Essential Work Sample Exercises for Hiring Top Network Engineers

Network Engineers serve as the backbone of an organization's IT infrastructure, ensuring that critical systems remain connected, secure, and performing optimally. The difference between an average and exceptional Network Engineer can significantly impact business continuity, security posture, and overall operational efficiency. When hiring for this crucial role, traditional interviews alone often fail to reveal a candidate's true capabilities in real-world scenarios.

Work samples provide a window into how candidates approach actual networking challenges they'll face on the job. By observing candidates as they design networks, troubleshoot issues, implement security measures, and communicate technical concepts, hiring managers can make more informed decisions based on demonstrated skills rather than self-reported experience.

The exercises outlined below are designed to evaluate core competencies required for Network Engineers: technical proficiency, problem-solving methodology, security awareness, and communication skills. Each exercise simulates real-world scenarios that Network Engineers encounter regularly, allowing candidates to showcase their expertise while giving hiring teams concrete examples of performance to evaluate.

By incorporating these work samples into your interview process, you'll not only identify candidates with the technical skills needed for success but also those who can think critically under pressure, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and adapt to feedback—all essential qualities for a Network Engineer who will help maintain and improve your organization's vital network infrastructure.

Activity #1: Network Design and Implementation Plan

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to design a scalable, secure network infrastructure that meets specific business requirements. Network design is a fundamental skill for Network Engineers, requiring them to balance performance, security, redundancy, and cost considerations while planning for future growth.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a fictional business scenario with specific networking requirements (e.g., a medium-sized company with multiple offices, remote workers, and specific security needs).
• Provide details about current infrastructure, budget constraints, and business objectives.
• Allow candidates 24-48 hours to prepare their design before the interview.
• During the interview, allocate 20-30 minutes for presentation and 15 minutes for questions.
• Ensure technical team members who understand networking concepts are present to evaluate the design.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the business scenario and requirements provided.
• Create a network design that addresses all requirements, including:
• Network topology diagram (using Visio, draw.io, or similar tool)
• IP addressing scheme
• Hardware and software recommendations
• Security measures
• Redundancy and disaster recovery considerations
• Implementation timeline and phases
• Prepare to explain your design choices and the tradeoffs you considered.
• Be ready to discuss how your design accommodates future growth and emerging technologies.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide specific feedback on one strength of the design (e.g., "Your security implementation was particularly thorough") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The redundancy plan could be more robust").
• Ask the candidate to revise the portion of their design that needs improvement, giving them 5-10 minutes to sketch out changes.
• Observe how receptive they are to feedback and how effectively they incorporate it into their revised approach.

Activity #2: Network Troubleshooting Simulation

This exercise assesses a candidate's methodical approach to diagnosing and resolving network issues—a critical day-to-day responsibility for Network Engineers. It reveals their technical knowledge, problem-solving process, and ability to work under pressure.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a simulated network environment with a specific issue (e.g., connectivity problems between subnets, DNS resolution failures, or VPN connection issues).
• This can be done using a virtual lab environment, network simulation software, or even a detailed written scenario with relevant logs and outputs.
• Prepare a document with available troubleshooting tools and commands the candidate can "use" during the exercise.
• Allocate 30-45 minutes for this exercise.
• Have an experienced Network Engineer observe the process and be available to provide "command outputs" based on the candidate's troubleshooting steps.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the network topology and issue description provided.
• Explain your troubleshooting methodology as you work through the problem.
• Verbalize your thought process, including what you're checking and why.
• Use the available tools and commands to gather information about the network issue.
• Identify the root cause of the problem and propose a solution.
• Explain how you would implement the fix and verify that it resolved the issue.
• Discuss what steps you would take to prevent similar issues in the future.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the candidate's troubleshooting approach, highlighting one effective strategy they used and one area where their process could be more efficient.
• Ask the candidate to explain how they would modify their troubleshooting approach based on the feedback.
• Have them demonstrate this improved approach on a smaller, related issue for 5-10 minutes.
• Note how quickly they adapt their methodology and whether they incorporate the feedback effectively.

