Effective Work Sample Exercises for Hiring Top Systems Administrators

Systems Administrators are the backbone of an organization's IT infrastructure, responsible for maintaining, securing, and optimizing critical systems that keep businesses running smoothly. Finding the right Systems Administrator requires more than just reviewing resumes and conducting standard interviews - it demands a practical assessment of their technical abilities, problem-solving skills, and communication style.

Traditional interviews often fail to reveal how candidates will perform in real-world scenarios. A Systems Administrator might sound knowledgeable during a conversation but struggle when faced with actual system failures or complex configuration tasks. This disconnect can lead to costly hiring mistakes and operational disruptions.

Work sample exercises provide a window into how candidates approach technical challenges, prioritize tasks, and communicate solutions. By observing candidates in action, hiring managers can assess not only technical competence but also critical soft skills like adaptability, attention to detail, and grace under pressure - all essential qualities for effective Systems Administrators.

The following work sample exercises are designed to evaluate candidates across multiple dimensions of the Systems Administrator role. Each exercise simulates real-world scenarios that Systems Administrators commonly encounter, allowing you to make more informed hiring decisions based on demonstrated abilities rather than self-reported skills.

Activity #1: Critical System Troubleshooting Simulation

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to diagnose and resolve complex system issues under pressure - a fundamental skill for any Systems Administrator. The scenario presents a multi-layered problem that requires methodical investigation, critical thinking, and clear communication of the troubleshooting process.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a detailed scenario describing a critical system outage (e.g., "Users cannot access the company's primary database application. Initial reports indicate the application is running but connections are timing out.")
• Create a document with system logs, configuration files, and network diagrams that contain clues to the underlying issue. Include some red herrings to test the candidate's ability to focus on relevant information.
• Designate someone to play the role of a team member who can provide additional information when asked specific questions.
• Allow 45-60 minutes for this exercise.
• The underlying issue should have multiple potential causes but one root cause (e.g., a misconfigured firewall rule, database connection pool exhaustion, or server resource constraints).

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the scenario and supporting documentation provided.
• Explain your troubleshooting approach, including what you would check first and why.
• Ask clarifying questions to gather more information as needed.
• Document your step-by-step process for identifying the root cause.
• Propose both an immediate fix to restore service and long-term solutions to prevent recurrence.
• Explain how you would communicate the issue and resolution to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the candidate completes their troubleshooting process, provide feedback on their methodology, focusing on one strength (e.g., "Your systematic approach to eliminating possible causes was excellent") and one area for improvement (e.g., "Consider prioritizing user impact when determining which issues to address first").
• Ask the candidate to revise their communication plan based on the feedback, giving them 10 minutes to adjust their approach.

Activity #2: Infrastructure Security Assessment

This exercise evaluates a candidate's security awareness and ability to identify vulnerabilities in system configurations - critical skills in today's threat landscape. It tests both technical knowledge of security best practices and the ability to communicate security concepts to stakeholders.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare documentation for a fictional infrastructure environment, including server configurations, network diagrams, and access control policies.
• Intentionally include 5-7 security vulnerabilities of varying severity (e.g., outdated software versions, overly permissive firewall rules, weak password policies, unencrypted data transfers).
• Provide the candidate with standard security assessment tools they might use (or descriptions of these tools if the exercise is theoretical).
• Allow 45 minutes for the assessment and 15 minutes for presenting findings.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided infrastructure documentation.
• Identify potential security vulnerabilities and risks in the environment.
• Prioritize the identified issues based on potential impact and likelihood.
• Develop a remediation plan that addresses the vulnerabilities in order of priority.
• Create a brief presentation (5-7 slides or equivalent) that explains:
• The vulnerabilities discovered
• The potential impact of each vulnerability
• Recommended solutions with implementation timelines
• Ongoing monitoring recommendations
• Present your findings as if speaking to both IT leadership and non-technical executives.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on both the technical accuracy of the assessment and the effectiveness of the presentation.
• Highlight one strength in their approach and one area where their assessment or communication could be improved.
• Ask the candidate to revise one section of their remediation plan based on the feedback, allowing 10-15 minutes for this adjustment.

