When it comes to filling a network manager role, recruiters and interviewers want to hire someone with a balance of expert technical skills and strong communication skills. A top-notch candidate has a solid understanding of firewalls, routing protocols, SNMP, load balance and network design. 

Interview Question for Network Managers"The hardest candidates to find are those with a combination of technical, verbal and written communication skills," says Sandy Lambert, CISSP-ISSMP, managing director of recruiter Lambert and Associates. "It's easier to find somebody who is technical than it is to find somebody who understands technology and can communicate it."

Generally, interviewers want to find out how network managers "deal with people, problems and technology," adds Ilya Talman, president of Roy Talman and Associates Inc., a Chicago-based search firm specializing in IT.

The following are a list of commonly asked interview questions:

Give me an example of the most challenging project you worked on when you were the leader.

To answer this question effectively, you've got to describe a project where you used both technology and managerial skills. Hone in on the number of people managed and the complexity of the project. Interviewers are also looking to see if you have experience managing a network similar in size and complexity to theirs. Which leads to another common question: What are the sizes of the networks you've previously dealt with?

Show me how you would implement a particular network.

This question can be tailored toward a specific position or contract job, says Vasanthan Dasan, CTO and vice president of engineering for the Armada Group, a staffing firm in Silicon Valley. Candidates must articulate, and sometimes show, how they'd plan and create a network. In one instance, Dasan's question for a was, "We need to design a caching network for a client that produces mapping software for customers worldwide. How would you go about implementing this network?"

"From the way they think and understand networks, I get a sense of whether they can do the job or not," Dasan says. "I may also ask them to write that down into a statement of work that includes how long it will take, what they will deliver and how they will implement it."

Here's an example of a network. Where and how would you put security controls into it?

Network managers are increasingly being asked to handle network security issues. When Lambert worked at Citibank, she would present a diagram of its network and ask candidates to draw and explain a security strategy. Similar questions are, "What other tools have you used to increase the security of a network?" and "What were you specifically responsible for to ensure firewalls and protect the network?"

Tell me about a mission-critical, 24/7 network you worked on.

"Many Network manager positions have to deal with a 24/7 environment," observes Craig Kapper, senior regional vice president for Robert Half International. "Ultimately we want candidates who can minimize downtime in a 24/7 environment." A follow-up question could be, "What type of redundancies did you implement for failover if the network goes down?"

What are some of the duties in your current or previous job that were satisfying to you?

Some people love to be involved with all the details of a project from start to finish. Others prefer supervising workers and allocating project details. "If they liked all the details at their previous position, then they may not work as a network manager, because the network manager has to oversee everything," Lambert says. Your answer also reveals your work habits, and gives clues on whether you know know how to motivate 

Explain your hardware experience.

Interviewers are looking to understand not only your hardware experience and strengths, but how you've leveraged hardware in the past.

Explain your experience with VPN, network authenticity management, encryption and integrity issues.

With more people wanting to access company information remotely and from different devices, network managers are often asked questions regarding remote access, Kapper says.

Some other questions you may be asked:

Explain your experience implementing VoIP or wireless.

What is PKI? Describe 802.11. 

How did you map and prepare a two- to three-year strategic roadmap for a network?

How did you negotiate with vendors?

How do you control network traffic?

-- Chandler Harris