Activity #3: Security Implementation and Audit

This exercise evaluates a candidate's understanding of network security principles and their ability to identify and address vulnerabilities. With cybersecurity threats constantly evolving, Network Engineers must be adept at implementing robust security measures to protect organizational assets.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a network diagram with intentional security vulnerabilities (e.g., improper firewall rules, insecure protocols, missing access controls).
• Include relevant configuration files for key devices (firewalls, routers, switches).
• Provide a brief on the organization's security requirements and compliance needs.
• Allocate 30-45 minutes for this exercise.
• Have a security-focused team member available to answer questions about the environment.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided network diagram and configuration files.
• Identify security vulnerabilities and risks in the current network design.
• Document each vulnerability found, explaining the potential impact to the organization.
• Develop a remediation plan that includes:
• Specific configuration changes to address each vulnerability
• Implementation priority (which issues to fix first)
• Justification for your recommendations
• Potential business impact of your proposed changes
• Be prepared to discuss how you would validate that your security improvements are working correctly.
• Consider how you would maintain security posture over time as threats evolve.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the candidate's security assessment, highlighting one vulnerability they effectively identified and addressed, and one security consideration they may have overlooked.
• Ask the candidate to revise their remediation plan to address the overlooked security concern.
• Give them 10 minutes to explain their updated approach and how they would implement and test this additional security measure.
• Evaluate their ability to quickly incorporate new security considerations into their overall plan.

Activity #4: Network Documentation and Knowledge Transfer

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to create clear technical documentation and effectively communicate complex networking concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders—essential skills for successful Network Engineers who must collaborate across teams.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a moderately complex networking scenario (e.g., a multi-site VPN setup, SD-WAN implementation, or network segmentation project).
• Create two personas: a junior IT staff member who needs technical guidance and a non-technical executive who needs to understand the business impact.
• Provide the candidate with technical details about the network scenario.
• Allocate 45-60 minutes for preparation and 20 minutes for presentation.
• Have individuals representing both technical and non-technical roles present for the presentation portion.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the network scenario provided.
• Create documentation that includes:
• A network diagram illustrating the solution
• Step-by-step implementation instructions for a junior technician
• A high-level overview explaining the business benefits for executives
• Potential risks and mitigation strategies
• Prepare a 15-minute presentation that effectively communicates this information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Be ready to adjust your communication style based on your audience.
• Include a section on how you would train team members on maintaining this network solution.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the candidate's documentation and presentation, highlighting one aspect they communicated particularly well and one area where clarity could be improved.
• Ask the candidate to revise the portion of their documentation that needs improvement, giving them 10 minutes to make changes.
• Have them briefly explain their revised approach and how it addresses the feedback.
• Evaluate their ability to adapt their communication style and improve clarity based on feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work sample exercises?

Each exercise typically requires 30-60 minutes, including time for feedback and revision. For remote candidates, consider spreading the exercises across multiple interview sessions. For on-site interviews, select 2-3 exercises that best align with your specific needs rather than attempting all four in one day.

Should we use real network data from our organization for these exercises?

While using real-world scenarios increases relevance, always sanitize any actual network data to remove sensitive information. Create fictional but realistic scenarios based on your environment that don't expose actual network details or vulnerabilities.

How should we evaluate candidates who use different approaches than our organization's standard practices?

Focus on the effectiveness and reasoning behind their approach rather than strict adherence to your organization's methods. Different approaches may introduce valuable new perspectives. Evaluate whether their solution is secure, scalable, and addresses the requirements, even if the implementation differs from your current practices.

What if a candidate struggles with the initial exercise but improves after feedback?

This demonstrates coachability and adaptability—valuable traits in a Network Engineer. Consider weighing their improvement and receptiveness to feedback alongside their initial performance. Some excellent engineers may simply approach problems differently at first but can quickly adapt when given direction.

How can we make these exercises fair for candidates with different levels of experience?

Adjust expectations based on the seniority level of the role. For junior positions, focus more on fundamentals and learning potential. For senior roles, expect more sophisticated solutions and deeper insights. You can also offer different complexity levels for the same exercise based on the candidate's experience.

Should we provide candidates with access to reference materials during these exercises?

Yes, allowing access to documentation and references more accurately simulates real-world conditions. Network Engineers regularly consult documentation, and this approach tests their research skills rather than rote memorization. However, be clear about what resources are permitted (e.g., public documentation vs. asking ChatGPT).

Conclusion

Implementing these work sample exercises in your Network Engineer hiring process will significantly improve your ability to identify candidates with the practical skills needed to succeed in this critical role. By observing candidates as they design networks, troubleshoot issues, implement security measures, and communicate technical concepts, you'll gain valuable insights that traditional interviews simply cannot provide.

Remember that the goal of these exercises is not just to test technical knowledge but to evaluate problem-solving approaches, communication skills, and adaptability—all crucial qualities for Network Engineers who must maintain complex systems while collaborating effectively with diverse stakeholders.

For more resources to enhance your hiring process, check out Yardstick's AI Job Description Generator, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator. You can also find more information about Network Engineer roles in our Network Engineer Job Description.

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