probably have a process that you use instinctually. Talk about it. It probably includes many of the following components: