Effective Work Sample Exercises for Hiring an IT Infrastructure Manager

The IT Infrastructure Manager role is pivotal to an organization's technological foundation and operational success. This position requires a unique blend of technical expertise, leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills. Traditional interviews often fail to reveal a candidate's true abilities in these areas, as theoretical knowledge doesn't always translate to practical application.

Work sample exercises provide a window into how candidates actually perform tasks relevant to the role. For IT Infrastructure Managers, these exercises can demonstrate a candidate's ability to design robust systems, respond to security threats, lead technical teams, and manage vendor relationships. By observing candidates in action, hiring managers can make more informed decisions based on demonstrated capabilities rather than self-reported skills.

The exercises outlined below are designed to evaluate candidates across multiple dimensions critical to success in an IT Infrastructure Manager role. They simulate real-world scenarios that the candidate would likely encounter on the job, providing insight into their technical knowledge, problem-solving approach, leadership style, and communication skills. Additionally, these exercises include feedback components to assess a candidate's receptiveness to coaching—a crucial trait for continuous improvement in the rapidly evolving IT landscape.

By implementing these work samples as part of your hiring process, you'll be able to differentiate between candidates who merely interview well and those who can truly excel in the role. This approach reduces hiring mistakes, which can be particularly costly for leadership positions in IT infrastructure where decisions impact the entire organization's technological foundation.

Activity #1: Infrastructure Modernization Planning

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to assess current infrastructure, develop strategic plans, and communicate technical concepts to stakeholders. It tests their knowledge of modern IT systems, cloud migration strategies, and project planning capabilities—all essential skills for an IT Infrastructure Manager who will be responsible for evolving the organization's technical foundation.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a simplified diagram and description of a fictional company's outdated IT infrastructure (e.g., aging on-premises servers, limited redundancy, minimal cloud integration).
• Include basic information about the fictional company: size, industry, budget constraints, and business goals.
• Allocate 45-60 minutes for the candidate to review materials and prepare their plan.
• Have a panel of 2-3 evaluators (ideally including the hiring manager and a senior IT team member) to review the plan and ask questions.
• Prepare questions that probe the candidate's reasoning, alternatives considered, and how they would handle potential challenges.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided infrastructure documentation and company information.
• Develop a high-level modernization plan that addresses current limitations while supporting business goals.
• Your plan should include:
• Key infrastructure changes recommended (hardware, software, cloud services)
• Implementation phases and timeline
• Estimated budget considerations
• Risk mitigation strategies
• Expected business benefits
• Prepare to present your plan in a 15-minute presentation followed by 15 minutes of questions.
• Focus on explaining technical concepts in a way that both technical and non-technical stakeholders would understand.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide one piece of positive feedback about an aspect of their plan that was particularly strong.
• Offer one constructive suggestion for improvement (e.g., "I noticed you didn't address how we would maintain operations during the migration. Could you elaborate on how you would handle that?").
• Give the candidate 5-10 minutes to address the improvement area, either by modifying their plan or explaining their approach to the identified gap.
• Observe how receptively they handle the feedback and their ability to adapt their thinking on the spot.

Activity #2: Security Incident Response Simulation

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to handle security threats, make decisions under pressure, and communicate effectively during a crisis. It evaluates their technical security knowledge, problem-solving approach, and leadership during stressful situations—critical skills for an IT Infrastructure Manager responsible for protecting company assets.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a detailed scenario of a security incident (e.g., ransomware attack, data breach, or suspicious network activity).
• Prepare a document with initial alert information, system logs, and preliminary findings that would typically be available in such a situation.
• Designate team members to role-play as IT staff reporting to the candidate during the simulation.
• Allocate 30-45 minutes for the exercise.
• Prepare a list of escalating complications to introduce during the exercise (e.g., "The malware appears to be spreading to backup systems").
• Have observers take notes on the candidate's decision-making process, communication style, and technical approach.

Directions for the Candidate:

• You will be presented with a security incident scenario that requires your immediate attention as the IT Infrastructure Manager.
• Review the provided information and begin developing a response strategy.
• Work with the team members present to:
• Assess the situation and determine the scope of the incident
• Decide on immediate containment actions
• Delegate tasks to team members
• Develop a communication plan for stakeholders
• Outline next steps for recovery
• Be prepared to explain your reasoning for each decision.
• Document key actions taken and their intended outcomes.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide positive feedback on an effective decision or communication approach the candidate demonstrated.
• Offer one specific area for improvement (e.g., "You focused heavily on technical containment but didn't address communication to the executive team").
• Ask the candidate to develop a brief stakeholder communication plan addressing the improvement area.
• Evaluate their ability to incorporate feedback and adjust their approach.