Activity #3: System Automation Project

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to automate routine administrative tasks - an increasingly important skill for modern Systems Administrators. It tests both technical scripting abilities and the candidate's approach to creating maintainable, documented solutions.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario requiring automation of a common systems administration task (e.g., user account provisioning, backup verification, system health monitoring, or log rotation and analysis).
• Provide specifications for the desired outcome and any constraints (e.g., must use PowerShell/Bash/Python, must be compatible with specific systems).
• If possible, provide a test environment where candidates can develop and demonstrate their solution.
• Allow 60-90 minutes for this exercise, depending on complexity.
• Prepare evaluation criteria focusing on script functionality, error handling, documentation, and maintainability.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the automation requirements provided.
• Design a solution that accomplishes the required task efficiently.
• Write the necessary script(s) with appropriate comments and documentation.
• Include error handling and logging in your solution.
• Prepare to explain:
• Your approach to designing the solution
• Key decisions made during implementation
• How your solution could be extended or modified in the future
• How you would implement this in a production environment
• If time permits, demonstrate your solution in the provided test environment.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Review the solution with the candidate, highlighting one strength (e.g., "Your error handling was particularly robust") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The script could benefit from more modular functions for maintainability").
• Ask the candidate to implement a small enhancement or modification to their script based on your feedback, allowing 15-20 minutes for this adjustment.

Activity #4: Disaster Recovery Planning

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to plan for system failures and develop comprehensive recovery strategies - a critical responsibility for Systems Administrators. It evaluates both technical knowledge and strategic thinking about business continuity.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare documentation for a fictional company's IT infrastructure, including critical systems, data storage solutions, and current backup procedures.
• Include information about business requirements, such as maximum acceptable downtime for different systems and recovery point objectives.
• Provide a scenario where the candidate needs to develop or improve a disaster recovery plan (e.g., preparing for potential datacenter outage, ransomware attack, or natural disaster).
• Allow 60 minutes for plan development and 15 minutes for presentation.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided infrastructure and business requirement documentation.
• Identify critical systems and potential points of failure.
• Develop a comprehensive disaster recovery plan that includes:
• Backup strategies for different types of systems and data
• Recovery procedures with estimated recovery times
• Required resources (hardware, software, personnel)
• Testing and validation procedures
• Communication plan during a disaster event
• Create a brief presentation summarizing your plan, focusing on how it meets business requirements while balancing technical constraints and costs.
• Be prepared to explain how you would implement and test this plan in phases.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the comprehensiveness of the plan and the practicality of implementation.
• Highlight one strength of their approach and one area where the plan could be improved or made more realistic.
• Ask the candidate to revise one section of their plan based on your feedback, allowing 15 minutes for this adjustment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work sample exercises?

Each exercise is designed to take 45-90 minutes, depending on complexity. We recommend scheduling separate sessions for different exercises rather than attempting to complete multiple exercises in a single interview. This prevents candidate fatigue and allows for more focused evaluation.

Should we use all four exercises for every Systems Administrator candidate?

Not necessarily. Select the exercises most relevant to your specific environment and the role's priorities. For a security-focused position, the Infrastructure Security Assessment might be most valuable, while for an organization emphasizing automation, the System Automation Project would be more revealing.

How should we evaluate candidates who use different approaches than we expected?

Focus on the effectiveness of their solution rather than whether it matches your expected approach. Different backgrounds lead to different problem-solving methods, and innovative approaches can bring valuable diversity to your team. Evaluate whether their solution is functional, efficient, secure, and maintainable.

What if a candidate doesn't complete the exercise in the allotted time?

This is valuable information in itself. Discuss with the candidate where they got stuck and what they would have done with more time. Consider whether time constraints in your actual work environment are similar, and whether partial completion demonstrates sufficient skills for your needs.

How can we make these exercises fair for remote candidates?

Ensure remote candidates have access to the same resources and information as in-person candidates. Use screen sharing for demonstrations, provide clear written instructions, and consider using virtual environments or sandboxes for technical exercises. Allow extra time to account for potential technical difficulties with remote connections.

Should we compensate candidates for completing these work samples?

For extensive work samples that require significant time investment, offering compensation demonstrates respect for candidates' time and expertise. This is particularly important for experienced professionals who may be evaluating multiple opportunities. Even a modest honorarium signals that you value their contribution to the hiring process.

The right Systems Administrator can dramatically improve your organization's technical operations, security posture, and system reliability. By incorporating these work sample exercises into your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into candidates' capabilities and make more informed hiring decisions.

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