Activity #3: Technical Team Coaching Role Play

This exercise evaluates a candidate's leadership abilities, coaching skills, and technical mentorship capabilities. It tests their ability to develop team members while maintaining technical standards—a crucial responsibility for an IT Infrastructure Manager who must build and maintain a high-performing team.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a scenario involving a fictional team member who has technical skill gaps or is not following best practices.
• Create documentation of the team member's work (e.g., a network configuration, server setup documentation, or code sample with issues).
• Provide context about the fictional team member's experience level, role, and past performance.
• Designate someone to role-play as the team member receiving coaching.
• Brief the role player on how to respond (initially somewhat defensive but willing to learn).
• Allocate 30 minutes for the exercise.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided documentation showing the team member's work.
• Identify key technical issues or areas for improvement.
• Conduct a 20-minute coaching session with the team member to:
• Establish rapport
• Discuss the technical issues you've identified
• Explain best practices and the reasoning behind them
• Create a development plan to address skill gaps
• Set clear expectations for future work
• Your goal is to improve the team member's technical skills while maintaining a positive working relationship.
• Focus on being constructive rather than critical.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide positive feedback on an effective coaching technique the candidate used.
• Suggest one area where their coaching approach could be improved (e.g., "You provided great technical guidance but didn't check for understanding").
• Ask the candidate to revisit a portion of the coaching conversation implementing the feedback.
• Evaluate how well they incorporate the feedback and adjust their coaching style.

Activity #4: Vendor Evaluation and Negotiation Exercise

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to evaluate technology solutions, manage vendor relationships, and negotiate effectively. It tests their business acumen, strategic thinking, and communication skills—essential for an IT Infrastructure Manager who must make cost-effective technology decisions.

Directions for the Company:

• Create profiles for two fictional vendors offering similar but distinct solutions for a specific infrastructure need (e.g., cloud storage, network equipment, or security tools).
• Prepare detailed vendor proposals including pricing structures, service level agreements, technical specifications, and support options.
• Include some deliberate gaps or concerns in each proposal.
• Designate someone to role-play as a vendor representative.
• Allocate 45-60 minutes for the exercise.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the vendor proposals for the infrastructure solution.
• Evaluate each proposal based on:
• Technical fit with organizational needs
• Cost-effectiveness and ROI
• Support and maintenance considerations
• Scalability and future compatibility
• Potential risks or concerns
• Prepare a list of questions and negotiation points for the vendor.
• Conduct a 20-minute meeting with the vendor representative to:
• Ask clarifying questions about their proposal
• Address concerns you've identified
• Negotiate better terms where appropriate
• Discuss implementation and support details
• Following the vendor meeting, prepare a brief recommendation document explaining which vendor you would select and why.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide positive feedback on an effective negotiation technique or insightful question the candidate asked.
• Suggest one area where their vendor management approach could be improved (e.g., "You focused primarily on cost but didn't address the implementation timeline concerns").
• Ask the candidate to revise a portion of their recommendation document to address the feedback.
• Evaluate how well they incorporate the feedback and whether they maintain a balanced view of all relevant factors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work sample exercises?

Each exercise is designed to take 30-60 minutes. We recommend scheduling them as separate sessions rather than attempting to complete multiple exercises in a single interview. This prevents candidate fatigue and allows for more focused evaluation. The entire set of exercises could be spread across 1-2 days of the interview process.

Should we use all four exercises for every candidate?

Not necessarily. Select the exercises most relevant to your organization's specific needs. For instance, if vendor management is a minor part of the role at your company, you might skip that exercise. However, using at least 2-3 different exercises provides a more comprehensive evaluation of the candidate's capabilities.

How should we evaluate candidates across multiple exercises?

Create a standardized scoring rubric for each exercise that aligns with the key competencies for the role. Have multiple evaluators score independently before discussing their observations. Look for patterns across exercises—consistent strengths or weaknesses are more meaningful than performance on a single exercise.

What if a candidate has limited experience in one area covered by these exercises?

Focus on their problem-solving approach and learning agility rather than specific knowledge. A candidate who demonstrates strong reasoning and asks intelligent questions may perform well in the role even with limited prior experience in certain areas. The feedback portion of each exercise is particularly valuable for assessing how quickly they can incorporate new information.

How do we ensure these exercises don't disadvantage candidates from diverse backgrounds?

Review the scenarios and requirements to ensure they don't assume cultural knowledge unrelated to the role. Provide clear instructions and equal preparation time to all candidates. Consider having your exercises reviewed by team members from diverse backgrounds to identify potential biases. Focus evaluation on objective criteria related to job performance rather than subjective "culture fit."

Can these exercises be conducted remotely?

Yes, all of these exercises can be adapted for remote interviews using video conferencing and collaborative tools. For the infrastructure planning exercise, candidates can present their plans via screen share. Role-plays can be conducted through video calls, and documents can be shared through collaborative platforms. Ensure candidates have access to necessary tools and clear instructions for remote participation.

Finding the right IT Infrastructure Manager is crucial for maintaining a robust, secure, and efficient technology environment. By incorporating these work sample exercises into your hiring process, you'll gain valuable insights into candidates' real-world capabilities that traditional interviews simply cannot reveal. This approach leads to better hiring decisions and increases the likelihood of finding a candidate who will excel in this critical role.

For more resources to enhance your hiring process, check out Yardstick's suite of AI-powered tools, including our AI Job Description Generator, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator. You can also find the complete job description for an IT Infrastructure Manager here.

Ready to build a complete interview guide for this role? Sign up for a free Yardstick account today!